gio1saints

I hope we start 3at the back. Means Ronnie starts. Other formations I fear he does not. We’ve looked so lame in attack all pre season - apart from the last 30 minutes v Brighton when we went 3 at the back. Fingers crossed because it will attack the crap out of Wrexham if we do. As we should.

Always going to be us not wanting to sell our best players versus owners needing/wanting to make a profit. The middle ground makes nobody happy. Those advocating keep the best players and achieve glory ( the Romantacists) we all agree with in our hearts. The reality is we MUST sell our best talents. It is the only way. The other way is highly highly risky - we do not go up player values slashed - that could put us into freefall. The pragmatic way- is shit- but it’s the only realistic way any owners gonna take a punt on buying a club like Saints.

C 26 Wrexham players and staff off for a walk and chilling outside the hotel marina side. No sign of Deadpool as yet. All look very serious.

Sensible post from Grandoldteam Everton forum: They do have some precarious decisions to make, and they could really make a mess and lose millions depending on how things go for him and them. But he’ll most definitely sign a new contract if they price him out of a move. Moving on a free in 2 years sounds like a good tactic, but he’s not sitting on £5k a week for 2 more years when a PL team was willing to pay over £40m for you and everyone says you are the new Messi. They will offer him more cash and a release clause that sounds plausible so he doesn’t feel trapped. He’d be insane not to take it. When a career ended injury could happen in training, his parent/agents will all support him signing up with them. They will sell if they don’t get promoted next summer. No arguments with their stance. If we don’t want to pay what they have asked for, sack it off immediately. They have been very clear. He’s obviously for sale at a price. They haven’t warned us off. Elsewhere on twitter a blue tick account reckons ( paraphrased) the deal is at an impasse due to sell on %. The fee Everton would like to pay is £40m plus up to £10m in add-ons. Saints want £45m plus add ons AND a 25% sell on. Everton suggest 12.5% sell on. FWIW on sell ons: if Everton sell Tyler to Real Madrid next year for £100m then 25% of £55m profit is near €15m- buys us a good player - the Everton version is €7.5m less - it’s a big deal Add-ons are always bespoke deals - usually based on (1) appearances, ( say an extra £1m if he makes 20, £2m at 40 (2) goals and assists ( self evident) (3) international cap/s- with Tyler this is a big deal- gets first full cap his transfer value just goes up up up. (4) trophies and league positions ie Everton win a cup plus £1m, get into Europe plus £1m. So these may all add up to a big number but they are not guaranteed and even if achieved get paid over an agreed negotiated period of time. Id say add ons the Everton addons are less valuable apart from appearances -so if the headline figure says up to £10m the reality is we might get £1m- and that £1m is the value assigned as part of the negotiating package assessment basically.

Did you not like the second half v Brighton? It’s basically that team.

In that line up he is a right sided centre back. His right wingback is meant to work his nuts off up and down field - which means we probably use up four wingbacks every game such is the load. As for Archer at LW I’m guessing we may see him being the decoy for sugawara/wellington steaming down the wings…same as Adam on the other side..the wingbacks either cause damage helped by archer and Adam or indeed they are a decoy up front so Archer and Adam get close enough to shoot. They are forwards supposedly good at scoring so makes sense!

He’s a £45m valued by club player. Any new player Saints hypothetically bought today for £45m what’s he expecting to get paid? But Saints new contract offer probably does not pay him anywhere near as if he is that £45m player - simple as that. And you must know and understand why they won’t pay him that much too? Do you like your job? Mind if your employer pays you a lot less than what you can get for doing same job somewhere else? Think you might hold on a bit before agreeing the new pay rise contract the employer offered you as a consequence while you consider your options? Especially if the alternatives are 10x or even 20x your current basic salary for the same job!?!

FWIW : my analysis of forum performance from a body language pov. Trollope : 10/10 At ease in front of people. Was eloquent, smiling or neutral obviously open posture. Honest no eye fidgeting face covering blushing or tics etc. No disingenuous contradictory stuff going on while he talks - just straight footballers talk. His direct advice to players “don’t wait to give the supporters reason to support you” - and to us supporters vice versa was a brilliant line. So he has motivational abilities. His relaxed demeanour but close attention to what’s said and going on throughout forum was very evident. He scanned room often- he’s trained to be observant - good sign that is for a coach/ people manager. Conclude : This guy is a real find. Parsons : 7/10 . noticeably red faced & quite touchy. Felt he looked under pressure throughout not fooled by any disguise. He did a stock FD spiel so it’s also clear he does not want to reveal anything financially of any note- most of all anything negative. Like all Financial Directors basically. Relatively Unskilled at hiding he’s got a lot going on & appearing relaxed - but he’s a ££ guy not a performer so did not expect that. I suspect he is not too difficult to trigger and put on tilt. Hope I’m wrong but his comportment shouted :I’m stressed. Conclude : He’s under strong pressure , and not just from fan forum questions - that means from upstairs. Spors : 5/10 . For answering in not first language I give some latitude - but for someone who emphasised improving intra-club communication as a priority I felt his own communication and listening skills in particular were not especially impressive. His CV I like but in person his body language and general delivery was at a lower level than I was hoped for. He was very red faced - probably sunburn rather than stress but either are not clever or coping signals. Looked noticeably uptight and -to me- a bit nervous Conclude : The heat is on. Stand and deliver time for Mr Spors. Most important to me is Trollope is a good guy and will be very valuable to our promotion campaign.

Compared to most neurotypicals, probably, maybe I appear mad. 😇. As for did he take a pay cut- I’ve no idea I just threw out a wild guess as to how it might have happened. PS. My sister just sent me a vid of my questioning Spors and describing the team, the management and the management of the management as inadequate and incompetent. Oh dear I’m outed. People will now recognise me as the “ inadequate “ bloke from the telly. Might have to grow a beard or something. 🤣

I thought Spors gave a good answer to the Stephens question but why it needed be 3 not 2or 1 could not be asked as you only allowed one go. Not being privy to what he is actually going to be paid I’m going to take a wild guess and suggest the three years was a quid pro quo for a lower weekly basic. Sound like something we might do? Spors made the call. Parsons and the Board supported it. Funnily enough the absence of any comment on if Will Still wanted it may be telling.

…and see what happened when similarly important lynchpin Wilcox left us and was not replaced quickly..

Great memory! That second question they wouldn’t let me put in a follow up for but the crowd agreed with the sentiments ie Managerial oversight failure and what specifically is in place now to ensure does not recur. I think that Spors is a good recruit because Wilcox leaving and his non / too late replacement was one of the biggest mistakes ever made. Cost us relegation imo.

Had a little chat with Trolls.. Ges been v impressed with Bragg and Sesay in particular Of the youngsters.

Yes it’s a first. They won the right to do that in a raffle.

Too late🤣

Johannesburg makes the ultimate call who we buy. That’s been made clear. It’s a committee but he is prints inter pares it seems

No Will Still. Personal issues. Paul Trollope instead.

Here in good time. Just got time to brush up my question on the beer temperatures at half time. #critical

Rudoni is valued as at least £10M. Fits our profile for sure. Coventry will probably want north of £15m for him. Especially from us. Think they paid £5m only last summer. Given the above I imagine Saints offer was something like £8m-£9m plus promotion bonuses. And with this story and the Fellowes one doesn’t it look for all the world like we are trying to get the Tyler replacement in and cheaply BEFORE the world knows we just trousered £40m+ for him and we start getting quoted Tyler Dibling inflated prices? If he remains fit, plays (well) and we go in with c £12m plus up to £3m from sone promotion clauses we might get a deal..

Is that really question you’d like asked yourself because you don’t know the answer? I’m going tonight but wonder if that’s a useful question. I’m sure they would say they are working on it and that’s that. For a question asked to be worthwhile has to be one in which they cannot trot out a standard approved answer without even having to think. They are not going to reveal “state secrets “ - they are not going to reveal who is leaving they are not going to say what the most they will spend is on a player they will not commit to a final points tally or position or even formation or playing style unless it’s the generic “ attacking and pressing” answer. Shouting at them for last years failures will only make you look stupid. Criticising SR for last year - fine- but it’s not a question it’s just a rant. Im considering the following though re SR : Preamble: “Last year the club was unprepared and uncompetitive in every footballing way possible” Actual question : What specific management and player performance evaluation measures have you installed to ensure that will not recur - or if it does it’s identified quicker and appropriate action taken. Follow up : My view is that as much as it was Russell Martins team it was obvious that the support and advice he received was inadequate or incompetent or both. There’s been changes but what truthfully have the Board learned?

Go to main sfc app log in and look in your purchases. Yeah I know it should be on the ticketing app but it’s not. Use that screen to get in.

I think Sesay and hope possibly Sanda will play this season - certainly cup games - but depending on injuries and suspensions league games also. Sesay has done very well in preseason and he may be a surprise starter v Wrexham if Flynn is not quite ready. I’m delighted we have two 18 year olds that able to play. If Will and Joe and Mateus leave ( all possibles) certainly in short term Sesay is going to get minutes and I hope he does- and thrives. It’s not inconceivable that Sanda is tried as a DCM also.

Everton apparently enquiring to Nan City about a season long loan for Grealish. That’s got to be an alternative to Tyler not as well as. Letting the news out might / more than likely is, a negotiation ploy to encourage Saints to agree a deal. That’s my take on it anyway. IF so - it shows what kind of high level performers Tyler is being compared to. And why his fee set so high.

He is still under contract to Barca until 2026 but is into final year and they are happy for him to go- one way or another. Been linked with another spell at Girona but also Real Oviedo. Via Grok. And he caught up with the squad when we were in Spain recently. He’s fit and capable and would be an excellent squad player - especially if we are playing a double six - ( Shea and Flynn or Shea and Sesay or add Will Smallbone if you must) which is his best position as a more defensively minded midfield enforcer. Given the number of games and injuries and suspensions likely to that #6 position he’d certainly be getting some games in and with his experience ( and steel) be really developmental to most of the squad id say. I vote yes please.

In theory the transfer window also encourages football clubs to think more strategically. Planning ahead is important in any business - and football IS a business. That approach was not very well understood or considered relevant to many professional football teams way back then - when chairmen and owners were usually locals who supported the club & the community in general. A socio-economic phenomenon of its time. It has grandfathered since then and today it’s big business run by often international organisations. These want reliability, consistency and plan-ability more than anything else. Planning for profit. Window is good for that. Sone people, myself included, argue that this artificially imposed buying and selling deadline now harms poorer clubs and by consequence harms grass roots football ~ more than it supports it. And needs upgrading/improvement. Footballers are human beings- not something you can optimally assemble on a production line in time for the next deadline for delivery. This system breeds inefficiency accordingly. Inevitably the prime ambition of a lower league club - let’s say Scunthorpe is not to win matches but to unearth a 17year star. That’s not what we want lower league football to be ALL about surely? Will a Scunthorpe ever rise to the EPL under the current rules? No. Or very very unlikely. Anything that improves competitiveness and the ability of lower league clubs to ascend is a good thing. I don’t think the current transfer window does that any more- if it ever did. And no I do not offer an alternative just pointing out current system needs improvement.