Chez

subsidising wages seems increasingly common these days. Did we do that with Classie? Will we do that with someone like Forster, who maybe cost prohibitive to anyone actually interested?

I'd like to see him leave, freeing up wages for someone better.

Well said.

and we will prosper?

Very good footballer. A first touch that enables him to play at a good level, but the way Zaha tore him apart at SMS is hard to get out of my mind. As a left back he wasn't anywhere near good enough at that point. Weak and so slow. A few good crosses whilst hiding at left midfield was not enough to change my opinion. I have to say though, he looked much stronger when I saw him at the start of this season, and maybe even a little sharper too, which encouraged me, but watching him at Fulham he still has a long way to go. I am glad he went out on loan and as cover he might be just about good enough next season, maybe, but he isn't a player that will put opponents on the back foot. My concern is that we have had two of the best left backs in the league over the last five years. Settling for Targett just sees us weakened. The squad needs to be improved otherwise we will struggle again next season.

Slow lightweight fullbacks, combined with lightweight and/or clumsy centre backs is what made us perennial relegation candidates for years. I want our young players to be given every chance to succeed, and loans are a good way to toughen them up, but the thought of Targett bolstering our pitiful defence makes me shudder. If Bertrand leaves, then we MUST invest in a quality pacey fullback.

as usual I'd like to request that we revert to navy shorts.

The Lagstone Campus is `prime real estate' right by the water. If they wanted land or to be part of a property deal then they have it right there already, but they are selling that. I'd be surprised iff the uni was interested in buying the Roko site. The sponsorship is not unusual. Hull University sponsored the Tigers for many years when they were in the lower leagues and there have been others. Having a successful team puts a city on the map and can help bring students to the city. The skates previous success and the increase in student population at Pompey went hand in hand. However, I'm surprised the University has chosen to overlook the fact the previous incarnation screwed the Portsmouth student union over for almost three grand. Different owners but still, I'd of thought they'd give them a wide berth.

Really? Did they say why the Poly wants to buy Roko (which is not owned by the Skates, they just have a multi year lease)? The Poly is selling off the Langstone campus (but keeping the sports grounds open), which is a trek from the rest of the city centre campus, so I would have thought it's unlikely to acquire the Roko site, as that is even further away, located in Copnor.

the foul by Cedric near the end that earned him a yellow as absolutely vital. If he hadn't made it they would have been in. That win at all costs, doing the nasty things has been totally missing this season and just one reason why we have conceded so many simple to covert goals. I thought we were pretty lucky to hold on. The last ten minutes was a nightmare, but fair play to us, we played pretty well and created chances. Happy ****ing days.

Not sure which part you have doubts about, but pretty much all this information is in the public domain. Lambert requested to leave https://southamptonfc.com/news/2014-06-02/statement-player-interest--rickie-lambert Lovren - head gone https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dejan-lovren-head-already-liverpool-7378180 Wanyama - asked to leave, had to be dropped as head wasn't right http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11700/9974682/victor-wanyama-staying-at-southampton-as-tottenham-miss-out Morgan - mentally not fit to play https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/southampton/11027060/Southamptons-Morgan-Schneiderlin-faces-threat-of-fine-if-he-refuses-to-make-himself-available-for-Liverpool-game.html You may have seen his tweets also perhaps that we scathin gof the club for not allowing him to leave Lallana threatens strike https://www.dailystar.co.uk/sport/football/386823/REVEALED-Angry-Adam-Lallana-made-Southampton-threats-to-push-through-Liverpool-move Clyne - offered contract http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/13353201.Liverpool_table_new_bid_for_Southampton_s_Nathaniel_Clyne/ VVD refuses to play https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/van-dijk-southampton-liverpool-transfer-10847224 I guess that just leaves Mane and Shaw. If you think either were touted around as apposed to them being tapped up then you are mistaken.

Also Dortmund themselves are a bloody huge club and very near the top of the German/European football pyramid. Unlike us.

Appreciate you responding. You didn't provide replies for them all. Also the response for Pelle has nothing to do with how the club handled player negotiations. I believe we did say no. He promptly said he would never play for the club again. Are you saying we should have just shrugged our shoulders and said "see your contract fella"? Might have worked. The question is, would he have given his all if we denied him the move? It certainly seemed to get ugly that summer. My guess is the club felt he had "gone" already. By the time the club gets the offer from Liverpool negotiations with players have been wrapped up. what about the transfer negotiation, Should we have done that differently? Decent offer. Sounded quite large at the time. Actually it sounded about right. He had two years left on his contract. Let that wind down and watch the value drop as it did with Clyne. We could have offered a new deal, maybe we did, but he wasn't going to sign it. Liverpool were talking with his agent around 6 months before he moved I suspect? Spurs overpaid massively by the way. You are right. I don't understand why we let him go. Strongest fullback pairing in the league at that time. Should only have allowed him to once Clyne signed an extended contract. His struggles at Arsenal have `let us off' somewhat. Shaw is the key for me. Keep him and the other players may have followed suit. But how do you say `no you are not going to manchester united on a double your money contract'? Perfect storm. Lots of young and bloody top notch players at a `small premiership club' (not my words) at the same time (with some very desperate under performing big clubs) that proved they were good by getting us high in the league. Once you sold one, then the whole `united journey to the CL' ends and everyone sees the bright lights elsewhere. Clubs of our size just don't create and buy that sort of talent. Usually you have a good player, sell him and replace with ****. We replaced with top performers that were also desired. It was like a domino rally. Each player saying - you sold X last summer, so why not me? I am not sure you have explained how you would have kept these players. The `just say no' option seems simplistic. In reality was the only option to have given Shaw £100k a week and then done the same with all the others? £5.2m a year for each player (its more with NI). 20 players on that is still less than our wage bill now, so might have been the way forward, although the television money has grown since then to be fair

Once Shaw deal was agreed I think it was a runaway train. Maybe you disagree. Out of interest, what should we have done IYO with each of the players that left? Perhaps you can go through each. I will set the scene and perhaps you can advise how we should have handled each player negotiation. Maybe you only need to focus on Shaw. Keep him - not sure how that would have been possible - and that may have made a statement encouraging the rest to stay. Maybe only keeping Nik Nak would have made the difference? I am genuinely interested as to what the right path should have been. Even with hindsight I am unsure what we could have done. Shaw - Agent informed Saints he wanted to leave. Offered record fee. Lovren - asked to leave and informed club his heart was not in it (head was elsewhere) Lallana - asked to leave, refused to play for club Lambert - asked to leave, offered decent money for player on the wain Chambers - offered huge money for player with 20 games under his belt Morgan - asked to leave, kept sweet by saying he could go following year Wanyama - asked to leave, kept sweet by saying he could go following year Clyne - refused to sign new contract and expressed desire to leave Pelle - offered reasonably large fee Mane - asked to leave. offered big transfer fee VVD - went on strike, sulked, didnt perform, offered record fee.

I think you might be right. I guess it justifies fully why our better players left to join a club like them. It's going to be painful seeing Lovren with that beautiful trophy in his hands, and Nivea boy and VVD...

"Where has all the money gone?" LOL. That list goes a long way to explaining our fall from grace. In terms of value, maybe you need to add on the total wages paid to present a real (and even more horrific) picture. 2.5 years of Austin on a circa £80k a week added to his £5m transfer fee totals somewhere around £15.5m. Those 14 goals haven't come cheap. If Boufal is on £60k a week (I wouldn't be surprised if it was more), that's another £6.24m in wages over the two years to add to the £16m transfer fee. Eye watering figures for a player that was injured when we brought him here (why we did not wait until January I will never know)

Nathan Bryne at Wigan impressed whenever I saw him, but wont add much needed height to our side.

could not agree more. We seem to have favoured centre backs with passing ability and first touches over critical facets such as heading ability, strength, pace and positioning. Even in the premiership they are important. In the championship they are crucial.

it's four extra games isn't it? Swansea (very) early bird price of £419 amounts to just £22 a game. that sounds pretty good to me. I wonder what our prices will be next season. Just as a guide: 23 x £20 = £460 23 x £22 = £506 23 x £25 = £575 23 x £30 = £690

They were certainly the better side that night and finished the season brilliantly. Interesting how the fortunes of the two clubs have fared since that night though. It's been horrible for 18 months and we will possibly be back with them in the second tier next season, but looking at the bigger picture I think I'd take some of the seasons we have had, the European qualifications, the Milan trip, the cup semi final at Anfield and of course the final, over winning the Championship.

yep, he was blowing out of his arse. Combine Long and Austin and you have a superstar striker.

Thought we were decent. Its been a long time since Ive typed that about us. The way we played today showed the folly of Hughes not packing out our midfield in the previous two games and choosing hoof ball over control. The good thing is he adapted and learned. Wonder if he can squeeze just that little bit more out of the side.

I honestly felt Stephens had no choice but to cuff the ****, he first dragged his shirt off his back and then did everything humanly possible to pull him to the ground. Stephens perhaps has to show more professionalism, but every player has their breaking point and I am certain I'm have done exactly the same. I'm still fuming...

Just for balance, we shipped three goals, which is obviously bad, but at the other end Austin should have scored when Tadic put him through. Too slow though and it the end had to stretch.

thats how I feel. Thought we created more decent chances today than we have for months. Great fight in midfield and decent threat going forward. The third goal though is just painful. Weak as **** at the back post. Cedric's lack of size means he is brushed out the way, shame as he had his best game for ages.