Doctoroncall

Hate whisky (single, blended, irish, scots, american and japanese) but like a whisky mac, a great winter warming drink.

Is this for real or accidental parody?

You're missed my point. If the club want a return on the younsters coming out of the academy, their worth is higher from a PL club than a Championship (and so are other rewards). Think about Henderson, £16m as a PL player, how much would Sunderland have got if they were in the Championship?

If you think that is the clubs aim then the potential sales would be worth considerably more if Saints get to the PL, so it makes better sense to try and hang on to them so their real worth is realised.

I don't think you can replace Chambo with Guly or Lee Holmes as they are not like-for-like players. That's not to say the team cannot adapt to playing one of them instead of Chambo which is a different concept. It's not like you can go down the footballer supermarket and ask for another Chambo. Disappointed he sees his future away from Saints from this season, as has been said, it's what the modern game (and a reflection of society in general) that it's take care of number one as soon as possible. The only way to break the cycle of having to sell potential star players too early is to: a) get promoted asap b) instead of producing the odd very good player now and again (Theo, Gareth and Alex) is to produce a group of decent young talent. Also, as they have played together for longer would hopefully be far better players because of it. c) having the infrastructure and coaches in place. The training complex is being improved and the academy we have been told will gain status 1, but do we have the coaches which can get the best out of the players? d) scouting network. There needs to one covering enough geographical area to satisfy the need to produce the number of decent youngsters (especially if the coaching cannot obtain the best out of each player) which can be supplemented by a few experienced players bought in to the squad. Has the scouting network been set up (what has happen to that Danish guy)? e) selection process of youngsters able to become decent players. If we want to be a PL team and hopefully a top half one then the youngsters need to be identified as being able to achieve this as early as possible, I don't believe any aspiring young footballer is capable of being a PL standard player, let alone playing for a top half PL team. Skills and technical ability are straightforward to gauge but what about the mental/psychological side. I wouldn't have a clue how to do this selection, maybe some kind psychometric test/assessment can be used!

I'm definitely a lark and thankfully so are the rest of the family! up at 6am, out by 6:15am for work at 6:45am gym, shower, shave and breakfast. leave work at 3:30pm and see the kids If I left after 7am the journey time will double, the same for the return leg. weekends are a bit of a mare with the kids up early, but then there is always the TV or a book to occupy them until 8am.

I'll only believe it when it's in the Daily Mash.

There is still plenty of time for them to add another couple of midfielders and a striker before the season starts and then top up by the end of August or end of the loan window in September.

It's always a pleasure to take it slightly off topic making the wummery impotent. Michael Kighty went from Non league (grays) to Championship (wolves) iirc and did very well.

That'll be Advocaat... easy mistake though.

I've never heard of any dog QCs - are they any good?

One word... Advocate

The trouble is with the England players is they seem like they do not have the capacity to play keep ball. Yes they can pass the ball to each other well and probably give a good account of themselves in training, but on the pitch were position, control and movement are just as important they cannot cope. That is the main concern over the academy I have - do we have the right coaches to teach it and type of youngsters that can understand and eventually delivery it on the pitch.

+1.

That list of excuses for a sh*t player is way too short.

Well he's had plenty of time to practice.

and it's in an amusement park... lol!

I tend to agree that it is a numbers game and this leads to the critical elements for Saints to get it right: - being able to have a crop of youngster that can make the jump to the first team. I don't think having the odd very talented player (Walcott, Bale, Oxo) come through will work as the impact of losing him will be too great to overcome in being a PL team while raising our own players. It would be better to have a group of players come through, which can be seen to be good players but as they have played together for so long are far better players because of it. - having the infrastructure and coaches in place. The training complex is being improved and the academy we have been told will gain status 1, but do we have the coaches which can get the best out of the players? - scouting network. There needs to one covering enough geographical area to satisfy the need to produce the number of decent youngster (especially if the coaching cannot obtain the best out of each player) and the few supplementary older players. Has the scouting network has been set up (what has happen to that Danish guy)? - selection process of youngsters to produce decent players. If we want to be a PL team and hopefully a top half one then the youngsters need to be of the identified as being able to achieve this as I don't believe any aspiring young footballer is capable of it. I wouldn't have a clue how to do this selection, maybe some kind psychometric test/assessment can be used!

Wish I had bothered, I thought it was a life-time ban considering some of his off topic posts.

A bit disappointed a thread hadn't been started for Hypo now he's banned. So here it is. What will you miss about Hypo and his posts?

Washing up liquid and a bowl?

I think they are forward thinking parents and have obviously signed a tv deal to rival the kids programme Ben 10.

So is this now the suggestion thread rather than a closing down a thread thread?

Oxford for a few games.

From what I heard it wasn't worthy of a red card and the ref had an awful game missing bad tackles which lead to the Doble (arm up but no contact) red.