Chez

I hope we stick with four. I can't stand 5 at the back, and a good 20 minutes against Brighton's sub doesn't convince me it's the way to go. The other question is where are the chances and goals coming from?

there is a third option. Everton are still £10m short, so the deal is some way off...(the 72 hour period probably starts from when the two clubs agree the fee, after that there is the usual, signings, legal,, medical, announcement), but we are not 'protecting the asset', we genuinely don't think his mind is on Saints. I have no idea if this is accurate, but just putting out there an another possibility.

seeing as you suggested Quarshie several days before anyone had heard his name before, my ears prick up every time I see a post like this, although Gilchrist struggled a little at Sheffield United - he got injured half way through the season and couldn't get back in the squad after that. Linked with Derby. Freese is an interesting shout. Big lad at 6'3 and and US international. If Spors has watched Downs' play for US he will have seen Freese in that footage too. Are Arsenal looking to loan Stetford out? Tommy Stetford's Dad, pro golfer Chris Steford is from Alton. His brother Charlie, who also plays in nets for Ajax, is a Saints fan...or at least thats what Wiki says.

Because he isn't stupid. Nor is his agent.

Would it hurt to wait a month or two into the season before offering new contracts or would that be too late> Charles has to not only shine in the championship, which he hasn't for us, but show that he can make the step up. It strikes me that Spors has probably made the decision on him and Baz just to stop them leaving for nothing, no matter how good they are.

Seeing as Quarshie was announced on the 30th, you have to question whether Still had any input on that transfer too...or Downs...or any of the players coming in. Will Still's title is "head coach". We know transfer committees have existed for yonks, making it difficult to pinpoint blame, but increasingly transfers seem to be taken further from the `managers' hands, so Still may have minimal input other than to describe his method of playing, formation and possibly type of player. In the end, quality, physically strong/fast and technically good players will work no matter what. If the players coming in are poor, Spors will be the person to blame.

Stephens contract was announced on the 9th July. You imagine the decision to offer him one was quite a while before then (negotiations, legals, medical, time to arrange announcement). So that will have been before Still had seen him train/play. Maybe even before Still had joined us (May 25th). He may have had input, he may not.

It's a results-based business. We should be giving contracts based on performance alone. We have a manager and god knows how many support staff to manage, motivate and look after the players, young and old. The only reason to pay a player tens of thousands every week is to play.

My guess is a 4-year deal.

in a league of its own.

Once the parachutes end, the Sky TV and EFL money income for championship clubs is about £11m, so tickets sales become the biggest earner...assuming fans still turn up.

Using 2023 (PL) and 2024 (chmpionship) accounts as a guide: PL income total £145m. TV £108m, match day £19m and commercial £18m. =25% of income. Championship (with parachute) total income £80m, TV £55m, match day £16m and commercial £12m. =28% of income. I'm struggling to see what the 50% he mentioned relates to. Once the parachute payments end, that's a different story. Hopefully we don't have to go there again.

I prefer to see how they go before patting anyone on the back. Quarshie has been very up and down in preseason games and Donws hasn't really played.

Fans forum revealed that Spors made the decision to give Stephens the two year extension and sounds like Baz is probably getting a new contract...most likely Spors the key decision-maker on that contract too.

Just as well. He had 12 months left of his contract, so a new one year contract would have been pointless. Is Will Still not gong to have any input on players coming in...and going out? Remind me, has he been employed as head coach rather than manager?

You're concerned we might lose the guy that gave Stephens a two extension? Forgive me if I take a little time to digest the moves he makes in this window and beyond before worrying if he gets headhunted.

Spors. And it looks like he going to get a new contract too. It's understandable that the director of football is ensuring players can't walk for free, but maybe watch them play for a bit before handing out contracts.

This stopped me in my tracks. I am guessing it has to be Bazunu and Charles...beyond that? Manning, Armstrong? Will Still has seen them for five minutes, so can he be sure they deserve new deals...but if the Stephens decision is anything go to by, seems like he isn't the one who gets contracts.

Top Championship players that the PL clubs don't think are good enough...£15m (the agreed Hackney fee was £14m, seems a good guide)

don't be daft. The Spertsyan offer was supposedly about £11m. We will have offered about £8m + add ons.

You might be right. Can't see us paying that kind of money.

My guess is Coventry dig their heals in very hard indeed. Both clubs have ambitions of promotion, so we are a sideways move, parachute payments apart.

That's one of the major drawbacks of buying 'best of the championship', which I think most on here like the idea of. The other clubs don't want to sell to a rival and the price can be very high is there are years left on a contract. Rudoni is one year into a four year contract. Cov hold most of the cards.

Stuart Armstrong was pretty good in 2023. I thought his first touch and abililty to do things at pace stood out a lot at Championship level. Adams did OK too, giving us a focal point. Not see anyone in the current squad really do that, yet. Bednarek was our best central defender. need to see more of Edwards and Quarshie to decide if we are weaker or stringer. Brooks added some flair at times. At the moment it looks like Robinson will be the one to offer that, but you'd imagine Fernandes and Dibling will be replaced - so we will have some creativity. So, all those three areas might considered weaker, but its early days, he says two days before the season starts.

Like the £27m offer for Dibling from Everton?