The Kraken

That is a weird way to gloss over what could be construed as destabilising the new regime.

It's all very hush hush, but I've seen 2 or 3 rumours now that it's Umbro. Only from facebook and the twittersphere though, so very much to be taken with a pinch of salt.

I don't think you have to do too much research to know why Osvaldo isn't here. It's pretty common knowledge. However, I don't see much wrong with the comment that we have a couple of strikers out on loan yet a dearth of available strikers actually here. Especially when it's not without precedent that some training ground bust ups happen without players being shipped out (Chico Flores this season for one).

If that's his benchmark of expectations for the finance he wants then I'd suggest it's an unresolvable issue.

He needs to go somewhere, whether its a move or a loan. Rotting in the reserves is seemingly doing him little good in terms of developing him into a Premier League goalkeeper.

We'll find out in the summer. But I'd say yes, it is. It always has been, when the big boys come calling. Cortese's "Champions League vision" may have tried to deny it, but when it turned out that we really don't have the money to complete with the riches on offer from the top 4 or 5 clubs then the players heads are turned, hence the constant utterings in the media. At least we're (hopefully) now in a position where we can fight off advances from the likes of Everton, Newcastle, Villa, the types of club we've lost some star players to before. Top 4 or 5 clubs though is a completely different prospect and always will be.

£25M doesn't get close, IMO. Jordan Henderson was £18M back in 2011. Eden Hazard is being rumoured as a £50M target for PSG. Andy Carroll for £35M. Juan Mata £37M. Given how awash with money the PL now is, I think £30M is the minimum we'll be looking at, perhaps £35M - £40M if clubs get in a bidding war. Value for money? Not a chance. But it's fast becoming the going rate for a PFA team of the year player.

Yep, definitely.

Agree with you there, Bear. In 2009 Saints' turnover was £8m. With the £80M+ prize money and all else, that figure must now be somewhere around £120M. A £30M bid to a company who turns over £8M a year is absolutely irresistible. You simply can't turn it down. A £30M bid to a company that turns over £120M? Really not the same thing. I still think Lallana and Shaw will leave in the summer, but it's going to take a massively hefty chunk of money for it to happen.

Well this is Saintsweb, so plenty. Although exactly what it is that is not to like is not entirely clear just yet.

I'm not sure if I'd care all that much either way Barry. Ok then.

This. There really is some top quality whining and hand wringing going on without actually knowing any of the facts.

Phwoooooar.

Given our recent performance in bringing in established foreign players from outside Britain compared to young British talent or from other British sides, this is definitely a good thing.

Incorrect. They do very well from arranging new wage deals for players, and for arranging new signing on fees and year on year loyalty bonuses. There's plenty of ways in which agents make huge sums by getting their client to stay at a club. Just ask Paul Stretford.

Durham is actually very good when he's not playing the WUM card. Sadly that is not very often; yet all the Neanderthals continue to get sucked in by his atrociously obvious wind ups, so on it continues.

That's exactly what I did. He had three goes at saying the word "cacophony" and I closed it down. I'll catch up on the winners later.

There's a President's player of the season award so it makes sense that he's there to present it.

:lol: F*ck off, that can't have happened?!

Happens fairly regularly on here. Identify a player who once was genuinely world class but is now old and in decline, and suggest "HCDAJFU". I feel bad enough about myself that John Terry is in my fantasy league team, never mind the team I support.

I like it. It's unique and identifiable immediately by all uk football fans as our badge. I'm not necessarily against the idea of replacing it, but with what? The previous badge was the city emblem and not directly related to the football club.

Pretty impossible to compare the two. Premier League football in ten years has changed immeasurably, the Premier League is the richest in the world and even teams towards the bottom can afford to recruit some of the best players in Europe and pay them upwards of £50K a week. In our time with Strachan the highest wage earners were on a cap of £16K a week, so we had to make do with the industry of the types of Ormerod, Telfer and such like. Nowadays we can spend £15M on players and pay them exorbitant salaries. I'd suggest that Strachan made a better fist of the players he had at his disposal, but he never got the team to the heights that Pochettino has. We finished 8th in the cup final season but had we lost on final day we could have finished 12th. Pochettino has achieved the daylight between the side and other mid table contenders. Plus Strachan's side was often ugly to watch. Just the opposite of the current setup.

Yet Clyne and Jaidi had no problem at all, and Puncheon acted like a complete and utter plank yet got adored on his return. The whole racist accusation is lazy, unnecessary and complete garbage for all but a tiny smattering of neanderthals, IMO.

With the rules being very vague in nature and using the words "may" and "might", there's actually a chance something could get done about this if the lawyers can argue that other similar transgressions have been dealt with more harshly. Sunderland a referring to some "technical error" which showed the player was actually registered, but you could also argue that that is no excuse, and it is their responsibility to get it right. The lawyers will have a good old bun fight with this one. I imagine the PL are praying that Sunderland finish 4 or more 4 points clear.