CSA96

He also said something like 'I wanted to give Downes a chance but today he played a bad game. The gap to the Premier League is big' Which I did wonder at the time whether it would rankle with FD

Get promoted and flip him to a Boro/Sunderland/West Brom/Norwich/Watford type side with no more chances in the PL

Good move for all parties, I think. I'd much rather give the bench minutes to Archer over these last 14 games. Arma has had about 100 games at this level and he struggles for more than 2/3 goals each season at PL level. Gives it a good go, but not good enough and isn't about to suddenly click or take a leap I'm sure he'll have a good run of goals between now and the summer, so either he comes back here and is reintegrated (quite possibly with a new coach) or he's spent a few months in the shop window stimulating some interest and bringing in some more bidders. Club gave him a pay rise not so long ago, so he'll still be one of the best paid Championship players if he goes again at St. Mary's for us and will probably be content with that

Really struggle to be bothered by no deadline business today. My one concern was that the club would panic and spend more money rashly to try and appease people. This season is done. Sit on the money, make some hires, spend in the summer. We are down, have been for many weeks Also let's be honest: anyone we signed would've been quite a way down our list of preferences for the position, and would only be coming here after holding out for as long as they possibly could to see if they can get anything better than playing for a team that's already relegated at the midway point I'd rather see what we have with Welington and Grønbæk (perhaps it's nothing), bank the money and spend from a position of strength in the summer window when we are one of the most attractive offers in the league, plus have clarity on the manager and sporting director roles I don't get the point in spending from a position of weakness right now, getting people that we are punting on for the sake of it - but don't really want - and then in six months time we're in the Championship anyway with even more **** to unload and more people sitting there on long-term contracts. We made that mistake in the 2022/23 season (more understandable as we were in touching distance and it was first full season of ownership). But that said, I am very happy to not see it repeating I also don't think Juric will be here next season. Let's face it, if you are hiring a Sporting Director to come in and overhaul things, rebuild the squad and off-field operations then they aren't going to be tied to a rebuild and not be allowed to hire their own coach. So I'm pretty sure he sails off into the distance in the summer, with an extra year's money in his account, and is never seen in these parts ever again. Which was probably always the arrangement, with the insurance of 'if you do somehow get this thing clicking, then we'll keep you on and up your salary' Roll on next season. Solak has moved Ankersen and Kraft to more peripheral roles now where they are not actively in the day-to-day, so let's just hope that Dragan picks a couple of good operators now and they can take things forward from the end of May

Any streams?

Christ, if those are the set of AMs then I would hope you'd have two, or at bare minimum one wide player coming in

You answered your own question

Nice one, sorted

I have a spare, on the train to Nottingham currently. Due in at 12

1x spare ticket for today’s game. Can meet in Nottingham / at ground (yes, I know, I’m being optimistic)

Well after the Sheffield Wednesday owner’s meltdown overnight I can’t see Rohl wanting to put up with that next season. That said, will be a very acrimonious one if we do hire him as you can’t see Chansiri taking it quietly

Undoubtedly it will be. Nice to know it’s Sheffield Wednesday we’ll be lawyering up with next summer, after doing Swansea last season

Blurted out by the SWFC owner at a fan forum which is somehow still going at half past midnight! Good morning Owls fans

Ankersen doesn't have an official title at Saints. He sits on the board and has an official title at Goztepe, where he's the chairman. Solak doesn't need to chuck him out of the operational side of Saints and if he tried to remove him from being involved with Sport Republic then he'd have a lot of very fucked off Turks on his case He just needs to hire qualified individuals to take the lead on the football side in England with Saints and let Rasmus carry on with the Goztepe side of the project, IMO - fingers crossed he gets the hires right

Nope, we've gone from one dogmatic manager who only knows one way of playing to another. Only this way involves a lot more aimless long passing, rather than aimless short passing

In: Matteo Paro (assistant manager), Stjepan Ostojić (fitness coach) Out: Matt Gill (assistant manager), Colin Calderwood (coach), Rhys Owen (sports scientist) Remaining from RM's staff: Dean Thornton (GK coach), Ben Parker (analyst) https://www.southamptonfc.com/en/news/article/jurics-coaching-additions-confirmed

No, coming straight into Saints senior training, will probably play for U21s to begin with but train with main group

We're signing France U19 captain and CB Joachim Kayi Sanda from Valenciennes. Fee is €5m and medical is arranged

Then followed it up by saying that he wants Ugochukwu to stay here

Forest didn’t - what’s your point?

At this point, I would be surprised if he is here next season