Forester

4 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

I think we need to give it more time before reaching that conclusion.  At least three weeks. 

4 minutes ago, Miltonaggro said:

I think we need to give it more time before reaching that conclusion.  At least three weeks. 

I blame Eric Black

1 hour ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

See, I just don’t get this logic…in my mind it’s utterly bonkers, even if it were possible to raise that much from three mediocre PL level players, which I don’t think we would. I mean what benefit do you think supporters will get from that? Even if £100m were raised, how much would be spent on new players - 20%, 50%…it’s never been 100%?

We should be doing everything possible to keep hold of our best players and replacing the weaker players with better. It’s how a team advances, improves, stops the endless roundabout of managers, wins competitions, etc…etc.

Can I just check, as this argument is presented as an unanswerable headline, that you are aware of extent of revenue drop and FFP rules?

So before you are tempted to say “yes, but if we get promoted it doesn’t matter”, wind the clock forward one year when we have been promoted (we hope).  What do you then want to happen?

The answer should be massively more investment in quality than that which happened last year when we went up.  But every pound we spend now, or pound we don’t raise through sales now, will constrain what we can do in a year’s time.  That was part of the problem last time in that we had racked up ludicrous bills on total shite over the prior season.

So it isn’t quite as simple and myopic as the argument you put forward.

35 minutes ago, Secret Site Agent said:

I dunno.

Something to do with this big green thing that will allow an ambulance or at a push Air Ambulance to land and take away really sick people.

 

Let them die is what I say, football and money are more important.

Still what do I know? Only what my daughter tells me and all she does is arrange St John's Volenteers and stuff. Nothing important like 

Well said but I fear falls on deaf ears for morons like Lighthouse.  Hopefully he or she never experience the need for urgent support for them or their family.  Well done to your daughter for doing great work

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

With Stephens getting an extension, what are thoughts of others expiring in 2026, pinched from @Over land and sea's super thread.

 2026

    Alex McCarthy
    James Bree
    Armel Bella-Kotchap
    Charlie Taylor
    Joe Aribo
    Will Smallbone
    Ryan Fraser
    Ross Stewart
    Dom Ballard

Bree would be one.  Fine in the Championship, and not the worst in our PL (low bar) season.

McCarthy could find himself first choice if Ramsdale goes, but is a decent back up to have)

No idea what happened with Taylor. If he works well under Still,he's got plenty of experience.

I'd love to see Will capture and I prove on his last Championship season. But I think he just did well under Martin, and might not suit other systems.

We won’t let Smallbone contract run down as would get a decent fee for him to a championship club. Same for Stewart if his fitness holds up

I still think we will make some further sales or loans out, but am pleased to see that Still sees this largely as a retention window given quality we have for this level, rather than Premier League.

The other factor I think Saints will consider is whether any of Rambo, THB, Fernandes or Dibbling are likely to FALL in value in a year’s time if we don’t go up.  I would have thought not, other than injury.  And so unless someone offers really big money we aren’t in any kind of hurry.

15 hours ago, Andrew Watson said:

Time will tell Hypo and tell me truthfully do you really think that we will get rid of some of our not up to scratch players  ? Even with their wages allegedly halved they can still earn a lot more here than at any club that is likely to want them. Aribo 75k, Sulemana 40k Armstrong 30k, Stephens 45k, Smallbone 25k, Bednarek 70k. Half those wages are too steep for a lot of championship clubs,unless of course you some how think that they can play at a higher level.

Enter  Southampton football club wages for 2024/25 season on you tube if you think these figures are made up.

Have you factored in the contractual cut that most players have for relegation?  Or just assumed they are flat from last season?

The players you list would all be strong championship performers in my view, albeit I expect Kamaldeen to be sold

Meanwhile to move on from the row, I for one am still of the opinion that this window is primarily about retention, but perhaps move say eight on and bring three or four in to reduce squad size.  I have already factored in loans returning.

Rambo (wages), ABK (desire), KWP and Lumley (contract), Dibbling (money, assuming someone is daft enough to offer £50 million), Kamaldeen (desire), Tall Paul and Larios (fitness).

Unlike many on here I will be perfectly happy to retain all others as the championship is a different beast, and I include the usual targets of boo boys like BBD, Stephens, Armstrong and Smallbone.

Assuming my exit list is broadly accurate, and given we have already signed a centre back, I am still looking for a physical defensive midfielder and another winger.

In my opinion this would be more than enough, if well coached, to make top six and allows further spend in January for a final push dependent on where injuries threaten.  

I think he will do well, a good match for him.  Despite the snarky comments he did a good job in championship, but was tactically inflexible in Premier League and it was a disaster given inferior players.

Some coaches get more out of good players than many by creating a good environment and I think he is that type.  So needs better than average players, but may then play that strong hand well.

18 minutes ago, The Realist said:

my thoughts:-

Players that I want but clearly not staying as too good: Ramsdale, KWP, Dibling and Fernandes.

GK: Need to sign (x1) (as Ramsdale and Lumley leave), McCarthy, Baz + promote Academy GK to be 4th choice.

RB : Bree and Suga are ok.

LB : Taylor and Wellington ok (Larios, Manning to leave)

CB's: Edwards, THB, Wood, Stephens ok. Kayi-Sanda back-up + Academy ok. (Bednarek, ABK leave)

DM: Downes, Charles ok.  Need (x1) signing to replace Aribo, Smallbone and Big Les (back to CFC)

AM: Need to sign to replace Fernades + loan signing to replace Dibling

CF: Stewart main striker but injury prone so maybe keep Archer but not that fussed. Could do with new signing here to replace Tall Paul and challenge Stewart

RM/RW: Arma, Robinson + Need new signing here. Let Fraser leave.

LW : Sulemana (suit Will Still's style I suspect), Edozie. Need new signing here to replace BBD, SAA.  

So in total : GK, AM (x2), Wingers (x2), Striker = 6 as minimum to sign - clearly need better attacking players.

I think this is a pretty good list,  albeit I would also be open minded about BBD in championship and would retain Manning.   I am astonished that so many other people are letting the frustration of this season overtake judgement on some good pro’s for championship like Armstrong, Aribo etc.  For me this season is primarily about retention and small number of sales and buying even smaller number to reduce squad somewhat.  It is unrealistic to buy “ready for Premier League” players with championship budget.  It’s horses for courses.

1 hour ago, 64saint said:

Ok, so 99%of posts (including mine )have  been negative this season and rightly so but amidst all of our negativity I've just got to make a positive shout out for the supporters services team who couldn't have been more helpful when making an enquiry about wheelchairs and accessibility as a one off for the Arsenal game. Didn't catch the name of the lady on the end of the phone but she went out of her way to give me relevant information and then phoning me back with more advice and help.  I guess this might be the only positive to come out of this season for me but good to see one section of the club is still performing. 

Good to hear,  is there are particular contact/email address you have been using?

1 hour ago, DT said:

God I do hope so. Rohl has his pick of lots of clubs, Still - not so much. Tells you something.

How do you know?  Can you post the short list you have access to for Leicester, Rangers, West Brom and Norwich, along with Bundesliga clubs?

Or is this a guess?

As I mentioned in a post a couple of days ago, Still would be a good appointment.  Has done well in two different Ligue 1 sides, so not a one off, just signed off at Lens by beating runners up Monaco 4-0 in final game to secure eight spot.

We should be grateful to secure any manager with a good record of managing in top flight of England, Spain, Italy, France or Germany in my view as a championship club.  Throw in his age and high potential, what is not to like?

I remember the white handkerchief protest at newly appointed “Mauricio Who?” when we sacked Adkins….

Not getting the negativity from a few on here for both Still and O’Neil.  Yes the latter was a Pompey player, but so was Crouch when he joined us and he did well and was liked here.  Taking the two in turn:

- Still now in his second top flight job at the age of 32 and widely seen to have done a good job at both clubs.  Lens guaranteed a top half finish ahead of final game against Monaco.

- O’Neil took over from Parker off the back of poor start to season at Bournemouth, newly promoted, and kept them up comfortably in their first season back.  Then goes to Wolves, widely predicted for the drop which is why Lopetegui walked out on eve of season starting.  Took them against expectations to comfortable mid table finish.  Was sacked in second season, but how many managers don’t have at least one disappointment on their CV?  Strachan, Poch and Koeman all had one when appointed.

To be clear, I would also be happy with Danny Rohl, Steve Cooper or Sean Dyche, so not touting these two in isolation,  but it’s depressing to see people with good track record written off.

21 hours ago, Dman said:

Rohl is my top choice - has been since January. I think he'll go really far in the game, however, Sheff Weds end of season form & him throwing his toys out of the pram leading to nothing short of unporofessional performances has put a huge concern in my mind. 

I think Rohl has some questionable loyalty morals. So If he comes and does well, as soon as a bigger side show interest, he'll be off. I also suspect he's probably holding off to see if something a bit bigger and better comes up. 

But you know what, I'm okay with that. I'd rather someone those better than us want in charge than someone noone wants. Alas, Jones, Selles, Martin & Juric.

Still is a bit more of a gamble, but I wouldn't be against it. 

The summer is going to be huge for us - both players in and out. We need to get the new man in by the start of June latest to give them a summer and pre-season to give us the best chance of sucess. If Rohl wants to wait, we need to move on. 

Refreshingly balanced view

1 hour ago, gurru991 said:

It's a tough call isn't it but I would have taken boring shit football if it meant we could have stayed up. 

This is the annual reminder we sacked Puel for finishing 8th, having sold Pelle, Mane and VVD going on strike, and he took us to League Cup Final beating Arsenal and Liverpool en route without conceding a goal.

All because the football was apparently “boring”.

On 28/04/2025 at 18:12, Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd said:

I've just read that David Wagner is on the shortlist. This wouldn't surprise me at all. Another piss poor SR appointment. 

Wagner took Norwich from being a top 6 Championship side to mid-table mediocrity. Have a look at what Norwich fans thought of him. He's not the answer for Saints so be prepared for his arrival. 😂

Wagner wouldn’t be top of my list, but a summary like this would see you as a candidate for Trump’s press spokesperson.  Turning to the facts:

-Wagner got Huddersfield promoted, which nobody predicted 

- He then kept Huddersfield up in Premier League, which even fewer predicted

- He was sacked midway through their second season, and they eventually were relegated

- They are now a third tier team

- He took Norwich to the play off semi final last season, and was then sacked in the summer when they didn’t make the final to play us

- this season under new manager, who they have just sacked, they fare finishing lower mid table

Hope this helps!

Will Still section on Sky was an interesting watch.  Comes across as a little less “polished” than most top flight managers, but given only 32 and managing for three seasons that is unsurprising.

However things I think most Saints fans would have enjoyed hearing:

- I want to play forward

- I don’t just want possession

- I always want an angle on every pass, harder to press that way

- I don’t believe in sticking to one philosophy, and if promoted from championship to Premier League you can’t expect to play the same way.  Some times you have to win ugly 

Clearly is doing a good job at second club in Ligue 1 and you can see why he is being courted by clubs.  Fluent in three languages and knowledge of Belgian and French markets useful too.

3 hours ago, ApprenticeBillionaire said:

It almost NEVER works out when assistants get the job.

Has there ever been 1 example where it's ever worked out at ANY club.

We tried that with Selles, he did ok to step in, gave him the job and it went to shit in a handbasket almost instantly.

Mourinho

In terms of credible targets I would be very happy with any of Dyche, Cooper or (if not promoted) Manning.  Manning never gets mentioned, has done an outstanding job at both Oxford and Brizzle Shitty

This game will comfortably sell out, last away game of season always does and many want to see last game at Goodison.

Very sorry for your family’s loss Kitch

5 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Fuck all at Wednesday

How to tell me you don’t follow anything outside of the premier league, without actually telling me!

Agree that “fuck all” is far from fair.  He did an outstanding job taking them to safety last season, after appearing dead and buried.

However, it must surely be a concern to you, and all of us, that since January his team is literally BOTTOM of the championship form guide.  There is not a single team producing worse results in the division that we are playing in next season than his side over the last three months.

As has been documented, he has been operating in tough circumstances and delays in player wages.  But the collapse in form, since being linked with us, is a worry.

Been an excellent player.  But worth remembering that we signed him on loan and he struggled to get in our team first season. The point being he was playing with better players and was given time to adapt. 

Rusk has two points from three Premier League games, and we have conceded just two goals from open play.  I also recall we put a decent performance in for his League Cup game in charge against Liverpool

Fully appreciate there is lots of context, delays in salaries being paid etc, however……Sheffield Wednesday have collected two points from a possible 18 in their last six games.  Hardly great marketing for Danny Rohl

Neither Lampard or Gerrard would be high on my list.  However I cannot deny that Lampard has a good track record in championship.  Took Derby to play offs and has turned Coventry season around looking good for play offs.