Dig Dig

So your opinion is meaningless than if you are happy with whatever. Others can choose to discuss current affairs at saints on a mongboard without crying/being a pompey fan or whatever ridiculous accusation is thrown around. But well done you on not caring either way, assuming this will be your last comment on the matter?

Looks like board are firmly in control, quietly going about their business with steely determination and vice like grip.

You can mention the cup again? That was pretty hysterical

Assuming the new board will have a 100% transfer success rate as well :lol:

Gaston could be good with a run of games but will that ever happen? When an opportunity comes and we need him, he himself is not available. Where was he when Rodriguez got injured? He can't be relied upon

Funny how we are miles and miles away from being as good as Liverpool yet they seemingly want the spine of our team.

Why wouldn't they know what is going happen? They most certainly should be speaking to players about the ambition and plans moving forward, long before the fans or anyone else.

There were no bids on the table, the press speculation wasn't as intense and so protracted, things simmered down pretty quickly after Poch committed for the rest of the season and of course, the Jan transfer window closed soon after Cortese left. I responded to someone else regarding player quotes but you must not be paying attention to what's been said if you don't think that players are not suggesting that they need to step up a level and they don't feel that's possible with saints.

Players talking about potentially leaving the club... Lallana hasn't committed and said he wants to play in the champions league and compete for titles. Morgan has said that Champions League will raise visibility towards him They are not saying that they 100% want to leave Saints, of course they can't do that but you don't need to be a genius to work out what they are alluding to with recent comments. Weston Saint knows Lallana's family and summed up Lallana's situation fairly well on his thread.....Liverpool want him, he wants to go so if they meet saints valuation he will be off. I think some people need to take their head out of the sand.

January really wasn't comparable to now and players were not openly talking about potentially leaving the club.

None of that is actually happening though.

A side from a few semantics, it all works mostly like that. Players are sounded out, agents speak to club reps and know what sort of terms are needed etc . Clubs don 't like to waste time negotiating with clubs unless they know the player is keen and what it takes to get them.

At least he managed a little smiley face instead of roping you into playing 20 stupid questions.

Well you were asking which clubs have structured strategies in place yet now you are saying they are all planning to be the best they can be? My point is that you can't stand still at this level and not be a few steps ahead of others around you as the decline can be quite rapid and there have been numerous examples of that.

The problem is a lot don't and end up finishing 8th one season and 17th the next or end up getting through 3 managers in a season.

I don't understand why people claim it's impossible to keep players. These guys have 3-4 years leaft on contracts. If you want them to stay and are geniuenly not interested selling this season, just reject bids. If the player decides to throw a wobbly, hand a transfer request in or strike, it will only reflect poorly in them and not the club. I can't see any of the players doing that though, Morgan at least has said he wouldn't.

A lot of that is all valid talking points, wouldn't call any of it hysterical. Wouldn't be much to talk about on a forum if we were just to sit back and wait until August.

Not disputing that those at the top have spent a lot to get there at all. I think the situation we find ourselves is quite unique. We have a number of international standard players who can and want to play in the Champions League and compete for titles. The gap between us and those above can be attributed to a lack of depth and having the likes of Gazza, Fox and Jos playing in runs of games, plus the dissapointment of Osvaldo. I don't think we need to spend a fortune on improving that as long as we try and keep what we have. Whilst we have these players here, I am sure we coukd give European qualification a decent crack like Everton did this year as long as we strengthened in the obvious places.

Not sure anyone knows a whole lot about her financial situation, I am almost certain that Saints are now her biggest financial asset post liquidation of the Mali businesses so it's no surprised that she wanted more direct control one we got to the prem. I'm not sure we can call her a particularly wealthy owner as an individual.

Would have him back if the alternative is Gareth and Wreck It Ralph.

Yet despite all of that we have some how ended up with at least 4-5 players by my count who would be wanted by Champions League sides today where he haven't had to spend anywhere near the sums you are mentioning. We have obviously been doing plenty right.

In the article he ackonwledges that we would never financially compete with the big teams and talks about looking at alternatives and focusing on detail and gaining advantages over small margins. I think we've spent inline with our Prem club our size, not sure how it's all about him spending someone elses money. He didn't need to focus on creating a playing identity and ensuring the academy pathway is clear but he did and those formed part of the vision for the future.

But we do have up to 5 players who could playe champions league. A few shrewd bits of business to improve the squad would close the gap with those above us quite significantly IMO and it wouldn't cost the earth. Just better use of the amounts of money spent in the summer since we came up.

Well he got them on long contracts for starters. Luke and Adan both have 4 years left.

Agree, Reeds statement has been the only decent one really but Ralf wades in and makes stupid comments in his quest to be open with the fans but no one actually has a clue what's going on anyway.