gio1saints

Alex - I think Eng have a good chance to make last eight - after that it’s a less easy. BUT how can you describe TT as both a “brilliant manager “ and “ just gone weird with his squad selection” at the same time? If I was asked what was TT main job as England Manager I’d say “ pick the team”. I think he’s doing a fairly good job so far overall. pacing the run to the Final I hope! All the winners don’t do their best stuff early in long tournaments.

I do not recognise any of those names. Have you just made them up? what about ; 1. Paul Naiswell 2. Ade bkumbu 3. Sean Rodrick 4. Lazarus condo. 5. giocanni scarachi 6. Mohammed halifa 7 Josh groblonk All great choices!

I’m confident that the Saints media team will be told not to do anything to potentially upset the League or FA further……BUT they really could have a lot of gentle fun this season on the topic of “SPYING”. Especially if it was done discretely so that it’s not immediately apparent. Everything looks normal except they’ve put in some “ Easter eggs” for those who know how to look. The announcement and ceremonial unveiling of new players could be via binocular vision / done in disguises, player interviews could take place secretively from behind trees at Staplewood, the stadium announcers could add a selection of James Bond themes. Id laugh if the team ran out to the classic bond theme each week. The names Bree, James Bree…😂

He is a known quantity for us. But also for himself. And I think this is possibly where his advisors are doing him a disservice regarding playing time and conditions- but not on what’s really the issue - £££££&. IF Tonda stays and RS signed up it’s a given what Saints tactics will be regarding playing time ie same as end of last year by rotating him and Larin. That “ playing time” will be a critical element of his longevity as a pro.. If you are looking at how many footballing weeks salary this lanky injury prone striker is going to get out of his legs it depends largely ( playing and training injury accidents aside) on how he’s used and what load he’s put under and how it’s managed. Saints already know this and would use him judiciously. R/S options look like Scotland or another Champ team, LCFC or as a back up EPL squad striker Other Scottish clubs? Bought a WC striker and will expect immediate goals and to play lots and lots of minutes as the main man in Scotland - he will get injured for sure. Championship? He plays 10 games in first month and will be damaged for rest of year. Back up in EPL? Seriously limited chances of that. We sent a better lad then him off to Everton and he never plays. MF, JWP and KWP all left for that all got relegated. He has gone for a sign on fee that will set him up for life. Simple as that. Given the above this is the last chance to get that jackpot whatever his legs do going forwards.We’d all do same.

There is also the thought that player reputations have been tarnished by the spygate issue. WHEREVER they go that will follow them like unwanted baggage. It may affect valuations it may affect wages offered and it may affect supporters propensity to bringing a “ cheat”into there club. We know the players themselves did not cheat but on the terraces that doesn’t matter. And owners may not want a controversial with supporters signing like that if there’s easier alternatives. One way to exorcise that ghost is to stay at Saints with essentially the same squad as last year and SHOW the world 20 odd games unbeaten was not down to spying but to there skills there effort sweat blood & guts. Get promoted then leave having got the monkey off their backs. Just a thought. Another angle has already been mentioned - this squad stays largely intact with manager we have got to be play offs at least. That means lots of wins. Alternatively they may go to relegation fighting EPL team and get beaten every week. More money - for a short while - but not such a smooth upward trajectory. Id like to think the whole team including the Manager will feel they have a point to prove and stay and play with extra vim accordingly.

Just my assessment on the video: That video was very revealing if you are a little proficient in “reading between the lines” and deciphering his tiny often unspoken physical cues ie from a body language pov. I have learned a lot about Tonda from it. Do watch it again closely observing his (many) facial gestures, consider the interesting timing of his language and his specific use of certain words in certain ways. Hear who he thanks - hear who he does not mention at all. See when he chooses to blink or not - and what is being said or happening when he goes full stare mode. Watch his breathing - and its intervals. Especially the bit when he talks about his own devastation and we see a mini well-up- fake or real? His facial colouration changes subtly at certain times of most embarrassment/shame - but not in all cases. Consider also the post production video - which appears at odds to Tonda’s own professed desire to appear “without pretification “ and there’s certainly a bunch of interesting and at times contradictory stuff on display that shouted at me. Im not going to divulge all here as will get murdered but i will say - IMO all is not what it might seem in certain regards - what Tonda believes and what he has said on the video are not necessarily 100% the same thing.

I’m glad he’s staying. He is a winning coach. Obviously Machiavellian when it comes to winning - whatever it takes. He is our best chance- along with retaining key players - and along with the fanbase staying behind him and team from the start - of us going up . And he is also, IMO, not telling the truth. He was disingenuous in that speech. This is the only thing I hate. He has probably lied to me and I don’t like it one bit. But am I such a happy clapper that 8 straight wins start of season I’ll be laughing it off? Probably, like most of us I expect. Saying that spying was common practice in Italy is not the same as not knowing there was a strict 72hr rule in place for the EFL. Saying he is a young coach is waffle bollocks. no excuse. But Saying he was unaware of the 72hr rule - this is stretching credibility past its break point. id 100% preferred he said I knew it was wrong but I just got greedy for more information / data and I’m dangerously obsessive about winning and I now regret it so much - than this “ I didn’t know” bollox.

I think next season home and away getting a free kick a penalty or a card given to opponents will be 10x harder. Fans will call us cheats every time player falls over. We in turn will do same when one of theirs falls over. It will be predictably boring as fuck. New black humour songs will be sung “ he cheats to the left he cheats to the right Tonda Eckert he cheats where he likes”……or “ OWTS…go marching in ….OWTS go marching in …..we’re gonna spy on your training ….OWTS go marching in” or the team go out on the pitch to the theme tune from James Bond films….our mascots carry binoculars all next season……Saints logo binoculars on sale in club shop …giant Inflateable binoculars…new signings vids all done via long zoom on an iPhone from behind a tree…the list is endless…I expect a Netflix series out of it!

our cheating is worse because The Daily Mail and BBC said so. And because Saints don’t cheat ever we feel ashamed and their g sackcloth and ashes over ourselves. NEWSFLASH : Footballers cheat to win all the time and it’s approved by all of US as long as we win and don’t get caught - ask Man City and Liverpool fans! you don’t get caught it’s called professional football, you get caught how good are your lawyers? Ours were shit. I hope to see wailing here next time a Saints player kicks the ball deliberately against an opponents hand in the penalty area or Leo deliberately runs into a player to get a free kick or our player writhes in agony from a nothing challenge or our gk falls over with a bad leg when we need a timeout….the list of CHEATING offences Saints been up to in plain sight is endless- except it’s not just us - it’s ALL of them. The hypocrisy I foresee next season of opposing fans calling US cheats when their own players practice these exact same cheating actions will be so ironic and tone-deaf as to beggar belief.

You are probably right - BUT - I seem to recall the FA are currently undertaking investigations into extensive FFP cheating. By League Champions, FA Cup Winners, League Cup Winners , even Workd Club Champions. The EPL Teams under investigation have gained x higher places worth tens and ultimately hundreds of millions of pounds in extra prize money sponsorship endorsement shirt sales etc from it. IF a precedent of enormous instant sanction is or has been created by this Saints verdict and the FA “ follows through two footed “ as you say on Saints then do you not think that EPL teams that finished behind / below or runners up or knocked out by the “ cheats - if it’s proven) might feel this means that the FA are going to be consistent in this get tough approach and argue that what these other clubs did was unfair, against spirit of the game, bringing its integrity into dispute etc - that it was in fact CHEATING - and ONLY the harshest sanctions SHOULD BE IMPOSED? The FA might fall into that trap if they go two footed on Saints. At present they have wiggle room. Not if they smash Saints though. Man City in Northern Premier League next season Chelsea in the Southern, big derby with Woking fc!

I keep returning to the double standards at play in all this. If the sanction for CHEATING OFF THE PITCH is what we are experiencing - then there’s a lot of upward mobility on the sanction for CHEATING ON THE PITCH. I will feel the EFL have reaped what they’ve sown when, say, a West Ham player falls over untouched in our penalty area next season claiming a penalty only to find he gets not only a yellow card but a red card plus we are awarded a 3-0 default victory on the spot after a three person independent VAR panel comprising Franny Benalli plus 2 advises on this insta-judgement.

If this were the USA then the EFL are gonna be bankrupt soon. We would be suing the pants off of them. NOT for being kicked out though - for the reputational damage to SR Brand - likely £100’s of millions. This is not over - it’s hardly begun. Every Championship club is going to want a piece of the action in one way shape or form. Pandora’s box has truly been opened by the EFL showing that in order to manage the league it has to do precisely what it says it is there to stop- CHEAT!

I really am astonished that this allegation came out as a main feature of a three panel jury sitting for a few hours. Bullied is an emotive word in employment disciplinary cases. It’s Oft-used and its mere mention casts a stain - true or false. That’s why it’s used a lot of the time. Our sympathies are always with the victims. “ Victim blaming “ in this instance basically means if someone contradicts or casts aspersions as to the veracity or the motive behind the bullying accusation they are a nasty person and should be ashamed of themselves and stfu. In this case it’s suggested Tonda bullied the intern. The panel cannot hear an allegation of bullying ( especially in such an hurriedly cobbled together meeting with massive time pressure to “ get a result” ) - and simply dismiss it. It has to be noted in the conclusions. And it’s such a delicious and extremely useful word to help justify the punishment. All the intern had to say was he felt pressured to spy. This is magically converted into bullying which in turn mobilises everyone’s support for the victim - and for punishment. I’d love to hear what Saints personnel manager has to say about their meeting with the intern who had raised a grievance regarding this ( and presumably other occasions). Because if you have a problem with your line manager that’s what you do . You speak with HR. Not the “independent” tribunal after the event when you been caught. This matter and its handling by EFL has more holes in it than my old football socks. I think a compromise agreement will happen in which agree we don’t sue the EFL and destroy the fuck out of them in return for be nice to Tonda and a suspended or little ban. If he’s banned for 12 mths I think Saints might go nuclear.

The reason we’ve heard not a thing is that this is a matter of life and death for SR. The brand is either fucked or it’s not. The next step determines that. It helps or it digs us deeper. It’s not just us it’s all the other SR clubs too which are affected by degrees. Why not send tonda to one of those in which it’s ok to do shit fucking stupid spying stuff? For me it possible that this spying practice is ok in SR clubs except at Saints in the ECL and this fucking obvious difference may be the reason he’s not gone. That and we want to see what the FA say first. It’s not impossible FA don’t ban him. But if we already sacked him who is the more stupid?

Good Morning. One of the lines in Parsobs statement made me wonder if this is just the beginning of a whole clusterfuck of similar cases about to be brought up by Championship clubs who believe they’ve been spied on. Parsons comment about proactive support in the matter bears more than a slight inference that it’s going on and others are at it - but not been caught and punished- not yet anyway. poetic justice would find that Boro did it earlier in the season to, say, Derby or Wrexham. I just get the impression that there’s a whole load of intern analysts ( spies) who could spill the beans at some point about what goes on. And the media will have a field day about the most corrupt league in the world!

And is spying worse than a player diving to get a penalty or a player sent off? Apparently yes. If the dive does not get noticed and you win 1-0 with a penalty which gives you three points that promotes you to the EPL …..that’s good. That’s fine that’s dandy. But If it were noticed then the player gets a yellow card and they all just play on. Not expelled from the tournament. Not match over points deducted etc. Cheating is cheating. But some cheating has a higher upper tariff level after this decision. I don’t mind the expelled decision and points deductions myself. Fair enough if that’s how you see it. BUT I DO mind that what most supporters understand as real cheating - which happens nearly every match on the pitch will carry on with no recourse. And promotions, titles and a lot of money is at stake just the same. The phrase Nelsonian approach to tackling cheating springs to mind. The blatant stuff in front of your face ( watch the CL final if you don’t believe me) for very high stakes - nobody saw it - stupid idiot behind a tree - lynch mob. Stinks really.

First post for ages and the point may have previously been made before but : We get kicked out of the chance to win promotion for spying offences ( multiple) yet the punishment for say, a Boro player simulating a foul in the penalty area in the last minute at SMS which means they win that game 2-1 via a cheated penalty and go to the final itself is….if caught, a yellow card. That’s it. Outcone of both types of cheating is the same - the punishment in a completely different scale. If the equivalent of four points and potentially £200m lost revenue plus a staggering g loss of goodwill and reputational harm is appropriate for 3 cases of amateur spying then the EFL should revise the penalties for players cheating on the pitch - when it’s blatantly obvious that this is more likely to influence the result of any game. If Boro win and go up - then the next time Hackney falls over clutching his head from a fake punch Middlesborough should receive a massive fine and points deductions. Over and over again for each bit of on pitch cheating. That is not what will happen though. The pearl clutching do gooders who are crowing about how they abhor cheats will carry on - they abhor cheats as long as it’s off the pitch - ON THE PITCH - which is in fact gamesmanship is apparently not cheating not serious and wrist slap material. Double standards exposed by our punishment basically.

Stewards tried to stop me entering with my small over shoulder bag until I removed three old saints stickers I had on it from before. Refused. Been to a zillion home and away matches nobody asks me to take off my sFC tags. Fucking world’s gone mad. Told new ruling. I just said that’s not happening and went straight through. Stay tuned to see if I’m chucked out ST revoked ... For supporting saints….🤨

Damion Downs has not produced. Before he was bought I didn’t hear people saying buying tuis guy was a terrible call. Why ? Because it’s only a terrible call now he’s played bad in the matches he’s been given. THAT is why I call it expert hindsight. Maybe you’ve still got a grudge against me because you live in a PO postcode and Im in SO so it’s your chance to take a free hit. Typical skate tactic of yours though must be said. Pile on when you are in numbers. 😭

Lots of people with great hindsight abilities on here - as usual. We bought a big striker but the big striker didn’t score loads immediately . Must have been the wrong big striker so yes it’s SR fault. Of course that’s what it is you feeble minded idiots. Same People who predicted Damion would flop. There’s always some who like a stopped watch predict failure in every recruit. Well good for you he’s not playing well. And who in addition suggested we should buy, let me see who is a current big CF scoring lots of goals at the moment and in our price range?? Well that’s not your job is it. It’s the morons at SR job isn’t it. Same people thought DD was a bad buy @ £8m. Who predicted RS would never recover and if he did would relapse with a hammy. Congratulate yourselves on your gifts if prophecy why don’t you. I might be wrong but I suspect DD has got worse as a player since he joined. Somethings not right. I think it’s psychological - But that’s SR fault not his I imagine you’ll say. Or Will still fault not him. Or both but mostly SR cuz we ought to have bought 3 big guys or maybe one £25m guy and a spare in case he broke his leg all who wants to join the second worst ever EPL team. Captain Hindsight’s smart after the events the lot of you.

You are ignoring Adarm Armstrong and Cameron Archer in the list of strikers. As well as BBD and Tall Paul who were all still in squad when we bought DD. On paper that forward line up looks the best in our league. In that context DD does not look like a wild gamble by SR but a fair enough proposition. That he has not played well is not SR fault. SR can and should be blamed for overall strategy - but the buy decision on DD looked like a good idea to me - in that context. With the benefit of hindsight clearly not - yet - but I’d probably make same call again in that time frame if I was SR. And DD is not finished as a player. Whatever the hell has mushed his brain up let’s hope he can get over it.

Don’t agree it’s more bad decision making from SR. They made enough bad calls already. This ain’t one of them. SR - via the recruitment team - Brought in the German based International centre forward - recommended by Poch - who just scored a winning International penalty and had decent scoring stats in bund11 - and who fitted the age size price potential category ——and who was clearly known to our German head of recruitment. So just how was that a bad call? Recruiting the guy who made the call - Spors - was a bad decision you really mean I suppose? DD was a Speculative buy - yes. But If we wanted a guarantee then we’d buy Haaland but we don’t have the ££. DD is the type we have to try. Nothing in his history or set up suggested he’d be as bad as he has been - or indeed any worse than a common or garden championship £8m striker. To berate SR for his presence and his play to date is dog whistling. Berate them fairly for not buying ( or more realistically not having the ££ to buy a ) guaranteed goals” striker if you like - but not for buying Damien Downs for £8m.

My 10p worth: 1. The positive momentum from Liverpool and Boro match turns into 3 excellent points. Turning point reached? 🤞 2. I like the back 3 a lot. They are strong. And have speed. I love watching them bully opposition. Not seen that for YEARS. 3. Quarsie will learn from his (2) errors. The second is harsh though as I think he was expecting Alex to be jumping up high and claiming the ball - as he should have been- so was just the lapse for their first. 4, Jander and Charles. Sound like a pop duo but they can play real good. 5. Finally Ross Stewart plays well! Both goals showed EXCELLENT technique and composure under pressure. That was class. Repeat repeat repeat please 5. Alex in goal - WP sir. 6. Tom and Azaz - keep plugging away it will happen. I don’t think many teams are going to win at branflakes lane now wilder is back so that’s a very strong message to rest of the league. 😂

I did notice he went quite deep a few times to collect the ball and the CB’s obliged - sign of increasing confidence in him by teammates. If he’s going to be our make something happen man that’s important and does not come overnight. And something Which, quite frankly, we’ve not had for a long time. I mean- we even whooo and waah when Shea takes the ball forward past his man occasionally so fuck knows what fans are going to be like if Finn clicks!

My players assessment : AM : Did alright. Goal not at fault. Simply being there after his howler midweek shows he has cojones. Should keep his place. Manning: Below par match in an otherwise excellent season. Ronnie,Woods, Quarsie. Quietly effective. Well organised. Physically very dominant. Woods and Quarsie in particular look a good pairing. All three to keep places. Jander and Shea : Very.Good. players. Retain places and Flynn as back up. Azaz and Fellowes : First half not enough impact. Second half better. Overall they are getting there, slowly. They are still acclimatising imo. Everybody wants instant impact from these but Patience required. They are good players. Retain as starters. Adarma : my MOTM. Best game of the season. Best position for him. Retain. Stewart : Running out of patience for him to do something, anything, remotely goal threatening. BUT he won a few headers and his size means he hold ball better. A loan spell might help him. Will Still : tactics were so-so starting players was spot on. Substitutions not good enough. Taking Fellowes off for Fraser was a negative move. When we were in the ascendancy it looked like we immediately dropped ten yards and I could not see if he was going mental at team but he should have been. We let them off. Overall: progress. We are creating a new team and we are just starting to see the light. Long season and could be a close run thing - but we will be up there finishing strongest I hope.