saint1977

I agree broadly and certainly would like to see Koeman making more progress in the Cups than MP or Adkins did although suspect club policy at the time was to focus solely on the league. Shaw replacement isn't going to be of the same quality because I think he's already showing signs of being the world top 5 for his position but Lallana is replaceable. Fine player certainly and has served SFC well, however part of his value came from being local, part of the academy, PR etc so once his interest in playing for us waned and his attitude changes post-England call ups, that side of his value diminished. No reason why Tadic or someone similar couldn't have a similar impact plus Adam wouldn't have had the link up with Rickie any longer if he'd stayed (which must make Rodgers all the more grateful to have bought Rickie in light of Dracula-gate). Morgan would reduce the quality of our midfield overall but it is a strong department already and if Lovren goes we could buy two CBs and not need to use Jos.

Thought it was generally a well-considered article overall. I don't agree that Saints will automatically be in a relegation battle - it is a risk but then again it depends on who we bring in. However, you have to bear in mind that fans of other clubs only have the press to go on and if you believe the rubbish coming out of the Mirror we aren't signing any players and all of the replacements will come from the academy. We'll still have a good core of Boruc, Clyne, Chambers, Fonte, Cork, VW, S Davis, JWP and when fit, J Rod. Add a new GK, 1 CB if DL stays, 2 if he goes, a LB 2 x wide/players and 2 strikers and this core can be built on. Obvuiously the club wanted to use the original £35m to build on the existing squad but we are where we are and Koeman has a wonderful opportunity to build a quality squad plus graduated introductions from the academy such as McQueen, Stephens and Sims as and when ready.

That would be my reading of the situation as well. This is why it's key from a PR and player relations perspective that we get 4-5 new signings in place before any further sales of players the club want to retain to 'stop the bleeding' as it were. Koeman should have good traction to bring good players in and let's face it, the squad lacked any kind of depth last season. Speaking of which, I do get puzzled when I see some posters saying 'if we sign more than five players we'll get relegated etc'. Look how many first teamers we bought in during the summer of 2012! Most of them - Clyne, Boruc, Davis, J Rod have done very well, jury is out on a couple still (Gaston and Maya) but that happens at every club. It's not about the numbers we bring in but about the quality. We can still retain a core of Davis, JWP, Cork, Fonte, Clyne, Chambers, Boruc, J Rod when fit and add some high quality players to it. Need a new GK with Kelvin as 3rd choice/coach and take a bath on Gazza. Like the sound of signing Kolo and Ings, need pace. Not sure about Pelle but Koeman likes him so have to back the new manager on that.

Morgan may or may not go but most of that article is codswallop. Mind you it's the Mirror so that's to be expected, another tabloid on the payroll of certain clubs and political parties. It's been clearly from Koeman and Reed and from genuine ITKs on here that the money will be reinvested in high quality signings and that the young players will be introduced as appropriate - just like Shaw, Chambers and JWP have been, not thrown in at the deep end like the bankrupt days of 2008-9. This article is just proof that the papers don't have a clue what goes on at SFC.

After the hysterical OP and some equally hysterical responses from half-a-dozen of the usual suspects, some sensible posts have begun to appear. Who else would fans wish for as owner? To compete with the clubs hovering around our players, we'd literally need billions and even then, there's no guarantee that the fan base would grow sufficiently to sustain it nor the commercial income streams catching up. There's also the small matter of FAPP (dressed up to help medium-to-large clubs like Saints compete but in reality reinforcing the status quo). Some of the worst moaners and children on here clearly didn't live through the Askham years where the club and fans were raped for every penny and then we had Secure Retirement and their £3m 'investment' to clear Guy's overdraft. How much has been invested since 2009 again? With KL, we don't know how lucky we are. Remember, Guan said we had a £35m transfer pot BEFORE any outgoings. Look at the considerable investment in our infrastructure too. Those of us in the 14000 at the Doncaster game in 2009 would have given our right arm to be where we are today. Of course, I'm as gutted as everyone else about players going for more money when they are already wealthy but we'll bring in new heroes to support.

Any manager that buys Balotelli should not be one Saints are considering. It's been bad enough with Osvaldo!

I'd be happy with either RK or MY, Tuchel as a decent outside bet. Ranieri has bags of experience and a fine track record but languages could be an issue. I voted Yakin because he impressed me tactically in the CL for Basle but could easily have voted for Koeman instead. Mancini - don't see it but you never know. Would be behind Yakin, Koeman and Raineri and probably Tuchel for me. Bruce is just an agent ruse for getting a bigger transfer budget and contract at Hull.

Could well come out the shadows when (not if) AL leaves plus maybe a change of formation depending on who the new manager is. He was sensational in some of the early games, got that dead leg IIRC v Newcastle and although he was good v Arsenal and Everton home, never consistently got going again and then MP changed the system around. Overall, MPs changes were much for the better but with a new, pacier front line to drop behind and no AL, this could be Gaston's second chance to impress.

Can't see it being Ranieri due to his patchy English (although fair play to him for at least trying - take note MP) when he was at Chelsea. He may have improved it since but if the rumour about it being a key element of the board's criteria is true then it may be a disadvantage. Good manager though. Magath would have been brilliant 10 years ago when WGS left but player management styles have moved on a lot so think he would be a poor appointment now. Plus there are better options on the market that we don't have to pay compo for.

Thanks for that and also to Guan 2.0 for his usual excellent contribution. Always look forward to his, KBSS and Monk's posts - ITK but also well crafted and considered. Of course, their sources will have their own agenda but really grateful to them for countering some of the stuff that was flying around. That doesn't mean that some of the critiques of Ralph and Les didn't have validity but at least it seems the club recognise some of the mistakes made and I'm happier with how they are dealing with the Lallana situation thus far. The managerial appointment is probably the most important for a decade at least so let's hope they deliver on the 'high calibre' stated by RK.

I agree with you the shirt Monk, don't know what other choice he had but to sign it. Comments could true or could be spiteful gossip. Unlike many on this thread I don't begrudge him a move to a genuine top 4 club but he's under contract and he and his agent - and Rodgers/Ayre - know how transfers work. Liverpool match the valuation or get as near to it as they can and Adam STFU and gets on the WC. The reason the fanbase is turning badly against him is his - or his advisers - attempts to destabilise the whole club. Even Kenwyne Jones never resorted to that. That's why he's lost any support from me as a Saints fan and I hope we get what we want from Liverpool, we move on and we don't see Adam again in an SFC shirt. Is Bony doing any of this because clubs are yet to meet Swansea's asking price? No, he's enjoying a holiday and behaving like an adult. In response to WC's valid point and that of KP Turner's the other day about why is AL's case different to Rickie's, I see where you are coming from but they are different assets at different stages of their career. Adam is at his absolute peak right now and will be until 30/31, that type of player doesn't tend to age well so would imagine Adam might be playing for Bournemouth into his 30s as he won't be at SFC standard when he leaves Liverpool. Going to Liverpool and being used sparingly will prolong Rickie for a further season, using his all the time we'd probably have finished him next season and as a financial asset, he is waning sharply. As an emotional asset and icon of course he is priceless and will be legend. Also, Rickie comes from Liverpool, Adam just wants £££ and CL football if he can get it. Would be a mistake for Roy to pick him in the England XI at present - all of his hangers on and media chums have distracted him and I can't imagine he's fully focused. Probably his only shot at the WC - silly boy, old enough to know better. Luke might be several years younger but he's far more mature in attitude.

Weston, please tell us how the club are supposed to comment on his future when the new manager is yet to be installed? It'll be up to Koeman or whoever we bring in. Doing a move before the WC was Liverpool and Adam's target, not Saints and if he wants to blame anyone, it's MP because he messed us about with Spurs. Could have had Koeman in post by now. His behaviour, and that of his advisors, is appalling and he no longer has my support as a Saints player. Clattenburg took a lot of stick on this forum but he was right. Hope we get the £30m from Liverpool on OUR timescales with a replacement in train and everyone moves on but until that happens I suggest Adam shuts up on gets on with the WC. Compare his behaviour and Rickie's - you can see who the Saints legend is.

Yep, lack of class from someone who is supposed to be skipper. If Liverpool want him, they'll pay the dosh after the WC. In response to Weston's post, how can the club answer those questions until the new manager is installed?! Compare Adam's behaviour with Rickie's on the other thread - easy to see who the Saints legend is and who isn't. Best thing is that Koeman gets the job and forces £30m out of Liverpool so Adam can count his money and we can move on with people who are passionate about playing for SFC. Can't remember Shearer and others who have left like Bridgey behaving like this, it's more like Kenwyne Jones. Rickie respects people and has had to work for a living to fulfil his dreams, hence the sickening sense of entitlement isn't there. Lambert understands your average fan. Adam is best advised to feign an injury when he has to play against us next season because the abuse he'll get would make Darren Anderton or Harry Redknapp blush.

Class act, on and off the pitch. Some of the anti-reactions (bar Alpine) are simply down to frustration at the current situation but that shouldn't obscure Rickie's wonderful contribution over the last 5 years and no doubt in the future in another capacity when he's retired. There's the numbers - 117 goals in only twice as many games - but there's the humble attitude of a great player who hasn't had everything laid on a plate for him since the age of 14 like a lot of his contemporaries and those following. Rickie's had to graft like us supporters have to and fans really respect that. It's no accident that he's popular with England fans for the same reason - he's one of us. I'm about to draw a comparison with some of our other 'stars' on another thread...

That middle sentence sums up my bemusement - if there's no need to sell and we aren't being asset stripped, why this fire sale? The comparison was Pompey in the late 2000s but that was a club leaking money all over the place and with no infrastructure - hardly true of us. I've tried to ignore the likes of Charlie, Crab Lungs and the other doom mongers but when even the sensible posters think something is badly wrong, then there probably is. Still feel cheated by Rickie and Adam though, stabbed the fans in the back.

Yes, but he's done it with the support of all of us and the club taking a punt on him for £1m when others wouldn't. Yet now those of us who spent hours in the car driving to watch him and Lallana don't come into these players' thinking and they are apparently 'intent' on leaving the club. If RK and KL are doing the club over and these players claim to love the club, at least they should say so. Feels like all the progress over the last 5 years was for nothing and no interest in watching the 3 players for England in the WC either now. If Rickie leaves us at this time of crisis, mods please take Rickie off the banner. Feel sorry for the fans on here too young to have watched MLT, there was a loyal hero with integrity and class.

I like to see the best in people but the only time in the top flight I've ever seen scavengers picking over a PL carcass like this was Pompey when Harry left. Been trying to stay positive but something has gone rotten inside the club. It's one thing for the overseas mercenary players to come and go but do feel betrayed by Rickie and Lallana. Yes, they've done a lot for Saints but the club has done even more for them including mugs like me driving up to Carlisle to watch them in League 1.

Yes it's disappointing but hardly surprising when he'd hired Barnett as his agent. At least it should have given the board plenty of time to draw up a shortlist and they should be able to start approaching people this week. Out of disappointment arises opportunities and means the new board will need to articulate their successor to the previous 5 year plan in order to attract new candidates and this should come out in the communications arising from the new man. Whilst MP was technically superb as a coach, he never really connected with the fans and you always felt he was an excellent, hard-working but temporary incumbant. This creates an opportunity for the next post holder as well to make their mark on the club and who knows, make some history. This is why I feel it's crucial that the board go for a charismatic character - Koeman or Yakin for example - that can help them and their own post-NC vision reach the fans. Sherwood wouldn't be the end of the world as he seems to use the media well and whilst Lennon wouldn't be my first choice, remember that he's succeeded against the likes of Barca in the CL and bought Victor for peanuts and helped develop him into a £12m player. The downside is lack of non-SPL experience and of course some of the sectarian baggage.

This 99%, except I can't even feel any resentment towards MP if the Blackmore rumour is true that Cortese was going to sack him at Xmas. He's done a very decent job overall, very clear pattern of play and improved a number of players. Debit points for Osvaldo and Sunderland cup game though. We'll get about £3m compo so no excuse for not getting a very decent replacement like Ronald Koeman. This was always on the cards for months IMO, MP was happy to wait to see what Frank DB did. You don't hire Barnett as your agent if you aren't looking to move for more money (just ask Ashley Cole). I wouldn't judge the new board on MP leaving but they should be judged on the quality of the replacement and hopefully they wise up on the PR in future because they've now learned the PL is ruthless. If they go for a charismatic figure like Koeman, it might take some of the pressure off them and allow them to bed in whilst he takes the spotlight.

Here would be my pecking order: Exciting: Koeman (first choice), Yakin, Tuchel or perhaps a recently retired player (Scholes) with a great football brain and a DoF accompanying them Not a disaster: Lennon, Sherwood, McLaren Would be making less journeys down the A35/A31 until they left: Hughton, Howe, Clarke, Mackay.

A well reasoned post Ron and something sadly lacking in the wake of all the hype about NC. Even if he was still CEO, I reckon we'd have hit this hurdle. My question would be though do Liverpool see him as a squad player/bench warmer or a first XI regular? Because over the years, Liverpool have overpaid badly for players they wanted in their first XI. The fact they aren't pushing the boat out like Man U seem to be for Shaw can't be a good sign. Also, Adam won't be a focal point for them like he is for Saints. I can see the appeal from his point of view, Liverpool are an attacking, attractive side bur surely they need to invest at the back first? This is the price of success for getting our players into the England set up sadly, you'll get Rooney and Gerrard tempting them to play for their clubs and you can understand it. I'd compare also how Adam wants to be remembered. He could be as well regarded as MLT in a few years with a testimonial and full house or he could be just another player that moved on, a Danny Wallace or Alan Shearer.

Sorry, misread OP I was responding to, meant Mackay will probably go to Norwich instead of Lennon. Still stand by Koeman comments unless another club has already agreed to hire him.

Probably to Norwich to be honest. Fans there are frustrated at sacking Hughton too late in the season, which Delia admitted last week, so Mackay as a very popular ex-player and the skipper in their 2004 championship-winning squad might act as a tonic. Lennon would be a risk as the SPL has been a procession since Rangers admin but has charisma and might deflect some heat and headlines away from RK and co. Ronald Koeman is still my first choice - has the profile to blow MP out of the water, big club experience at Feyenoord, bigger than Saints but we are still a reasonably big club and great international contacts. Known to want to come to England, out of contract so no compo, has a track record in developing young players and was interested in the Swansea vacancy if Monk wasn't confirmed so likely to be interested in the Saints job. Would prefer MP still but ONLY if he wants to stay, Koeman would be agreat appointment IMO if not lined up elsewhere of course.

I'd sadly have to agree and I still think Williams could turn this situation around. Reed have been furious at RK's comments on the last game of the season after his statement had started to stem the flow. Rogers as a CEO doesn't quite work at a club of Saint's size. I'd been glass half full since NC left but I'm starting to think the re-building will start in 2015/16 as a Championship club if I'm being honest judging by the way Jonathan Barnett, the tabloids and Liverpool/Man Utd are running the agenda.

Reluctantly, I'd have to say yes. NC's commercial performance was a worry but on the pitch results were tremendous. RK will improve the commercial side I feel but is getting eaten alive on the football side and Reed doesn't have the charisma to head off the media snowball. What has to be put in place is a fresh communication framework between the players and board, which is very necessary whilst MP plays the club around. I agree with OB's thread, John Williams is the ideal man to do that and has the media clout to turn around these headlines. He also enjoys a reputation for keeping elite players content, particularly at Blackburn as another provincial club.