S-Clarke

Don't get me wrong, I still have my question marks over the board - notably a certain RK, who I really have no time for - but I think we should trust Reed, that's my feeling and take on it. He has been true to his word. At the end of the day you also need to take an eye away from the club....and look at the players. They've all had amazing seasons, we only finished 8th. They will have been tracked and monitored by much bigger clubs than us. Talking and chats will have gone on in the background with agents and so on, so the players would have known that there are opportunities to move on this year - and also the financial awards of doing so. The players have clearly made it clear to the club of their intentions - they wanted to go, and so did MP. The club have them been put in a pretty tricky decision in terms of getting the best deals, but I think they've managed it thus far. In excess of £30m for an 18 year old left back is epic, but it will be very sad not to see him play for us any more. But I think the major issue here is talk of the champions league - I think too many people saw that as a possibility, when it frankly wasn't. Players will therefore leave for clubs who can offer that, and of course the additional $$$ which is obviously just as important these days. I think we will all be pleasantly surprised and quite excited by the additions we bring in. So let's just wait and see, Les has kept his word so far.

I'd say that was a really stupid thing to say, but he didn't put it across right. I think he should have STFU personally - but he clearly meant that if anyone does want our players, then they will have to pay very much over the odds. So goodbye.

I'll throw this one out there. We should have won silverware last year. That was our chance. For some reason the management didn't give 2 hoots about the FA Cup or the league cup. I don't care what anyone says, or what the management said back then, we put understrength teams out in both games and we came unstuck because we played understrength teams. It set the tone to the players and the fans. If we'd have attacked the league cup or the FA Cup with the same gusto as we did the 8th place finish, we'd have won one of them at least. For a team who has lost 3 players, totalling almost £60m, we should have been where Hull were last year and in that damn final. As good as finishing 8th was, it means nothing - last year was our chance to win something, we had the players, the management and the quality to do it - but we decided finishing 8th was more important. That will always be an utter, utter frustration for me - probably for years to come.

I doubt Liverpool, Man Utd and Spurs give a **** about how we feel. Couldn't care less about Burnley, he's a good player and if we want him - make it happen saints.

He's young, and therefore guaretneed to improve?

I was totally against all the tosh from Ralf at the start, he waffled a load of crap. But Les Reed has been true to his word. We secured a top, top quality manager. We got the best deals for players who wanted to leave, be assured that if they didn't want to leave, they'd still be here. We did the deals on our terms and in our time-frame. Anyone would have been naive to think they wouldn't have happened, but the club have stuck to their guns to get these sorted at the times which suited then. I'm also reassured and somewhat excited that the majority of this will be reinvested back into the first team. It's of course a shame we are seeing a good team taken apart, but as I said above - the players made it plainly clear that they wanted to go, therefore we had no choice but to ensure we got the best possible deal. I think we can come out stronger from all of this. Koeman is a name who will attract attention and players - of that I'm sure. It may be a bumpy ride next year, but I think long-term we will build again. It's not the complete collapse that I assumed it was going to be at the start.

I think we'll see things start to ramp up now, in and out. The club were good to their word in that they wanted the best deals, which to be fair they've got, and they wanted to wait until after the WC. The club did the deals in their way, and the players want to leave - so not much we could have done. This is probably going to be quite an exciting transfer window in terms of incoming as well. Danny Ings would be an excellent addition, he's a goal scorer and will score goals at this level - of that I'm sure.

Would fully expect this one to go through imminently. I think Shaw, Lallana, Lovren and Morgan will be our departures. I can see Osvaldo and Gaston leaving as well, just to trim up the squad. Players like Mcqueen, Reed and Gallagher will have more prominent roles, this is what I was told from the word go. I think we'll sign Pele - £8m, Tadic - £10m, Virgil - £6m, Kolo - £6m and a new GK - not sure who just yet. Got a slight ITK scoop that we may also be attempting to secure Jordy Clasie as well as De Vrij - but we'll see, probably 2 long shots based on our current position. I think the loss of Morgan will be absorbed with the larger role for Harry Reed, who will in effect become the cover - and JWP will probably play most weeks, I'd have thought.

I do enjoy these MLT exclusives.

One more year and Barkley will be off. He just needs a season of establishing himself as a first name, every single week.

I reckon Tadic will be the first, priced around the £10m mark funnily enough.

Interesting and intriguing snippet.

What happened with that write up Crabs? I know you have contacts, so would have been interesting to read.

He clearly won't. Man Utd aren't going to spend £30m on a squad player. He will rotate with Evra and will probably play 30 odd matches next year.

I think this is where a mutual termination could come in handy. Liverpool could pick him up on a free.

I'm still waiting for the yearly ''we're run like a seaside b&b...'' thread.

I think what we're seeing at the moment is the result of the club keeping their word. The deals of Lallana, Shaw and Lovren will go through for sure now they're back from the WC - expect that to pep up. The last few weeks have been somewhat of a quiet spell, but this was always going to happen. I personally don't see Morgan going yet, I think we'll lose those 3 and that'll be that. We'll then be £70-80 in the + and we can see what we can do with that. I'm fairly ready and expectant for an extremely bumpy ride next year, but this is what supporting a team is all about. There'll be bad times, and good times - we've been spoiled over the last few years, and we're well overdue one of these summers. But I still believe the club is in a decent place, and although we won't do as well as last year, we'll still be clear of relegation. Of that, I'm sure.

Alpine is in his element, that's for sure.

Got a feeling he will be our fist addition....and what a first addition! We can make a profit on him next year.....

Cripple is a strong word, but I don't think next season will be as straight forward. I hope Koeman isn't put under pressure though, he does deserve a decent innings, just don't expect him to equate MP's season just yet is my view. But there's no reason why we cannot come out of this stronger in the long-term, 2-3 years down the line.

I remember arriving to the Birmingham home game in the NPC a couple of seasons back, utter ****ing down, and saw Shaw wandering up Marine Parade with a few other academy lads. Completely ignored and blended in with the rest of the fans wandering in, quite a rise in 2 years you have to say.

I read an article the other day (have been trying to dig it out, but can't find it now - could have just been a random blog) - but they were saying that Saints, by pricing Shaw and Lallana out of moves, are the club which is ruining English football. A true WTF moment. The logic behind it was that we're stopping these future England players get the exposure of CL and top flight title challenges which will benefit them in world cups, but how that equates to us 'being the problem with English football'' doesn't quite make sense to me. I think the FA should thank their lucky stars we are bloody well here.

I think we'll sign Pelle and 1 other, with Gallagher playing a role similar to that of this season (and Jay, when he comes back will score plenty) LB will be a new signing and Matty Taggart will offer cover, but as you said we've got the versatility of Clyne who can also cover there. I think we need at least 1 cb whatever happens - but if Lovren goes, then 2. Tadic could be the Gaston replacement I guess. I think we'll probably see 5 or 6 new additions. Any more than that and you're treading into dodgy ground in my opinion.

Good article, backed up by the final sentence - One player who will definitely not join Koeman at Southampton is Lex Immers, with the midfielder signing a new deal at Feyenoord yesterday. phew.

Tadic would be an epic addition.