angelman

Might as well get the 2017 one in at the same time.....just who are we going to get to replace Koeman? Can't believe the board haven't got him tied down!

Liverpool move = heart over head. This one, I would hope/presume head over heart.

The man should really consider not going there in order to not upset people he doesn't know who are customers of a previous employer?????? Most asinine thing I have read on here for a long time.

I imagine, nothing more than my own opinion, that a lot will depend on QPR coming back up or not. And I am sure that things will be structured somewhat differently than the agreement with Atletico.

Shane Long (aka Shlong by my nipper) - I like him mainly because the bloke in front of me always puts him down. But his reading of the game is really quite good. The last two games that I have seen him (tonight and Villa) he spots the chance to intercept and takes it really well. OK, he should probably have scored with the through run this evening rather than having to rely on Juanmi, but watching the highlights, the way he sets off at 7.01 ( ) is something I really like.

well, we seem not to be pressing home our advantage this morning!!! Root gone now!

Nope I really don't care what happens at Spurs. But that is different from looking at what actually was the case here at Saints.

LOL. I love the bit about "It’s always easier to join a club where the dynamic and winning mentality is already in place than the one we inherited when we went there, with all the problems." Did Koeman inherit any problems? He certainly inherited a team that was devoid of half it's dynamic and winning mentality, if not all of it. Presumably MP, with his self-aggrandisement, considered himself the catalyst for the mentality, so for a start, we were devoid of that even before considering the players that ****ed off at the first sniff of more money. And I do love the bit about us spending €80-90m. It obviously rankles with him. What did he expect us to do, not spend anything and go into the season with half a team? As it is.... Southampton 14/15 - spent £61.63m (which includes the Jan purchase of Bertrand) - sold £86.68m (including Cork) Spurs 14/15 - spent £33.93m - sold £34.48m Net spend for both is good, but not in the same ball park and the situation of us losing half the team and manager is completely different to any team ever in the PL (although I am sure someone will point out that it isn't). It's not our fault that Spuds spunked away £100m and he is picking up the pieces - it will be interesting to see if he can replace all those that he is getting rid off. He should have known what he was walking into and not complain about it. There are interviews with RK about the situation here, and he is much more pragmatic. He said that he knew players were going and not once have I heard him make excuses. Just IMO, it shows a distinct lack of class what he says about us and his time here while trying to justify his current situation at Spurs. But then, I really couldn't give a flying what he says and does as he is the manager of another club who I have absolutely no interest in. And it is just his opinion and as the saying goes "opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance."

If we want to sell him to someone we know has interest, then the obvious thing to do it give him a squad number and say that he is part of the plans.

Is that any different from signing someone for £10m on a 4 year contract? That would work out at £2.5m a year and all of his wages (with only difference being the sell on value or lack of)? Is this a try before you buy deal? If so, then I'm fine with that.

Yeah, and Villa beat us to Berbatov. FFS

Excellent.....because I caught that complete **** of a moron that is Adrian Durham on the radio yesterday laughing that we were thinking of signing him after having been relegated twice in the last 2 seasons. If Durham think's he will be useless, I suspect that he'll turn out to be OK. I seem to remember him doing well at Cardiff but having a bad season last year.

True, but.... Where are we? The pecking order is the same. We are where we are, along with several other clubs, and are just making up numbers. Look at the red tops (can't include the Sun as it is behind a paywall). Today they lead with stories about.... The Mail...Chelsea, Man U, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Spurs The Express...Chelsea, Arsenal, Villa, Chelsea, Man U, Man U, Man U, Man U/PSG, Chelsea, Barca The Mirror..Chelsea, Chelsea/Arsenal, Mexico, Man U, Man U, Man C, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal, Man U, Liverpool The Star...Chelsea, Chelsea, Chelsea, Arsenal, Arsenal, Man U, Man U, Villa, Liverpool And Sky Sports...Chelsea, Chelsea, Spurs, Villa, Chelsea, Man U. Chelsea, Arsenal, Chelsea etc etc etc These articles are interspersed with transfer "news" and paper round ups. It's been like this for weeks. No doubt it is like this every close season, and even during the season, but at least during the season the media does actually report on some of the games of other teams. Changes from day to day as to who gets the majprity share of reporting, recently depending on who has played a friendly. Man City generally don't get that much coverage compared to the other big teams and the majority is reserved for Man U and Liverpool. And that is where we are. We are little old Southampton. An irrelevance except when one of the big teams want one of our players. We were a bit of a side show last season in that we might have at one stage got a CL spot - but that was of interest more as to who would have missed out, not us being there. As an aside, I find this blanket coverage of the big sides really really boring - not a surprise I guess, as I have no interest in other teams. I know that the media outlets are responding to market demands, but I've long since passed the stage of either listening to radio stations or reading newspapers football sections. While I am not a Guardianista, at least their sports pages looks elsewhere. Maybe that is because their main source of income is not reliant on their sports section.

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/594475/Exclusive-Dimitar-Berbatov-Aston-Villa-Transfer-News Berbatov and Adebayor. Could be good, could be an absolute disaster.

There is of course Koeman and yes, when he leaves that will be cut. But you do realise that agreements can be put in place without Koeman's involvement. Of course, we can go it alone, and always do so, but thought maybe a tie up might be mutually beneficial.

Like the way that the Feyenoord supporters and manager were interviewed. I do feel a little bad about taking two of their players and manager, but they seem pragmatic about it so I guess I shouldn't feel like that. I know it's a dog eat dog world, but I'm old fashioned. I would love it if we could get a tie up with them, whether it is at an academy level or something else.

I do wonder why some bother supporting Saints if it causes them so much angst. CB is an area that has to be strengthened. If I know that and the rest of the forum know that, then I am sure those that actually run the club know it (as well as them having said iso) and will do the necessary. What the papers say is one thing, and what happens is another. For example - Chester was going to sign for us a couple of days ago, but looks like it is to be WBA today.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3176671/Southampton-want-QPR-defender-Steven-Caulker-loan-ahead-8m-deal.html When Caulker went to QPR I thought that they had done well to get him. But wasn't he as slow as a glacier or am I wrong on that?

I don't go on for 2nd teams, but if my life depended on it, it would probably be either Norwich or Bompey. I don't hate any teams. I have a grudging admiration for United, Chelsea and Arsenal and a deep dislike for Liverpool and Spurs. The latter was formed a long time ago and cemented after a 1-1 draw at WHL where afterwards I was walking away with my cousin and he was attacked for absolutely no reason what so ever. Chav kung-gued him in the head. Think it was the last game of the season in 97/98. Plus my accountant supports them and I don't like him.

I'm really really looking forward to this. I am sooo bored of listening to talk****e, reading papers/websites who go on about how wonderful the PL is and only talk about 5 clubs. There was a bloke who called in talk****e last night (about 1am) from Southampton who questioned them about why it was incessantly Man Utd and Liverpool. They were a bit taken aback and said that they tried to be balanced but had to play to the audience who were predominantly Man Utd and Liverpool. I was tempted to get out of bed and call them and tell them that they were part of the problem that was killing football but as it is an 0871 number I thought ****ed if I was going to help fill their coffers. Anyway, can get back to Saints and **** all the top 6 and the boring, ever repetitive commentary and the way that they really do throw money at things (which we all do, but to a much lesser extent). Hopefully this latest TV deal will kill football off and it will have to reinvent itself.

Is it a good signing? Seems about a par with Elia.

Less than 1000 now.

Some suggestion? By who? You can look at each of the signings and make a case for them..... Mayuka - did well at Young Boys. 13 goals from 33 games in all competitions. Had done well at the ACN as well. Not expensive, a risk that didn't work out. Forren - we had Hooiveld, Fonte and Yoshida and he was 4th choice. I always see him as insurance, a back up. However, the first time he got on the bench was when José was off games and the CB partnership was Hooiveld and Yoshida (amazingly we beat Man City 3-1) Ramirez - his last season at Bologna, he scored 8 and assisted in 5 from 33 Serie A games. That's not shoddy from a midfielder. His first year with us, he played 26 PL games, scored 5 and assisted 3. For comparison, and yes I realise these stats don't tell the whole story, Lollana played 30, scored 3 assisted 6. Osvaldo - had the ability and no one was in doubt, as reinforced by where he played after us. The baggage though.....!!!

about even isn't it? £59m for 4 year contract is £15m a year. Getting £45m back seems OK. I know a little simplistic but....Also, he was useful for Man Utd to show that they were serious players with the cheque book.

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/13500202.AFC_Bournemouth__Jeepers_keepers__Howe_hails_Adam_but_Boruc_stays_sidelined/ Wonder what will happen with Irene's boy if Federici keeps the nº1 spot??