Crab Lungs

I should probably re-write that... What I meant was that a lot of the big issues have been dodged and the players are left completely in the dark in the direction we're headed.

Well, you knew what I meant. Come in, grease us up then go silent. Probably the wrong terminology used, so my apologies!

Well, I thought I better give my opinion and tell you all also what I've heard over the past few months. Some of this is truth, some of this just my opinion. Some of it is me reading between the lines. Irrespective, it's not great reading and I think I'll be proven correct shortly that since Cortese left, we're on a huge downward curve. Here's what I know. - There was a huge upturn in atmosphere when Cortese left. The day-to-day (non-football) staff were initially a lot happier as NC could be a very difficult taskmaster at times. - RK and KL set about repairing links and friendships with important businesses and former employees/players. - Contractors and others Cortese had working for him via the club were a lot happier. However, over time, this has changed somewhat and most importantly, the footballing side has been somewhat neglected. It soon became apparent that our objectives and ambitions had shifted and the players/staff were left completely in the dark. They bought into Cortese's long-term strategy/vision and it was him who was the glue who held everything together, despite his obvious shortcomings in other areas of running the club. When Cortese left, so did all the aspirations of pushing on and progressing as a club. In the meantime, we've had; - fan-pandering letters from the new setup - mixed messages regarding the sale of players - Reed "not for sale" Krueger "will talk to clubs about our players" - unprofessional snipes at Cortese's handling of the club with reference to the comment about our financial situation and the adidas kit debacle - continued non-communication in this new "era of transparency" Now, cast your mind back. In the early part of the season when we were riding high, remember all the talk of Champions League? This wasn't just from the players (Boruc, Wanyama, Lallana, Schneiderlin) but from the manager as well. This was Cortese's objective and the playing staff were 100% committed to delivering it; maybe not this season, but with future investment and the retention of the better players and the manager this was seen as potentially achievable. Now, fast-forward a few months later - uncertainty reigns, no-one dared uttered a word about it and the new leadership's policy is sustainability and nothing else. From February to the present day, we've had Schneiderlin, Lallana, Fonte and others all drop huge hints in the press about being happy here but only the proviso we kick on and improve. If just one of those "big" players had the assurances they required to stay and committed so would the rest. Now, the opposite is in action; all it'll take is one or two to leave and it could lead to an exodus. The first and most important person is Pochettino, but I don't think he's too enamoured with the new "mid-table" project and having to face replacing key members of his squad. Surely some of you must have heard the alarm bells ringing the moment the new board started even entertaining players sales and mentioned that we were in a difficult financial situation? If that isn't greasing us up for a potential firesale of 2, 3 maybe 4 of our best players I don't know what is. Sure, no sales have been confirmed yet but I've absolutely no doubt that they will, very soon. We're water-treaders now at best, unfortunately. If people are happy with that then that's their prerogative but I can almost certainly guarantee you that from reading between the lines and hearing what I've heard that we're in for a pretty sh1tty summer. It's genuinely galling to watch this unfold as like many of you, I was finally excited by the fact we were THAT close to having a thoroughly decent, competitive Premier League side that could challenge the big 'uns not off the pitch but most definitely on it. With a couple of solid acquisitions as a statement of intent and retention of our best players, we could have had a real go next year. That's what the players wanted, the manager wanted and that's what Cortese wanted. That dream died to moment he was turfed out of SMS for good. Don't worry though - the pain of tumbling back into mediocrity will surely be offset by a nicely worded club statement.

Yes. And very, very quickly as the sh1t is about to hit the fan... We're not too far off a nice letter explaining the implosion as part of a "vision". All fart, no sh1t #homeiswheretheheartis

Yeah, £15m for an 18yo who has only played in L1 and wanted to go and play CL football, not npc football was a really sh1tty deal. :-/

Get ready to say bye to Adam and Luke, people. #homeiswheretheheartis

Spot on, but our wonderful new board were more motivated by having a cheap shot at Cortese than worrying about the club, as proved with later statements they've made. Cortese was a **** but this lot are about to do some really significant damage. They might as well now, anyway... they've already destabilised our best squad in years.

I always knew me and you would get on

Been saying that for ages. :-(

Our new board is all fart and no sh1t, it'll become apparent soon if it hasn't already. Players aren't exactly enamoured by our new "mid-table" ambitions and who can blame them. Very annoying, just when we'd got a squad and a first 16 or so who could genuinely, genuinely compete. Cortese is right, they bought his vision and he was going to build on that. Yes, KL's money but we really do now have people in charge who are setting us up for a lot of disappointment - but they do write nice letters, tbf

He knows what's going to happen shortly, obviously.

Oh, whilst on the subject... yes, it'd be a wonderful story and with the players at our disposal and if we add 4-5 decent, proven players to the squad we'd have a chance to upset the establishment. Maybe not yet, but a couple of years down the line. However, that won't happen. We're headed in another direction now. But yes, the players we have here are THAT good.

Yup, great scouting and a decent youth setup too. Diego Costa... as horrible as he is, £800,000? Wow.

Oooooooooooo, itk.... http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?49873-Summer-2014-HCDAJFU&p=1938782#post1938782

You are absolutely spot on, sadly, and I did allude to this back in Jan when he left. We've just lost our biggest asset. I didn't agree with how he operated and handled things sometimes but his record speaks for itself. Still, the new board did write two nice letters - that's gotta count for something, right? #easilyduped #makingupthenumbersagain #itsnothappening

Oh, and not transfer news but Fonte - new contract.

Another pathetic, low blow from the new board. Tried to "repair the relationship". And people complained about all the propaganda and pr guff under Cortese. Instead of releasing pointless, ****e statements in an attempt to be fan friendly and transparent, howabout concentrating on offering Pochettino and all our key players bumper new deals. Oh no, too busy rubbishing the past. And despite never being a fan of Corteses behaviour, he was very right to kick adidas' ass.

Just passing on this; Kasper Schmeichel, apparently.

No, but the ambition and drive has.

We will never get most of the names mentioned on here, we're f()cked now. Mackay is literally the best we can hope for.

Well, I am surprised more people didn't see through the two nice fan-friendly letters when they came out. I mean, seriously... talk about setting us up for disappointment... BUT they were very nice letters.

With RK and KL in charge now, I did say that our biggest concern now is actually maintaining our level, let alone going beyond it. Basically, we're now back to making up the numbers in the PL, IMO - and this will be masked by the watery "vision" that's been rolled out by the new chairman. The problem is, with such a talented young group of players, it's natural they don't want to just tread water so they're going to look elsewhere. Still, we did get a nice couple of fan-friendly letters out of it. And they smile more too.

All of our decent players have been courted, there is offers, some are undecided, some are waiting on what happens with the club (though I think most are skeptical that KL and RK want to push the club like Cortese did) and unfortunately, MP's another one waiting on the board to show their hand. It could very well be an end of an era, and I did say this back in Jan... ...as for Adam, read into that what you will. All it's going to take is one to go for many of the others to do the same... dominoe's...

Stekelenburg, Stockdale or Marshall would be excellent cover and competition for AB.

We'll see I guess.