Matthew Le God

Chamberlain has a better cross and better left foot than Walcott imo.

Remember he isn't doing interviews in his first language.

I remember reading that Nathan Dyer used to beat him in races.

Yep, I feel really sorry for someone sacked by a League One team then signing a 5 and half year contract with a Premier League team.

James Ward-Prowse was involved with the squad for the Cheltenham game, so it was probably him.

How was the general atmosphere of the evening, it sounds like it would have been very positive and friendly?

I know! Just asking, it may have come up and Spudgun may have more to add. I like to know about all things to do with the infrastructure of the club (like the training ground, stadium and academy) as it sets the club up in the long term.

I'd like to know more about the stadium plans. 1) How far along are they? What timescale are we looking at? 2) Is a relocation still an option if it isn't possible to develop St Mary's? 3) They think the club "could" average 45,000 in the Premier League, but how big would they make the stadium? 48k? 50k? 4) What in terms of development do they want to do around the stadium along with the railway station? Hotels, bars, restaurants etc?

Will deserve its own thread. I wish I had an invite to one of these dinners at St Mary's.

I hope ladysaint asked him about the "Ball Signing" room in the new training ground building...

Saints have a satellite academy in Bath, which is how they got and continue to get players like Gareth Bale and a number of other Welsh and West Country based players. The satellite academy allows them to have wider coverage within the academy travel distance radius rules.

What if Saints were mid table Premier League side when Walcott and Bale were at the club, rather than a Championship club? Both would have developed better than they did imo. Walcott's career stalled somewhat and Spurs very nearly sold Bale to Nottingham Forest. Should Saints quickly progress up through the leagues they will find it easier to keep hold of these types of players into their early 20's at least, rather than selling them as teenagers.

- Walcott left Saints in the Championship side when Arsenal came calling at the age of only 17. - Bale left Saints after the Championship playoff failure and loss of parachute money. Both took a long time to establish themselves in the new clubs(Walcott still not managed it fully) as they left too early and would have got more playing time if they stayed longer with Saints. But left because of a range of factors including Saints being a Championship club and needing money. If Saints are seen to be heading back to top half of the Premier League quickly, that will help keep the players at the club. Never before have Saints had an owner providing significant backing. I think that if as Cortese states he intends to make them a force again in the top half of the Premier League and it seems he has the funds to do so, players will stay, but only if the upwards trajectory is both rapid and maintained. Of course if another Bale or Walcott is discovered by Saints it would be hard to keep indefinitely, but I think Saints in future will be able to keep them into their early 20's, rather than selling them as teenagers.

Here is the 24 minute version... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/9270086.stm Previously it was only 8 minutes.

http://www.sportingpreview.com/prem_news/10110329.php

Point 5.10 of this document explains why... http://web3.newforest.gov.uk/images/planningimages/161300_21.pdf

Floor plans have been added on the 7th December to the development on the council's website. Only the ground floor plan, not the 1st floor. Ground floor of main building - http://web3.newforest.gov.uk/images/planningimages/161300_39.pdf Strangely there is a "ball signing room"! I like the big press conference room similar to what Arsenal have. Does look an awesome development. Upstairs will be the offices for the management/chairman/scouting, the players restaurant, players lounge and balcony overlooking the main pitch. Must be costing loads as it is designed by the same architects that did Stoke City's £7 million development, and Saints' is bigger and more extensive than that.

Why? Saints didn't have it between 2001-2005 and how many games did not having it lead to postponements?

Not really surprising giving his background dealing with the accounts of billionaires. When the day does finally come and the Liebherrs' sell up, I trust Nicola to sell it onto another good owner.

It isn't really needed either. In the 9 years at the stadium how many games have been called off at St Mary's due to the pitch? The Huddersfield game last season was more for the safety concerns of supporters around the ground rather than the pitch wasn't it?

I'd like to know more about his plans for the stadium. Can you ask him how big he plans to make the stadium? Which is looking more likely, expand St Mary's or relcoation to a new stadium as mentioned in March 2010 interview? Timeframe for stadium changes? Ultimately where does he see the club ending up under the Liebherr investment? Mid table Premier League? Will there be the finance available to be challenging for European places?

This is why the remaining games in December and those early in January are extremely important. The club needs to show players that they will be joining a team likely to be in the Championship next season in order to attract them to possibly drop down a league.

Probably because they are in negotiations with a company over sponsorship for next season and that company is only interested if Saints are a Championship club in 2011/12. Also if they don't go up this season, Lallana, Lambert, Fonte and Chamberlain will probably go and rebuilding the squad again in League One sets the club back.

I'd say this is new... He did after all have a previous career dealing with the interests of many billionaires, so has contacts. But this shows he isn't just staying because of the Liebherrs, but instead because he wants to see the project through and will get new people on board if it ever came to that.

The safe standing areas in German stadiums still have seating(it just folds away even more so than in all seater stadiums) because they have to for European matches.