VectisSaint

Bollocks, looks like I was sounding like MLG.

If he is average, then there must be equally as many worse than him as there are better (hope I am not sounding like MLG but when you spout bollocks you deserve to be pulled up for it).

Thought it was due to be resolved tomorrow.

Nope, these are relatively junior employees certainly not senior management, Crocker is their boss, seems perfectly sensible course of action to me. Bear in mind Watson and Kelvin were not recruited by Ralph, they came with the job (and IIRC pre Crocker), Fleming was a slightly different case in that he was promoted during Ralph's tenure, presumably with Ralp[h's agreement. N

Yep, got that wrong. But it looks like the majority of the teams in the Championship are "full-time" not semi-pro. It is probably true that teams need to be full-time if they want to be successful, if success is measured by promotion to the WSL. Southampton were always aiming for the WSL, and to get there you have to be full-time, it is a requirement. So going full-time was always in the plan. But you also need to look at what "full-time" means. The definition appears to be a minimum of 16 hours pw paid employment, that's a very low definition, of course we have no idea how much our players will get (hours-wise) or how many of them (presumably the entire 1st team squad). Semi-pro definition is 8 hours by the way. As I said before, I'm not knocking it, but it is not as big a deal as it appears, many of the players work a lot of hours for the Saints Foundation, and many are in full-time education. I don't believe there is enough money in the game at this level where players can have a lucrative career, and many would earn more in other jobs, especially if they are only being paid for a 16 hour week - that is part time in any other walk of life. I imagine a few will not take the step up to the Championship, but I hope they all do.

No it isn't. Why would the owners be involved. Crocker and HR, that's how business works.

Is it? You have to be full pro in the Championship. Would have been planned all along. Most of the first team players are I believe already full time, in that they work for the Foundation, they are not amateurs. Don't get me wrong, not knocking it, just being down to earth, had to happen and isn't a huge change.

Well, if it was Nigel Adkins that would be fine by me.

More to do with defending set pieces (corners) from what I understood. You don't have a coach telling JWP how to strike a ball. Considering how bad we are at corners it's a wonder Watson lasted as long as he did.

Why? Andrew Sparkes clearly improved what we had, though he started from a low base. As long as they don't convert him to a general Coach.

You forgot 'arry. Jim Smith, Joe Jordan and the other fella whose name escapes me. What'Joe doing these days?

We did well getting shot of Ings when we did (perhaps I didn't think so at the time). He had one good season for us and that was his peak. He has been disappointing to say the least at Villa, no way should we consider having him back.

Top priority is to strengthen CM.

The domestic champions path in the Youth League is less onerous, with a knockout 2-leg format for first 2 rounds and then knock out for the last rounds when they join the CL teams. In reality qualifiers only end up playing about 3 ties if they are moderately successful.

Saints negotiated a contract with McCarthy last Summer, we haven't just given him a new one. There is no reason in the world why they can't sell him now (apart from the obvious, no one would buy). Things changed during the season, must admit the fiasco when McCarthy was injured would be the end of his Saints career (and might effectively still be except him covering for Forster's injury). Clearly the plan last summer was to clear out our goalkeeper stock, but having an eye on maintaining some continuity by keeping one as a probable backup to a new #1 - Macca's revised contract certainly was not as a guaranteed #1, as far as I can tell from the evidence of the reports/rumours at the time. Forster was in great form for a while while he came back in but has largely reverted to type more recently. McCarthy was actually OK before the Norwich game and then subsequently the game where he was injured. In my opinion what we should now do this Summer is offer a one year extension to Willy, make McCarthy available for transfer/loan, say bye bye to Forster (not forgetting we have already said farewell to Harry Lewis) and invest in 2 new keepers (No 1 and young No 3) - it sounds like the Pole is a done deal (despite the comments read today). We should also ditch 2 former goalkeepers from our coaching staff (not our GK Coach who actually has seemingly worked hard at improving our current keepers, even though you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear) and employ some experienced "outfield" coaching staff to help Ralph and Richard.

Harry Lewis has agreed a 2 year deal with Bradford City (managed by Sparky).

Not sure how 45-33 is skating on thin ice, we were even ahead of them when we were last promoted. I used to go to Fratton (lived in Cosham for a couple of years), but always went in the away end, but as usual they were in the lower divisions then, 3rd Div if I recall correctly, while we were above them in the 2nd.

Nowhere near. Skates have only been in the top flight for 33 seasons, and that includes the 39/40 season which was abandoned after a week. I recommend you go back and read wiki again, on second thoughts perhaps that is a bit harsh, though it is interesting to note how many times they escaped relegation from the top flight by the skin of their teeth.

cough, Arsenal

He doesn't want to be here on the terms he was (supposedly) offered last Summer (reported in the Scottish Sun). That's the same as doesn't want to be here, unless Saints improve the offer, and there is little sign that they will. I suspect Forster is already set up for next season, he has had 9 months to get something sorted, his performances in the last 4 months won't have done him any harm if he had not already been sorted before Christmas.

Good luck with that, it ain't gonna happen.

All the evidence is that Stephens is out of contract in June. McCarthy is different the rumoured new contract was confirmed as a transaction (by the FA I believe). Stephens has also been completely missing from squads recently which tends to confirm that he is not in the plans for next season. Wouldn't surprise me to see him at Boscombe next year (unless he is going to Man U as an upgrade on Maguire).

The point is though that given it had to be at the home of a professional club, there was no need for it to have been 3 weeks after the regular season finished (which was already about 3 weeks later than originally planned) and also it need not have been on a Saturday, especially given that all League weekend games are played on Sunday. Just smacks of complete amateurish incompetence to me. They should have booked a proper neutral venue before the season started. Shabby treatment not just for Saints but Wolves as well.

Actually Southgate has called both of them up for England, just that one was more recently. As I said, hardly a ringing endorsement, the pool of England qualified keepers is not very deep.

Southgate selects Harry Maguire, its not exactly a ringing endorsement.