BlakeySFC

One very interesting segment in the book about how clubs actually sign players: 'You agree a fee with the selling club for the player. Ironically, that's the easy part. You are then contacted by the player's agent, who arranges to come and see you and negotiate a deal for his client. In principle, this is fine and for young boys early on in their careers pragmatic advice from an agent is perhaps appropriate, grown men late in their careers should be man enough to negotiate their own deal and I always had a big regard for players who did that'. And even more shocking is the segment about fee's required to sign a player: 'Firstly you have sign-on fees, a golden hello every year for the player agreeing to be paid a basic awage. Then there are appearence bonuses for the player turning up - but isn't that the very thing his basic wage and sign-on covers? Then you have goal bonuses for forwards - but hang on, surely that is what you pay them a weekly wage for? You also have the same for clean sheets for goalkeepers. The list goes on'. Also apparently agents 'like to write in staged increases so if you sign a four-year contract with a player they want a pay rise after a certain number of games. Then there are loyalty bonuses, typically paid annually, which are for the monumental thing of the player turning up for a year, and on top of that they want win bonuses. Win bonuses?' Absolutely shocking to me personally what I have read through this book, some of it is absolutely insane. It also stuns me the similarities between Simon Jordan and Cortese, both new to the Football world, both initially naive to the way football works, both controversial figures and both won't pay over the odds and pay agents fee's etc. for them basically doing nothing. Honestly seems the business side of football is a big boys club in essence.

For £18.99 I sure can (Got raped on price by Waterstones)

I've just bought the book, 65 pages in to get to the football stuff.

I know this may sound stupid, but watching Modric today against Italy and the other day against Ireland, I think Jack Cork is a very similar player in our midfield. Obviously the NPC is a world away from the International Football standard but I honestly think both Corky and Morgan will shine in our midfield next season.

I thought the first three months were already arranged by Sky when the fixtures are announced? And then when that 3 months is up they post the next 3 months Sky fixtures and so on until the end of the season, no? Very interested in this as I want to get my flights booked to Newcastle and Sunderland, f spending 7 hours on the coach.

Good lad, can't stand the t_wat

From what the ITKers in this thread have said/hinted about it. If they're all lying bulls_hitters (which I honestly don't think they are) then obviously It could be pink and green stripes for all I know.

Don't know why everyone's banging on about what they'd like to see from the new kit, rumours, hearsay etc. If you read over the first 14 pages of this thread you'll know that it is RED with thin white pin stripes.

For those of you in the lower age bracket, say 18-35 may I recommend: http://www.espyclothing.com for all your needs

I've got a massive £1 on England to win Not confident though, think the French'll win 3-1

The funny thing is that's Itchen_Dan's mockup that he posted on here about a week ago, it got banded around twitter a few days ago with people going 'this is the new kit, this is the new saints kit!!' etc. and now some kind fellow has posted it back in the exact same thread on the exact same forum it came from. The circle of internet life.

Great signing, think he'll only get better in the next couple of seasons

None of us are saying Everton ISN'T in for him. We're simply saying that IF Everton's interest in him were serious they'd probably have equalled/exceeded our bid by now. We're in for him. They'd need to match/beat our bid in able to just be able to talk to him over a possible move. Nixon has said there was a deadline on Friday when Jay Rod wasn't even in the country, and then another deadline yesterday when he'd pretty much just flown in from his holiday in Mexico. We're not totally discounting Nixon as upto the deadline stuff his information has been more or less correct. Everton, Sunderland and West Brom have been interested throughout this summer, but at the end of the day they haven't stumped up a bid and therefore can't talk to him. We're still in prime position. If Everton/Sunderland/West Brom match/exceed our bid for him then we'll be in trouble.

The first few days of the 'saga' I admit I was taken by his 'information' but since his supposed deadlines of last Friday and this Thursday have passed without incident I now think he doesn't have a clue, and is now relying on hearsay and rumours like all of us on this forum about the Jay Rod deal.

No.

Alot have had their doubts about him for quite some time after his Rooney connections were revealed. But this latest story seems to confirm he's just another tabloid **** stirrer

Seems like typical tabloid ****e from Alan Nixon. Everton, West Brom and Sunderland have been interested from day 1 but don't have the money/gumption to match our bid so it's never gonna happen. Still expect it to go through pending a medical over the weekend/early next week.

I see BFS isn't doing too well with West Ham either...

So for those ITK, which is closer Itchen_Dan's mock-up or mulletsaints' ?

Just to let Itchen Dan know his design is doing the rounds on twitter this evening.

mankini

Chappie's already said he's not going anywhere.

From reluctantnicko on twitter: @dankiz1 De Bruiyne deffo available on loan. Would not dismiss that one.

Stern John got the same stick, yet he scored 19 goals and kept us up that particular season...

I would agree with that, although I think the away shirt will be all white with some red features and not pinstripes too. The home kit is spot on from what ITK'ers have said on here though.