swedish dave

NO ! I have a life outside of football (!) but I'm sure you are smart enough to figure it out yourself. The average Championship salary is probably between 20k-30K week, (due to age / experience). An average Prem. player (at our level ) between 40k-50k week, 60k or more for the best we have. Multiply by 52..and then by the years of his contract. Transfer fees are often published, so you finally end up with the overall cost, or at least something akin to it. Whether or not the player is " worth it " was the topic of an earlier post which related to my stats.. In general the answer is NO. Outstanding contributions to the club may be an exception, but no club is going to generate value when buying players for 100 million or anything like it, but billionaire owners live in a world we can`t understand and where extra zeros matter very little in search of bigtime success.

After Antonio's loan, Pardew wanted to keep him and the player wanted to stay, but Cortese refused to pay the 2 mill. fee demanded, and MO returned to Reading. Cortese was very "thrifty" at the start and the squads that won TWO promotions were built (firstly) by Pardew and later Adkins, and cost LESS THAN 6 million. In between time we had loaned both Papa Waigo (who also scored in the JPT final) and later Guly do Prado. At this point in time, Cortese (who on his own admission knew very little about English football) was conned into the two deals mentioned above (presumably by his foreign contacts who he seemingly trusted more). I won't repeat the stats. from my first post, but the net. loss on the two deals was approaching 45 million.

depends how you are calculating it. GR signed a 4 year contract in October 2012 . Cost 13 million.. When asked why he signed for Saints, he said... I couldn't believe how much they would pay me. (later revealed to be 65 K / week.... in 2012 !!!! ) He may have had a few good games, but in those 4 years, he played - just 55 games scoring 8 goals. Yes, he had a few injuries, but never fitted in and during that time Ronald Koeman couldn't decide if he really wanted him - or not. Finally GR was loaned for half season to Hull ( I think), then last part of his contract to Midd'boro who then signed him on a free transfer in the following season. The Echo later calculated that the whole deal (transfer fee + salary) had meant.. a loss of 21 million for Saints. A year later, another piece of " Cortese magic" was bringing in Dani Osvaldo (similar fees and salary) except that DO left after playing just 13 games and scoring 3 times, before nutting Jose Fonte in a practice session before being suspended by the club, and never played for us again. The outcome was made worse in that (having just be promoted twice) Saints were still "a poor club", and Cortese had subsequently borrowed the money for these deals ...at a very high rate of interest. (One might assume that a similar loss of income was accrued on the Osvaldo deal.) In the final analysis , it's hard to say who had the overall responsibility for these two deals. Was it Pochettino who wanted to bring DO in ? , or Cortese who approved the deal despite that it was a known fact that Osvaldo had previous .. " issues with his temperament". and so Vectis ..I rarely disagree with your posts, but I think we should agree to disagree on that one.

statistically correct - Which leaves him just one goal behind David Beckham's Prem. record tally, and the last time I checked no other Prem. player was even in double figures for free kick goals. (Interestingly, in his last season - Prowsey was Saints' top scorer with 10 goals) He was a Prem. player for Saints in almost 12 years, in which time he played for around a dozen managers and topped over 400 apps. whilst scoring 55 goals (that included 17 free kicks) plus a few penalties, and an un-named number of "assists". In his career with Saints he was long term absent from the squad just once 10 weeks with a fractured foot, and 3 games after a red card. He played every minute of every Prem. game for Saints during the period of his last 2 seasons, and regularly clocked the most distance covered in every game. I fail to see how so many people can claim his only contribution to the club was his free kick goals.

I remember a Sky Sport interview with ..Alan Pardew, who said that Cortese was shocked at " his target sighing", and he asked him.." do you really want to spend a million pounds on him ? " (that time around the player in question was...... Rickie Lambert). Cortese's judgment on players was doubtful to say the least, Ramirez and Osvaldo weren't his only "flops"

Now there's a player who Saints missed out on and all down to Nicola Cortese's lack of footballing "nous". We had MA on loan from Reading and he was in the team that won JPT trophy 2012 and he even scored, but when Reading wanted a measly 2 million to buy him, Cortese lost interest.. instead listened to "his Euro contacts" and bought ...Gaston Ramirez and Dani Osvaldo....at a combined cost of 27 million, and then they were signed on 4 year contracts with huge salaries. Both proved to be disasterous deals and almost bankrupted the club again. Antonio wasn't a defector, he might have stayed ..if NC had the b*lls to sign him.

....and a small pitch. It will be a field day for the wingers.

Clearly the man is "a thinker more than a talker". Why is it that so many people will make a judgement based on part of a short interview, when interviewers never take into account that ..(as in previous cases), when a person does not have English as first language, so many of the phrases / expressions used are " particularly English" and do not appear in any course book I've ever seen. (40 years in Sweden and teaching English internationally). I think Tonda has a fair understanding of English, but perhaps only within the framework of footballing jargon. Adapting his first language expressions into " acceptable English " dialogue isn't easy, particularly when being grilled some footballing " hack" who has seen it all before and is merely seeking a controversial headline. Getting results depends on injuries / form / a good portion of luck, and occasionally - even the absence of VAR. We've had 4 wins since the departure of Adam Armstrong (no offence to him. He DAJFU for several seasons), but our new line-up may prove to be a Godsend, if we continue with this latest successful run of games. Bermuda's point ABOVE..is well-made, in that players shouldn't need to be taught ABC before every match and if they are smart and know what to do, then we will win games. Tonda's task is to encourage and support them during the game, and give an acceptable after-match interview.

Jeering is a very poor reaction when it's your own player you're abusing. Credit to Tonda for persevering with him, but he doesn't seem to "fit " the formation we play. There are often long periods when I forget that he's on the pitch, but I'm sure there is a footballer in there somewhere, perhaps he needs the right move for him to see his best.

Good points well-made macca, We are regularly producing young talents, but while the Championship may be attainable for teenagers, the Prem. level is often a league too high, but nevertheless very encouraging. re: Bragg. IF...any truth in the rumours about foreign interest in Casper Jander, his spot will be up for grabs.

Interesting note that Leicester finished the game with half of their regular line-up, whilst Saints ended with 5 of their U21 Academy side, several of whom played 45 mins in the U21 game v Liverpool U21 on Friday night. Good chance for young talents to get some real game time. What a good thing that we only loaned James Bree to Nathan Jones - instead of selling him.

Now that the dust has settled from Tuesday evenings extravaganza , I reflected that Shea Charles' input was more than a "little special". He was a key factor in the revival and apart his involvement in the second half, the move and completion of the 4th goal was itself a candidate for Goal of the Season, and by the time we get to game 46, we may look back on that game as a turning point in the season.

Players are not robots, even if some may seem to move like one. Here's famous quote from someone who knows. " there's a lot of difference between being... "match fit", and being ..." fit enough to play." Alan Shearer

In retrospect. I couldn't help but remember ... 30 y.o. Rickie Lambert coming on as sub. on his England debut ...and scoring with his first touch ... a header from a corner.. and winning the game v. Scotland at Wembley. ( A good memory still available on You Tube - if you're interested.)

I was pondering ...that if we could only win one of these games.. which one would be most interesting? Three league points would encouraging, but winning the Cup match would put us into the fifth round.... and I enjoy a Cup run more than anything, and especially this season ...for obvious reasons.

at the time he played his last game for Saints, Adam was on the end of a 10 match "drought", he must surely start scoring again soon...

a bit harsh, I think mi Lord. Footballers live a life like soldiers - (even though they get paid a lot more), in that every few years they get a new "posting". It's not a lifetime career, and they must hope to come through it without serious injury. Footballers who start out at the pre-teen stage may continue on until they finish their stint, (or the game finishes them), and then have to start an "ordinary lifestyle " with no profession or qualifications that we "ordinary folks" may have went through. If Adam A says he made friends, and refers to his young family and people they may have met, it maybe the start of a lifetimes friendship. I think that Adam was worth his salt, (unlike some others) who simply passed through the system and remained only names on a team sheet. Although these "parting messages" have become commonplace nowadays, they are often heartfelt and not just some kind of PR bullsh*t.

.Ah YES, that was caused by his idiot teammates when congratulating him with wrestling holds and drop kicks...

Er ..what was that you said again ?

.Jamaican? just stay clear of the M27

well he was just one of them who got caught, I suppose. I guess there aren't so many footballers who are tea-totallers.

...here we go again. It never fails to amaze me, but not unexpected I suppose. " All the usual suspects " who are ready to condemn someone before he's set foot on the pitch. If this guy gets on a goal-scoring run, I wonder where you will all hide yourselves?

what a fantastic hour of memories, thank you Gloucester Saint , I remember them all. This is a history lesson for the younger generation who only listened to their fathers (and maybe grandfathers) boasting about these legendary names who wore a Saints shirt at one time or another in that period. A little sadness came afterwards, when I realised just how many of them have already passed on . Most recently; Chivers, Nicholl ...and Watson (?)

maybe we were for a time, as after the chaos of the relegation, I left the site for a while after the massive amount of criticism and abuse that came on here, and I wasn't impressed by Will Still's performances either. When I tried to come back, the " system" wouldn't allow me to return with my old name, and my 11,000+ postings disappeared off into the ether. Hence " my new name ", but I am the same " David ", but my thanks for the interest, anyway.

....or so it seems. . A move back to SMS was much-vaunted in the summer, but now we can see that..." ...it 'aint gonna happen." Last night, I watched Sunderland clinically dissect a very-poor Burnley outfit. Prowsey looked sadly on from the bench, whilst Scott Parker frantically tugged on his gum. Parker's appointment as Burnley manager might please his bank manager, but won't look good on his CV by May - or even before that, if he doesn't last out the season. "Prowsey" will be there - until the end of the season, and I wonder what his thoughts are as he looks on, realising that Burnley already have one foot in the drop zone, and next season offers nothing more than a place in the Championship. JWP's place in Saints' history is almost unique, and although his near 400 games aren't a club record, his long service to the club was marked by a player who had always played "above his age", and he is amongst the youngest Saints players to make a Premier League debut (at age 17- in 2012). His career was often criticised by certain fans on this site - for lacking whatever they saw as his shortcomings - whilst his Prem. stats show that he is superior to many of his contemporaries (like Jack Grealish, who warranted 100 million transfer, yet showed no real improvement whilst at Man City). Prowsey's performances (like playing every minute in two Prem. seasons), and his 16+ Prem. free-kick goals are just stats. in the Saints record book. His reluctant move was a last ditch attempt to maintain Prem. status, (and his place in the LAST World Cup squad) was to no avail. David Moyes recognised his talent, and signed him for WHam, (where he clocked up 8 goals and 8 assists) - not a bad return for ANY Prem. midfielder, before Moyes was unceremoniously sacked by an unforgiving Board even after winning their first trophy in 40-odd years. Subsequent managers came and went, changing formations leaving JWP was out in the cold, and their current manager is on thin ice having ditched Prowsey, as WHam (like Burnley) look set for the drop. For those Saints fans who appreciated him, any thoughts of a .." Prodigal's return" was never going to happen. Ignored by Will Still, and everyone in the current management, who quite simply - had never seen him play, has led to us ignoring him.. yet again. I believe(?).. his current WHam contract still has one year to run, by which time any thoughts of a return to Saints will (fairly obviously) have disappeared, while we still struggle to replace his talent.