Polaroid Saint

Oh crikey, yes!

I hope that, when it is finally completed, the club take the chance to announce it properly. Like this:

I predict Saints to go 1-0 early in the first half up thanks to a Tadic screamer. Liverpool will then dominate the game but will huff n puff and won't score until Licky comes on as a 65th min sub and pulls one back. It'll all be Liverpool until the 88th minute when Saints get an unlikely corner... ...resulting in a Lovren O.G. to win the game for Saints. Lallana will then accidentally get on the supporters coach back to Southampton. You heard it here first.

This^ Gawd, I can only hope some of our, ahem, 'less patient' posters never have to try to sell/buy a house. It may well kill them.

Aye. From a global perspective FFP is just another in a long line of poorly thought-out regulations with which football can maintain the status quo. It is not just (these) regulations that govern Saints (and 98% of other clubs) ability/inability to 'compete' and such regs are not new phenomena. The 'best' clubs (my own objective agenda) ate always looking for a competitive edge in an increasingly closed market, for example in Saints case, the academy was always seen as a way to 'level the playing field' against opposition with more spending power. I think it is good that this geeky/murky football finance stuff has gone 'over ground'; as the more fans of more clubs that are aware, the more we can claim our clubs back as supporters and not be led blind by promises in either direction.

I meant no direct offence OldNick, you just posted an example of a certain way of thinking that comes with age. We are all guilty of it: Gradually we become less able, and less willing, to grasp new ideas and more vehemently stick to the ones we know. It is human nature. For example, here I have entered the conversation about football in general, the FFP and how it all currently relates to Saints. But then you start banging on about how I am 'desperate for RK not to be misleading' and that I am 'grasping at straws'!? Completely missing my point and my stance. I have been talking about this, posting about this and writing about this for a lot longer than either of the RKs tenure at our club. My interest in this goes beyond Saints, yet you still only think narrowly about your club - which is fine, but exactly what I said the problem was - it is forcing you to see things skewed, when a little perspective would really help you see things clearer. Believe what you like, but I am not holding Redslo's blog up as some sort of 'justification' at what is happening at Saints, I just feel if more people were educated to the facts of football then they would say less naive things like 'selling the family silver' in regard to player transfers and be more open to different (new) ways of running a football club.

The football club possibly, Mali for sure, DMWSLML90210 of course, KL no doubt, But the owner taking money directly out of the club, no! Please don't give any creedance to SaintRichmond, that is not what he meant!

You really have NO IDEA about football finances do you? Or even the corporate structure of the club you claim to 'support'? If you did you would not post such childish nonsense (I appreciate you may actually BE a child, in which case I apologise).

Blimey. A football blog that actually attempts to makes sense and looks at the wider picture. Good work Red. And thank you. Some of us have been trying to get this sort of info over to our fellow Saints for some time now. To varying degrees of success! Be nice to get the proper figures for some of the wages (Not sure FM ia the no.1 source for wages - sorry MLG!). And it is, of course, only one aspect of the modem game, allbeit currently the most important one. There is no conspiracy, all of this has been quite apparent for a while! Red has put it nicely in his blog and there are a few posters on here have alluded to such things. Alas it so often gets utterly ignored and dismissed; either by doddery old farts who can no longer entertain novel ideas (see OldNick completely missing the salient points in his post above!) or arrogant and wilfully ignorant fans who cannot entertain the idea that their club is subject to the same (though varying) pressures as every other club.

Its as much of a dig against Liverpool as it is us though, so fair enough!

Ambition is the last refuge of the failure.

It may be purely coincidental, but I believe both Taider and Bertrand were on that list and have been for some time. Whether they were initially targeted as purchases or loans, I cannot say, but I am aware the club has been keen on both players for a while. I have no idea of any others on Les's List (other than Ings of course). Dunno. Perhaps you are speaking to the wrong people? Everyone I speak to 'IRL' seems satisfied enough. Although, admittedly, most people I talk to are emotionally stable and reasonably intelligent. The difference between 'supporters' and 'fanatics'? Pretty much everyone on here is the later, but those not panicking too much (the 'satisfied') have more of the former about them.

There are two ways to run an EPL team. Overspend in an attempt to win matches in order to survive, make a small loss, maybe a small profit some years if you get lucky with a player sale. Lower wages. Risk relegation. Overspend in attempt to win titles or cups, make a large loss, offset against large debt or charge to club owners/'investors', maybe some profit from player sales but usually not. Higher wages. Top Six place. Exceptions and Not: No real advantage to being a yo-yo club, spend the parachute payments getting back up and not always guaranteed. Further boost this year to payments might make it easier to come straight back up though. Arsenal: maintain competitiveness at the top table without actually winning titles, made small operating profit but still not too much considering turnover and global profile. Wenger has scrapped both of his personal wage cap and transfer cap policies in last couple of seasons though. ManUre: operating profit, but still large background debt, Fwrgie managed to win so much for so little outlay thanks to the Giggs/Scholes/Neville/Beckham generation. And now, Saints are one of a number of clubs that see a proper academy system might provide a different approach. Market forces show cheap talented youngsters will outperform expensive experienced players 'pound for pound'. It is a way to survive with some success AND make a small profit. This is the system that Southampton FC has been building for some time and other clubs globally have proved it can work (Ajax etc), right back to Rupert Lowe RIP. This was still being built and improved on whilst Cortese was also building his European Dream. A dream that was only possible in the 'Overspend Wildly' model. This was great while it lasted and maybe if Marcus had seen our rise to the top table of English football he would have thrown his billions behind it. Who knows? That was the thing with Cortese ; for all his supposed business brilliance and bullishness he was just a goon. Our goon, when he was here, yes, in fact a really top notch and effective one, but a goon nonetheless.

I agree with the sentiment, but really most football clubs do NOT exist to make money, they exist to survive and, if they can, win football matches. If most clubs were really about making money then they would not overspend on players, coaches and other efforts to be more successful on the pitch. This is why you might find profit at the least successful clubs (in the few millions) but not at the top clubs, which all overspend in the tens of millions each year to chase success. A profit of 1m on a 100m turnover business is not all that amazing and comes at a price on the pitch (lesser wages, lesser players, less points). Arsenal and Man Utd (under Fergie) are exceptions. But Wenger has done it (make profit year on year) at the expense of winning anything (but possibly long term - stadium etc). Fergie did it with a great youth policy, but of course ManUre is several hundred thousand pounds in debt too. So, yes, football is a different ball game, but football clubs do/can NOT exist to make money. They exist to win games or survive. Winning games costs money, alas it doesn't earn enough to offset the costs.

This is impossible!!! I live for my music; like others have said, I cannot pick just five albums! But, let's try, Here are five albums I could not exist without. Billy Bragg - Back To Basics (double LP of life's a riot... and brewing up...) LCD Soundsystem - LCD Soundsystem Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning Dan le Sac versus Scroobius Pip - Logic Of Chance Beta Band - The Three E.P.s Just missing out (could all be top five tomorrow) Carter USM - 30 Something Gallows - Orchestra Of Wolves Inspiral Carpets - Beast Inside Bran Van 3000 - Glee Echo and The Bunnymen - Crocodiles Frank Turner - Love, Ire and Song The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God Leonard Cohe.... .....Arghhhhh. This is toooo hard. I need about a dozen fake logins to come back and do my list in full.

Some cracking records mentioned already. Not a duff one amongst them (although personally not a fan of Radiohead!) Fav mentions so far include Rattus Norvegicus (bloody love the Stranglers), Marquee Moon (learnt to play electric guitar off that!) and Different Class (fell in love to that!).

Scrapping transfer fees entirely would be a good start. Clubs can then get the benefit of the sponsorship payouts (mostly Sky for EPL) and can choose how to invest in a market driven by player wages, rather than speculative and subjective 'valuations' at time of sale. This may still result in clubs overspending to their detriment but will also allow clubs to explore other means in order to compete (I.e. Academies). Basic Freedom Of Movement, innit? Football Clubs, like all other organisations, cannot legally 'own' player (worker), so the whole thing is already built on sand. Scrap transfer fees altogether, scrap the transfer window altogether too - as it creates an artificial market and is also, technically, illegal. Yes there are caveats and 'special circumstance' but like much of legislation in the world, these seem to be able to be either invoked or ignored to suit. Agreements can be made in a normal employment contract in regard to professional development and something akin to intellectual property laws to protect both employer and employee, without creating an artificial 'honour system' (artificial in that it is nonsystematic and dishonourable!). Great thread. I will enjoy reading it and everyone's thoughts, ideas and arguments when I get back from work (yeah, I do work sometimes). And then hopefully I can add more than this two penneth worth.

I did like that bit Pap, I have to admit! Sums it up nicely, I've been using the x-factor analogy but rich Spouse is better! Cheers David, yes, I quite agree; special circumstances n all that; but only in the players favour isn't it? A club cannot force a player (employee) to work beyond their will?! I thought the article/blog was decent enough, just felt it ignored these (in my view) prescient points a bit too willfully in order to 'blame' Southampton at the end.

Meh! It's alright for a piece of amateur blogging. I personally would have likde someone to have proof read it at least once before it was published. Would also have been a good idea for the author to research the legalities (or otherwise) of football player contracts. The entire piece builds to suggest that if Southampton FC had only enforced those contracts then players would not leave. This is simply not true, however the last par states: "But, should the widespread belief that they’ll be part of the relegation dogfight in 2014/15 come to pass, they’ve nobody to blame but themselves for not enforcing the contracts they had the likes of Lovren and Schneiderlin sign." The 'rules' regarding football transfers, contracts and player 'ownership' are just that RULES within the game and are superseded by both UK and EU Law. I mean good article n all that, but clearly not the best informed in regard to employment law (neither am I but I know this much!!!).

Never understood why the Spiderman theme-choon hasn't been used for Morgan. If Homer Simpson can do it for a pig, surely we can for a player?!

Not sure about the song, but I like the new nickname: Dusan 'The Denigrator' Tadic

All a bit mental but thoroughly intriguing (I like it). In your scenario, the FA Cup/League Cup winners would have to play a lot less games to get into a parallel league to the one for League winners, is that right? Seems to me that would not be very popular with the Premier League!

At Chelsea? Few. But that's well known - they have a fantastic youth (kids and schools groups) set up across the entire south east, but for the senior squad they focus on purchases and WAGES to win. Very difficult for them to make the gamble of turning to their academy, and why should they? Wages win matches and Chelsea are one of a few clubs that can pay a squad of 20plus players an average of 90k a week (the first team averages around 120k) this gives their current manager the pick of the worlds best. Why bother giving youth a chance? Other managers might (Di Mateo did as he knew the youth players) but they tend to get sacked!

Love it. Let's hope Supermarket FC have a no-returns policy: "I am so sorry Madam but if you let your shiny new left back get fat, that is not covered by the warranty" "Oh no sir, that particular model of centre back is not suitable for use in the Americas anymore after they were recalled earlier this year" "Yes Mr Rogers, you always pay the higher fee on a BOGOF offer"

Mirror saying Pochettino wants Bertrand... http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/mauricio-pochettino-haunt-southampton-again-3633022 Full Disclosure: careful lads and lasses; the story is TWO months old! Transfer Rumours eh? What fun!