cambsaint

AFAIK all a non competitive clause gives an employer is the right to insist that an employee takes paid gardening leave for 3 to 6 months. It might be useful for one transfer window but no more.

What really irritates me is the statement from the London-centric press that Spuds are "A big club" They certainly were but the " Glory, Glory, Allejulah" days are long gone and they have even nicked The Saints go Marching in!! We have a superb demographic and heavily populated economic base in South Hants, and there is no reason why we can't be just as big. South Hants is certainly not a rural backwater anymore.

Buying a star player also means star's wages. That could unsettle the rest of the team. It isn't only about finding the money for the purchase, which we could probably afford.

Amazing team, can't disagree with any of his selections. I know that 'Arry blotted his copybook during his time with us, but how much was was the ruddy faced duck-hunter and his rugby union mate to blame? At least he is a real football person who loves the game and knows it inside out. My best mate at Uni used to stand in the chicken-run and 'Arry was his favourite among that very good team.

I always used to like "If I had the wings of a sparrow, If I had the a#se of a crow I'd fly over fratton tomorrow and s#it on the bustards below, below, S#it on, S'it on the bustards below. Rather pathetic that I still remember it. Also a nasty one from a QPR mate at Uni: Limp on, Limp on with our boots in your heads, And you'll never walk again Utterly disgraceful but for some reason I remember it and I wasn't a hooli. I can still remember when in the early sixties we were the only team singing Oh When the Saints. Spuds seem to have borrowed it when they had Glory, Glory I trust those going sing something on the lines of your singing our song, or perhaps You've taken our song and our manager too but you can keep the manager The latter could possibly be worked on and made into something decent.

I was right in line with Foster's miraculous save and I still don't know how he pushed it round the post, absolutely amazing. I was absolutely certain it was going in.

There are in reality three separate mini-leagues in The Prem. The top five, and just possibly Spurs and Everton fighting for Europe, then seven or eight fighting for the middle places, and the relegation league. As long as we're in the middle league this season I don't much mind. If we're being honest then our ambition is normally sixth to tenth. To break into the top league would require huge ambition and investment on the part of the owner and a stadium enlargement, as much as I'd like to see it happen I doubt it will.

I'd really like to see him installed as Conservative Candidate for South Cambs which is coming vacant. Although not a Tory, I vote for who I consider is the best party at the time, I'd have no problems voting for him.

DT suggests that Atletico Madrid are in for Hernandez, if so what little chance we may have had has gone.

DSOM- Pink Floyd Sgt Pepper -Beatles Layla and other Assorted Love Songs-Derek & The Dominoes Hotel California- Eagles And a bit if a cheat-Are You Experienced-US version with the singles Hey Joe, Purple Haze and The Wind Cries Mary-I don't have the original vinyl like the others on this-by the incomparable Jimi Hendrix. Unfortunately another all time favourite Otis Redding really only released singles, so no original album -greatest hits don't really count. The Stones-early only, Queen, Cream and The Who are notable just missed.

Cabrone- You shouldn't place the nickname Ossie as the number 9. I assume you mean Osvaldo, but Ossie was the late great Peter Osgood's nickname who gave great service to Saints in the twilight of his career and as far as I know was universally liked. I seem to remember that a Saints legend was only liked for his exploits on the pitch and wasn't a very likeable person

I despair of some of the reactions. Does any poster think that if a player really wants to go he'll give the slightest thought to loyalty, fans' opinions or anything other than his own personal considerations. I wouldn't, and as I've said before, the only time I showed any loyalty to an employer they shafted me a year later, (and that was in a very senior position.) Before anybody starts going on about loyalty, I can't imagine anyone wanting to go back to the Tom Finney days when an obdurate rich butcher was able to force him to carry on playing for £20 per week when an Italian club were offering a small fortune as a signing on bonus and a much higher weekly wage which would have set him up for life. No we'll have to just get used to the current realities and hope that Koeman can stabilise the situation. The only thing I want to know is whether KL is readying the club for sale or if she wants to remain a PL Club owner. Besides which all these players have presumably gone for wages is the £80-120K a week range-could we afford that?

I despair of some of the reactions. Does any poster think that if a player really wants to go he'll give the slightest thought to loyalty, fans' opinions or anything other than his own personal considerations. I wouldn't, and as I've said before, the only time I showed any loyalty to an employer they shafted me a year later, (and that was in a very senior position.) Before anybody starts going on about loyalty, I can't imagine anyone wanting to go back to the Tom Finney days when an obdurate rich butcher was able to force him to carry on playing for £20 per week when an Italian club were offering a small fortune as a signing on bonus and a much higher weekly wage which would have set him up for life. No we'll have to just get used to the current realities and hope that Koeman can stabilise the situation. The only thing I want to know is whether KL is readying the club for sale or if she wants to remain a PL Club owner. Besides which all these players have presumably gone for wages is the £80-120K a week range-could we afford that?

Good to see a contrarian viewpoint to the pessimistic waffle being published. It's well worth reading Mourinho's comments about Shaw, although some of this may have been mind games, I think there's a great deal og good sense in it. However we still require three or four good transfers with time to bed in.

Julie Christie in her prime-the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Possibly not the sexiest though.

Would you stay in your job if you considered there was a better offer available? I doubt it very much. Also never forget the influence of agents who want their cut, and don't want their players to stay at any club for more than a couple of years. Pointless exercise trying to make a player do what he doesn't want to. If you want an example look at Rooney, Man U got him to stay with a ridiculous wage offer, but in retrospect he hasn't been worth the money and they would probably have been better off selling him for top price and investing in players keen to play for M.U. A fan's viewpoint is very rarely the logical one.

Only one thing is certain, and that is any comments on this site won't make any difference at all to the final outcome!

Despite being taken from us far too young; you have left a great legacy that will be remembered and honoured by all Saints fans the world over. We are all in your debt, and your memory will live long at St Mary's. There ought to be a permanent memorial and Southampton City Council should name a road near St Mary's after you.

Since all players are advised by their agents and lawyers, your argument hardly holds water. Do you really think that grasping an opportunity to get a massive pay rise, play in the CL and gain a higher profile have nothing to do with the exodus. I would agree that moving to Spuds these days is hardly a massive advancement, (it was when Chivers left for a then record £100,000) but if one logically looks at the situation from a players point of view then a move to Man Ure, Liverpool, or The A#se is an upwards move. Take emotion out and it is probably not worth forcing a player to stay. Koeman should be able to form a top half team with the £100 million or so that will come in. Most of the teams we used compare ourselves with are paying under £10 mill a player.

Although I think the manner of his departure to be ungracious and rather foolish; surely he must have some gratitude to the club that nurtured him from a league one player to an international. I think that all of us would or should have done the same in his place. The only time I showed any loyalty to an employer in my working life I was well and truly shafted a year later. So lesson one in life-look after family and self first and foremost. Lallana's main loyalty must be to himself and his family; and a footballer's career is short and he hasn't had any mega pay deals yet. he has four to five years left at his prime and he must ensure that in that time he earns enough to set himself and his family up for life. Also if he continues to improve at Liverpool he may be able to play for a top European team, and it should surely be an ambition of intelligent and talented players to play in the Spanish or Italian leagues before retirement. Personally I say good luck to him , he's given Saints a lot of good service, but for goodness sake show some gratitude to the club and fans.

Why not refer it to your solicitor for his advice?

There are many things one shoulddo" but they aren't always the same as those which one is able to do. As Harold MacMillan once said "Events dearboy, events." When after a very successful season the club was faced with the manager departing for a "definitely second tier Prem Club", and an outflow of players identified by very wealthy clubs in Europe then one deals with it as best as one is able. In my (not very humble) opinion so far things seem to be going better than I had anticipated: a quality manager appointed, interesting appointments to the management team, rumours (hopefully reliable) of interesting replacements , and possibly the best part of £100million to spend on replacements, I am now optimistic. If anyone had given us Koeman and £100mill in the past we'd have been ecstatic and optimistic about the future.

Regrettably when I watched his assured defensive display for France, I thought "~~~~ Wenger will come in for him and that's that." I think he is an excellent player and certainly the most difficult to replace as cultured ball-winners who can create are very few and far between. If we have to lose him then we ought to be thinking of considerably more than Lallana due to the rarity of players like him.

Being a bit premature aren't we? The England internationals will only have met the new manager today. I'm worried that Schneiderlin's excellent performance will make him a target for a mega-rich European club and who could blame him if he goes-still his value must over £20mill now. Lallana may go but its obviously the Bournemouth pay-off that has prevented that. Unfortunately at his age he need a big salary and CL football now to set him up for life. Lovren-well I'm sure we can buy a good replacement for the money if he goes. Most worried about Schneiderlin he seems to me to be a rather unique player these days, of course we'll miss Lallana, b