Pwoite

People talk to us losing a potential £200m, whilst forgetting this isn’t a lottery win. Sure, there is the status, level of competition and exposure, but a lot of that money, if not all, would be tied into extra wages and transfer fees. A straight £30m would be the minimum for increased basic wages for players, before bonuses. Then add in support staff, the cost of higher profile transfers and investment needed the EPL matches. With those transfers come the risk of having to offer three year deals, and the risk of more Ramsdale situations. Yes, of course we’d be in a far better position than we now find ourselves, and we could have afforded a couple of £30m players rather than a couple at £8m, but it’s never as simple as saying that total has been robbed from our piggy bank.

I thought Simon Peach was very straight and level headed in what he said. I do wonder, though, whether the delay is to give the club time to talk to sponsors, and the players, and gauging opinions more widely, rather than jumping in with announcement. I would suspect that clandestine conversations with managerial options are taking place behind the scenes. Maintaining radio silence, in such circumstances, makes sense.

Reading ,and being reminded, that Gareth Southgate was once on our books, I was wondering which other players we’d had on our books and then rejected, only for them to forge top level careers. Kevin Phillips and Danny Ings come to mind. Do I remember that Tyrone Mings had started with us? Who else? Are all clubs as good at throwing away talent, or is it something else we specialise in?

I hope this is cautiously optimistic. Does anyone know what the sell on for Fernandes might be, if talks of a £80m sales are to be believed. Add to this our wage bill should be reduced with Aribo, Romeu, McCarty and Ramsdale gone, freeing more cash. Maybe some of this will be put towards the ‘appeasement fund’, as a bonus for players who stay till September 1st but who missed on on a promotion bonus this season. For example, those four players leaving will save c£7.5m in wages. Spread that over 15 players sticking with the club, is a sizeable £500k thank you/loyalty bonus, and eliminates the risk of having to buy and replace the likes of Bree, Downes, etc, as well as next season giving them the opportunity of another promotion bonus.

I can’t believe we used 47 players as it seems it was from the same 22 for virtually every match since the New Year. Even bearing in mind the Leicester cup game,it seems like way too many. How many of the 47 played three or less times? Fifteen?

I don’t think the bench needs to be weaker. Yes, we’ll lose maybe six from the first team squad, but we brought in some excellent signings out of (almost) nowhere last summer, and nearly all worked. If we can get three or four youngsters come through, plus find an equivalent to Jander and Scienza, and entice one or two top championship players across, we could actually be stronger, as Wood, Bragg and Robinson will ave more experience. On the other hand, if the Independent is right, and players can walk away, if could get a lot worse, though whether the likes of Manning, Downes and Fellows would be able to get as good a deal elsewhere is questionable.

When Alfie House suggested that there were a number of players who were being disruptive, he added Arma as a possible. Yet Armstrong was team captain up until four matches ago. What happened? Was something said or done in the frank conversations after the Hull game? Did the situation get out of hand or were bridges burnt then? Immediately, there were rumours that Armstrong wanted out, and the club has done, apparently, nothing to keep him here. There must be a story behind this. What did happen?

I can’t believe the lack of rumours on here. Either things are genuinely quiet or we are keeping our cards very close to our chest, which is increasingly difficult in the modern world. My take is as follows: Edwards is too short and lacking the presence to make it at top level, and either we are bringing in an experienced player to be what Stephens was supposed to provide, or they see Kaya Sanda as our fifth man, now he’s returned from loan. There will be a Downs replacement, probably a loan, probably from Germany. Any other incomers will depend on shifting Aribo, Edozie, Fraser etc, and freeing up wages and emptying the squad. Finally, if the Alfie House rumour is true, then we might see a move to get one or two of the alleged troublemakers out, and replaced, though if it is Downes, with Charles coming back, Lander, Bragg and Williams, we might not do a like for like replacement.

I was dragged to their match on Wednesday night, and sat with the home fans during the match. I caught a train to and from the ground, queued on the platforms, went round their shop , had a burger and a beer in the ground. I was no bad behaviour, heard nothing any different from being at SMS and felt it was just a normal crowd at a normal match. Sure, there was a significant police presence, around the station and the stadium, but I didn’t see them having to do anything. I had been expecting a fairly lively evening, and was somewhat surprised to find it so calm, relaxed and ordinary. So, Wade Garrett, I don’t know where or when you experienced Millwall fans that caused you to give such a strong, bigoted opinion, but I saw nothing like that. Maybe today will be different, maybe you’re remembering ten or twenty years ago, but I saw a genuine community club with decent people watching. Mind you, the football was dire, and whilst Millwall attacked with pace down the wings they were largely toothless in the box.

I fear your second paragraph may well be true, but I can’t accept the first. if Dragan sacked Still, rather than Spors doing the deed, then there was no time to line up candidates. Maybe clandestine conversations had taken place, we don’t know, and maybe Gary O’Neill was being lined up, but again we don’t know. SR have made many poor decisions, so I think time, consideration and some common sense are required this time.

Why? There is no obvious candidate, and everyone suggested, so far, has had as many detractors as supporters. Appointing today doesn’t help with three matches in eight days looming. Eckart could not have done more in the first two matches in terms of results. Whilst I don’t particularly want him permanently, a two week break will have enabled him and the players to work on a few things. If the club has identified a candidate, currently working, then presumably we are negotiating a settlement, which takes time. Whilst I have limited confidence in SR making the right call on this, I have a little more faith in Spors. Let’s see how the next one, two or three performances look like, any improvements, player response. Whilst it seems that Still wasn’t inspiring, maybe this guy is. No point throwing this 32 year old baby out with the bath water.

Agreed, but they currently face the problem of no obvious, or widely acceptable, alternative. They also have acquired a snowflake squad which is small and susceptible to being bullied. It’s a case of who wants to manage us, as much as who do we want as manager. Therefore I’d rather have a prolonged search period and an attempt to find the next Poch than jump in and appoint next week.

I might have missed this, but I’m presuming this table is based entirely on expected goals scored v expected goals conceded. I’ve not seen our actual v expected for conceded, but can I presume the actual is worse? if so, it means misfiring strikers and poorly functioning defenders. The former the manager has little control over, but I don’t accept that for the defence.

I don’t buy that we have 22 crap players. I will buy that we have a squad that is failing to be motivated, failing to understand what they are being asked to do, and failing to deliver what they are capable of, and for me that’s down to one person.

The trouble with looking for seven points is that would five be okay, if we’re denied a second win by a referee’s decision. Or is six? It has to be how we play as much as what we achieve, and we are failing to dominate matches, we’re brittle and we’re looking demotivated.

Look, we played well for the first twenty minutes on Saturday, so Still should start with that eleven, but tweak it slightly. Obviously, McCarthy should start. He might consider the same back four, though swapping out the central defenders, as they were prone to errors. Mads was not the best, so also needs resting. In the centre, we know we have the strongest players, on paper, in the Championship, but Downes could be brought back, and it’s an opportunity for Aribo to show….. The attacking midfield did little wrong, apart from lacking control, not creating chances and giving the ball away, so they can be replaced wholesale, whilst maintaining our strategy of rotating the striker means it’s probably Matsuki’s turn to start. With Still’s clear game plan, the players ability to respond and the team all having a lucky rabbit’s foot hidden in their shorts, what could possibly go wrong???? Ive bought a lottery ticket, on the principle I’ve a better chance of winning than Saints have tonight!

So, how does the finance work for us with Taylor, Smallbone and Bree? I think all were out of contract next summer, so it means they all walk away then for nothing. So, potentially a loss, compared to selling them now (which we clearly couldn’t do!) However, I presume we are receiving loan fees, though these will be relatively small I’m guessing that next summer, if they get contracts, they’ll get a signing on fee as no transfer fee will be needed, though this might not be huge. Then there are salaries. With relegation reductions, what were e paying these guys? Say an average of £15k pw. Will their new clubs be able to pay that? I’m guessing not, so we are probably subsidising the shortfall, maybe to the tune of the loan fee. So, we reduced the squad size and the wage bill, helping cash flow, but effectively giving these players away impacts the balance sheet. Can anyone put real numbers into this? Is this how it works or is it even more complicated?

Not that prematurely, looking at the announcement in the last five minutes.

Totally agree that SR’s record, previously, was piss poor. Since then the Board has changed, Spors has been brought in and the manager changed. Therefore, slag off past performances but look at deals already achieved this window, in and out, and the money changing hands. As for winding my neck in, when did that become a requirement on this forum?

I know nothing is over the line yet, but the last 24 hours have been thoroughly enjoyable, and encouraging. Yet, 48 hours ago half the list were dissing Spors, Still, SR, the royal family and the kitman because they didn’t like our third choice keeper and therefore, from that, it showed lack of understanding, commitment or dedication. I appreciate that half of those on here can do a better job managing, owning or purchasing than the current incumbents. Could that half, please, in future, wobble their heads, control their bladders, hold back their irrational fear and shut the fuck up until they see or hear the full story. Just asking for a friend!!

Never let hyperbole ruin a poor argument. The point is genuine. Yesterday McCarthy was being slagged off with our other two keepers but now he is the best we have.

Incredible some posters on here. Yesterday was the second worst keeper in the history of the world, beaten only by Long. Tonight he’s the best we have. Amazing!

Did we really need the translation? Can we add him to the Defectors Watch? when is the public burning of the heretic who spread this story?

Saints web should be ashamed, collectively. Bazunu not good enough, Manning a joke, Stephens a disgrace. Thats why we have day jobs and aren’t in football.

So true. If only we persuaded Russ to stay….. Hang on, I must stop smoking in the morning.