Matthew Le God

Better to just put them on a final warning and ban them.

Take £60m to £100m out of any of those clubs you listed and they wouldn't be able to operate this season whilst keeping in FFP rules. I really struggle to see the point you are making, Saints are a Premier League club for that they get huge TV money which more than covers their wage bill. Why is that a flawed business model?

Please name the clubs that don't need the £60m to £100m they will get this season from Premier League TV money? All of them need it, even Man City, Chelsea and Man Utd. Its not a weak business model, Saints costs take into account they have that source of income.

What do you even mean by "rely on it"? The team that finishes 20th gets £60m and the team that finishes 1st gets £100m in TV money. How does that make it a fragile business model? We've hardly been a selling club relying on transfer income. Since the takeover 5 years ago in 2009 we've only sold one player the club didn't want to sell.

I'm not saying we should experiment too much, but how are Saints going to lose 8th place? We are 6 points ahead, with 6 points to play for (including Newcastle going to Anfield) plus Newcastle would need a 25 goal difference swing.

Salas David ‏@dajasahi 3h Yes, today I'll interpret for another Argentinean and his Portuguese counterpart in LDN. I am trying to play it cool, but this is big...

Frank De Boer has said today... http://nos.nl/artikel/641802-de-boer-overweegt-tottenham.html

Season ticket renewals went on sale at 9am today and a few people queued up for them before ticket office opened despite being guaranteed their seat until 30th May... They can only be there for season tickets as the Swansea and Man Utd games have sold out. People do this every year for some reason, one year they were sleeping at St Mary's overnight!

As I said... The leap from believing an 8th place team can move to 6th isn't as hard to make compared to a team leaping from 14th to 6th. Its an easier sell to the player and agents.

Ramirez signed when we were newly promoted, Osvaldo signed when we'd just finished 14th. An 8th place finish will make it easier to attract a higher level of player as it'll be easier to convince them your ambitions are achievable than if you had just finished 14th. Of course money still comes into it, but a player also would want to know any ambitions are realistic. The leap from believing an 8th place team can move to 6th isn't as hard to make compared to a team leaping from 14th to 6th. Its an easier sell to the player and agents. Its not a bit more money. Its ALOT more money, for example £13m more than if we finished 14th again. The £82m Saints will get in 2013/14 is £20m more than what Man Utd got last season for winning the league! The 2013 to 2016 TV deal is huge in comparison.

For Saints, if you add that £82.3m TV revenue from 2013/14 to the £24.8m (match day/commercial) revenue from 2012/13, it'll mean a turnover of circa £107.1m for 2013/14. The player wage bill will likely be under 50% of that. Premier League is a license to print money!

This season is the first of the huge leap in TV money from 2013 to 2016. None of those clubs you listed got remotely close to £82m in TV money for an 8th place finish. Its not merely a few more £'s, its a lot more £'s! Finishing 20th in 2013/14 earns you more from TV money than finishing 1st in 2012/13!!! Plus finishing 8th raises Saints profile for potential sponsors and also should help attract better players than a bottom half finish would.

Clearly not "nothing else" then is it? Had Saints finished 14th again, it would be £13m less than Saints will get for 8th. Turnover in the next accounts for 2013/14 for Saints could be £100m+ for the first time ever.

He outlines his role in the opening minute of this video... As I'm sure you know. Saints with Les Reed as director of football have been extremely successful. Yes, a few transfers haven't worked out but the vast majority have helped Saints achieve what the player was signed for.

That doesn't really make sense as Matthew Targett is only 68 days younger than Luke Shaw. The gap in age is so small between them it is relatively non existent as they are peers of each other, yet Shaw has a senior England cap and nearly 60 Premier League appearances compared to Targett's 0. I find it extremely hard to believe any coach at the academy could possibly think what you have suggested. Targett isn't going to get 60 Premier League games under his belt and an England cap in the next 68 days is he?

Saints are on 52 points, Newcastle can still get 55 points.

Crazy lot those monkey hangers... 2011 Oompa Loompas vs Charlton 2012 Smurfs vs Charlton 2013 Penguins vs Crawley Town 2014 Thunderbirds vs Plymouth

Southampton FC @SouthamptonFC · 12h Remember, today’s game against @Everton is SOLD OUT so no tickets are available. Turnstiles open at 11.15am. #saintsfc

I don't, what possible motive is there for Cortese to do that? Far more likely it comes from Man Utd/Chelsea/Man City/Arsenal/Spurs giving these stories to the media to in their eyes ease through a deal.

A senior England cap at 18 is more impressive than playing for Wales at 18. Not Bale's fault he plays for a weak nation, but I was highlighting just how impressive it is for Shaw to be competing for an England World Cup place with Ashley Cole at the age of 18.

Bale although very good in 2006/07 was doing it in the Championship. Shaw has played nearly 60 Premier League games, is a first choice player for a top 8 team in England and has a senior England cap. Shaw is the more proven if you compare them at the same age.

I didn't say that at all, I wouldn't compleltely rule it out though. Comparing both at 17/18 years old, I'd say Shaw is the more impressive and has achieved more. For Shaw to be at Bale's level when he is 24 years old will be quite something as Bale did improve rapidly. Shaw's finishing would need to improve if he did move forward from left back.

Of course it counts, you are comparing an 18 year old with two 21 year olds. They have been professionals for 3 extra seasons. What Shaw has achieved by the age if 18 is more impressive than what either of them had done. Shaw also like Bale played for Saints youth teams as a midfielder, he could quite easily convert back. He has many of the qualities you need in a winger and is given a lot of attacking freedom in Pochettino's system. But Cole isn't playing, so that is a nonsensical argument. Cole is very much on the decline and is far from the player he once was. Flanagan really isn't as impressive as the Scousers and media make out. On average he is beaten more by the opposing winger than any over Premier League defender this season and offers little attacking threat when compared to Shaw.

Shaw has played nearly 60 Premier League games at the age of 18. Bale didn't have anything remotely close to that experience, he played for us in the Championship and took a long time to break into the Spurs team. Comparing them both at 18, Shaw has significantly more experience and proven at a higher level.

The two players you mention are 3 years older than Shaw! I think you underestimate how good Shaw is for his age, he is the 1st choice left back for a top 8 Premier League team and has a senior England cap at the age of 18. I think he looks more impressive than Bale did at the same stage.