West end Saints

He has always shown potential, but the season in prem he wasn't good enough. Has he improved? Gained confidence? Or another who excels in championship? I think we should tell him to stay

Really strange selection of quotes. I recognise these as I read through the same message board yesterday. There are loads, the majority, praising him. Why have you gone through selecting only ones that are critical? I can't be bothered to go back through it, but, for instance there are some (I think after Coventry game?) saying Coventry fans described it as best midfield performance all season and was like an extra man. Loads rave about his positioning, movement and passing. Lots critical of his finishing. Not saying he is great but I could find more posts on here, if I was equally as selective, saying Mane is useless!

Could this be far off? New keeper/ GB Tino,(Bree) 2 of our existing 6 CBs Ryan Manning (Larios) Matt Grimes (Diallo) Smallbone (Aribo) Alcaraz (Stu) Sulemana (Edozie) Che (A Armstrong) Tella (Djenepo) Thats without JWP Lavia KWP Perraud Ely Orsic Onuachu Theo Mara Plus likely to see some youth breaking through into the squad Doyle Ballard?? The club want to trim the squad, and quite a few will move on for various reasons (leaving UK, going to top club etc). But - there won't be a 'fire sale' - we won't recruit loads and bloat the squad - we can afford to refuse offers for players we want to keep - we won't need to spend anywhere near the amount we maybe raising. If you look at championship team of the season, any season, it won't have many positions with better players than we will probably have. We need balance, and to reset the negative, weak mentality and regain confidence. How often have we played well for a period, had VAR decision against us and immediately collapse and concede? I don't know how quickly the manager will turn this around, but I'm far from panicking!

Tbf not much thought went in. I will look at transfermarket, sometimes miles out though.. JWP 38 Lavia 25 Salisu 18 Bella-Kotchap 20 Caleta carr 14 Stu 6 Diallo 8 Perraud 12 Orsic 7 Che 22 Onuachu 17 KWP 25 Aribo 15 Reckon some low, some high, but we could easily see 200 odd so don't think any sale will be done if we want the player

We won't be selling all these players. There is no need to. The ones who will go will be either towards the end of a contract or because a offer makes sense. By that I mean, allowing JWP to go to top side, for large fee. Making a killing on Lavia. I'm pretty confident from what I've heard that with parachute payments we do not need to sell. We could easily make decent money on JWP / Lavia £65m?? Maybe 3 CBs for best part of £50m Stu/ perraud/ diallo/orsic/ kwp/Aribo for about £70m Then forwards surely few million there. Getting towards £200m in sales. We won't be able to and won't need to spend that in championship. Why would we sell Tella, Alcarez, livromento, sulemana? We don't need and may well have all of them for a year.

Clearly will be a starter for a top side in the near future, but not convinced he would get much game time next season. Shows the ability but doesn't dominate yet, and is quite inconsistent with his passing. Not a big criticism purely looking at standard to start for a top 4 side and don't think he is ready. But you wouldn't expect h to be at his age, and will be soon

Remember January prices are inflated. He has only just started his contract. We would need a large profit to sell, we won't get that after only a few games. More likely he stays than goes.

So? If we walk away now, when no agreement made with him or the club, but go back tomorrow we pay cheaper price. In a shop if you look at an item, talk to the shop then the price changes - you pay the price at time of the transaction.

I think he will probably be with us next season and get a lot of game time

If that was the tone of ours it would have been slated. You seen like you want to criticise saints for some strange reason. I read that after seeing your post and can't see what you are so impressed with, bet you would have moaned about living on past glory, not liking criticism, not sounding confident etc. Nothing great there, and nothing bad in ours, just what you would expect.

Who would? If we win a few games at the start of the season fans will soon be supportive (although some will moan whatever!), as long as we don't get the crazy Jones style interviews. Looks decent appointment, we just need to stabalise a squad

Nothing special from Pearson in last 10 odd years suggests he would be better. I wasn't huge fan when he was here, mixed record since and currently at a level below Martin. Fair enough though, an option, not one I would choose before Martin, but at least you suggest one, most of those moaning can't.

I do fear that we may start the season with them, knowing they are likely to be going at end of the window. (ridulously far into the season!) Wish, although not realistic, every who is going all go next week and we can move on.

Who would be the options you feel are safer? I get what you say, but I'm not left with the feeling that a stand out option is slipping through our fingers. As Ive said before, managers generally fall into two categories : Failed & sacked at our level of higher, experienced but with the negative of failure On their way up, less of a name, maybe risky but with potential. I would generally lean towards the latter but with exceptions in both groups. At least Martin has solid knowledge of this league, winning more than he loses with very little backing. At least we are not getting Fat Sam (I wouldnt renew after life of season ticket) So who is better? I've seen a few names, but to be honest they either seem unrealistic or would have less fan support than Martin. I'm not totally convinced, more a 'OK could be good' than a 'wow'. But reasonable happy that it makes sense.

What is experimental? He's a manager from this league. Managers are either from a lower team, supposedly on their way up, Or Failed at higher level and sacked. Which is why, for all the criticism there people are struggling to suggest a realistic and better option. But somehow he is, doing it on the cheap, not experienced enough or not successful enough.

Who? Bearing mind we don't know which managers want a break, who would or wouldn't want to come here, I haven't seen many realistic better options.

From Swansea fansnetwork: "When Martin leaves for Southampton he will want more than the support of his closest allies within the coaching structure. The dressing room for him will be key. Any rubber stamping of his appointment at Southampton will revolve around at least two players. Those players are Matt Grimes and Joel Piroe. We can leave Ryan Manning out of that for now, he’s out of contract soon. And don’t be surprised if Joel Latibeaudiere doesn’t feature, although he is also out of contract. Martin will want these players purchased and this is where the majority ownership will smell big money. Anyone who thinks Piroe will go for a few million pounds isn’t reading the script. If Piroe and Grimes are a part of the agreement as was Flynn Downes coming to Swansea two years ago then they will go for top dollar. We have our own feelings on this but with Grimes, Piroe and possibly Nathan Wood added after Martin’s compensation package is agreed, the Swans could bank fifteen million pounds. That will very much depend on the Saints desire to negotiate at a high level, but of course if they don’t then those players won’t be Martin’s eyes, ears and support in the St Mary’s dressing room. "

Or, now likely IMO, no where near either of those extremes. Not seeing many better realistic options suggested.

Ben Wilson Coventry City Connor Roberts Burnley Anel Ahmedhodzic Sheffield United Tom Lockyer Luton Town Ian Maatsen Burnley Alex Scott Bristol City Josh Brownhill Burnley Nathan Tella Burnley Iliman Ndiaye Sheffield United Chuba Akpom Middlesbrough Viktor Gyokeres Coventry City Thats the Championship team of the year, if we can keep a few, sign a few, should be able to be competitive. Not many of those were seen as stars 12 months ago.

Didn't know much about him before we were linked but he seems a reasonable suggestion. Many of the negative posts on here seem, to me, to sound entitled and lacking credible alternatives. PV seems to be a common preferred option, who just got sacked after leading a team with decent attacking players to something like 4 games without a shot! I want a decent man manager, who can reset the negative mentality, ideally with experience of this league and to play decent football. All the media reports, and most fan reports suggest he fits those. Any manager is a risk, I don't see this as playing around. The other really key thing is to act quickly, and we appear to be doing that. (although couple of posters moan about that!) Can't say it excites me more cautiously optimistic. And it's rubbish to say he won't attract good players, the club and salary will take care of that.

Rubbish, we are badly run but the owners haven't been slow to spend, throwing money away.

Personally Leeds and Everton, but for Saints it's got to be who will be weakest / in the most mess / broke. Not sure who that will be?

And again, ffs

What was ABK thinking??

If we get a decent manager and a couple of decent replacements we should be competitive: Keeper, I think Bazunu could be OK with another year experience and hopefully less in the firing line. RB we have two who I think both are good for this level. (Bree and Liv) LB - prob need to sign CB - we have 6 and I can't see them all leaving, so not likely to be a panic area but may need some balancing. C Midfield I see as one our priority. I would like to see Alcarez as our more advanced in a pair (although need to remember his age and will have dips in form), with Smallbone as another option. That leaves an controlling, prob experienced, captain type midfielder. Attacking options Tella maybe here Sulemana Edozie Dibling Maybe Aribo at that level, and a manager able to find his role? Maybe Djenepo within the squad. CF New?! Mara Ballard Not seen enough of Onuachu? Che would be decent and may stay, if those both go will need to sign a couple. Both Armstrongs need to go. Stu has been very poor for at least a couple of seasons, Adam needs a complete confidence reset. Orsic, God knows what's going on but can't want to be here now. Diallo, Ely, Walcott go. I wouldn't be against Djenepo within the squad I don't think the squad will be as big, so prioritise few key signings 1) CM 2) goal scoring forward (a new concept!) 3) more experienced attacking midfielder to compliment Edozie, Sulemana 4) LB