ooh it's a corner

Were you referring to Everton, or the chap who'd retired having worked for the same company for 30 years?

you don't really mean that. We may wish that he falls flat on his face and gets Everton fewer points that they got this season, but none of us mean him harm.....

The thing that I find most patronising is the "step up" thing. There is a hierarchy in football. Last season Leicester came out on top of that hierarchy, followed by a small number of teams who will be competing in the Champions League, followed by a few more in the Europa League. Everyone would agree that it is a "step up" for a team to go from not qualifying for Europe, to qualifying for Europe. Everyone would also agree it is a "step up" to go from a Europa League qualifier to a Champions League qualifier. So by definition this move is a "step down" for Koeman. Happy for him and wish him well for the future, but please please please, change the narrative to "he is taking a step down in the hope that he can take two steps up in the future". But under no footballing circumstances is he stepping up, moving from a team that has qualified for Europe 2 seasons running, to one who hasn't.

Trouble is, we'd be better served with a few million from EFC, plus a clause regarding non-poaching of staff (excluding two named coaches). Otherwise, he improves his golf handicap for a year and then comes knocking next season, with nothing to prevent him from doing so. There is clearly something holding up the process. Sounds plausible that it is this....

Don't be daft. This hurts a lot because we still haven't forgiven Everton for Adrian Heath, or John Bailey before him....

I can't imagine they'd have to form an orderly queue to get into St Mary's.....

Forster coming back predominantly..... Who has he got in goal up there? A shocking second string to the departed Howard....... Forster will be his first effort to raid us, hopefully we'll tell him to jog on....

A move to Everton does defy all logic for him, at this stage in his career, unless he wants to stay there for longer than his typical three year stint. It defies all logic until you put a lot of zeros onto the pay cheque...

How does this work with FFP? Revenues of the premier league clubs outside of the top two/three are 150m-200m ish. How can Everton spend £200m ?

I couldn't agree more. He only stays 3 years anywhere. So what does he expect to achieve? Top six next season would be unrealistic from the squad he is inheriting. Maybe top six the year after, then final year of contract..... To be considered successful there, with £100m+ kitty, he needs to win some silverware and go some way into European competition. That's a big big ask

it will be interesting to see how many star players stay at Leicester this summer. Vardy talking to Arsenal already. Players rubbing shoulders with international team-mates..... It's just a current pecking order thing. We've lost players to Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal and Man Utd. Looks like we will lose our manager to Everton. We're not losing players to teams whi historically are a long way below us in the pecking order. It is inevitable as Leicester will find out this summer

If you think he is going for ambition, answer this question: Would he go and work for Everton if they offered him £50,000 a year?

But that's because we're a bigger club, and which ambitious manager wouldn't leave Bournemouth for us, especially when we can pay them more money...... oh.

so we force him to break his contract and then he is liable to mitigate our increased cost for next season in bringing in a more expensive replacement? what's not to like?

In light of the noises coming out of Everton, would you; a) Match the money Everton offer Ron. b) Significantly increase the current contract deal, but fall short of Everton's offer. c) Stick with the current offer and plan for life after Ron, should he choose to leave.

that'd be an interesting poll on here. should we match a high salary offer from a competitor or stick to a wage structure. i bet it would be close to a 50/50 split

he should stay, win the europa league with us, then get whatever move he wants... #ifonly

it will be easier for Ron to improve Everton next season than it will to improve Saints. Koeman probably losing his bottle and taking the easier, and more lucrative, option. Disappointing if he goes there. But if he cites ambition as his reasons for going we'll all know he's telling porkies

I think he'll sign an extension with us and then we'll all have cream egg on our face

It's all speculation. Either that, or Koeman's new agent has got us by the curly wurlies

There's only three choices; 1) He doesn't sign and leaves this summer 2) He doesn't sign and leaves next summer 3) He does sign and leaves at some point in the future. The only absolute certainty is that Ronald Koeman, at some point, leaves Southampton. He's been brilliant for us and I hope he stays forever, but that can't happen folks. So, next to that, I hope Ronald's successor is more successful than he has been. Whenever that comes.......

Forgive the lazy colouring in, but a bit like this?

It's not often a post get's me significantly motivated to post, let alone re-post, but please re-read this. Football management and boards will quickly get the blame when things go wrong, but seldom get the accolades when things go right....

In fairness to them, I really enjoyed our league one days. Maybe it was the first time being the big fish, but I'd like to think it was more about an absence of foreign footballers who are only here for the profile/wage cheque of the premier league, plus the added bonus of not seeing players roll around after every kick on the shin. Good honest football. That said, I wouldn't trade sixth in the premiership under RK for League One........let alone League Two......(I would however trade bottom three premiership under HR for League One).

Hope she's alright....