Saint Fan CaM

8/10 - 10/10 if a really great no.9 comes straight into the starting line up and 2-3 worse players leave.

Unless you’ve got a crystal ball we don’t know whether today’s deals will be as shite as those previous players were in terms of fulfilling expectations. That was my point.

I didn’t claim they were ‘close to prolific at PL level’…we signed them as we embarked on the last EPL campaign thinking their past performance could be repeated. That didn’t happen You’re getting worse than MLG.

Very nice to see us bully weaker sides to sell us their better players. Welcome to Saints Tom.

Looks like a great signing - fingers crossed he’s no Edozie with no end product.

Welcome Finn. Well, all of a sudden things are looking up - a significant number of new signings that on paper appear to strengthen the squad. One note of caution - when we signed BBD, Archer, Onuachu and Sulemana we all thought how great it was that we had signed forwards that had previously been prolific…fingers crossed these guys are a cut above that. Looking forward to seeing them play in red’n’white.

Well with the departures of Dibling and Fernandes and no movement on the dross, it looks like a 2/10 window. However, we’re starting to see a pattern in the type of player Still wants in his first team. It signals to me that there is a clear understanding by Spors that the squad that went down is badly flawed and major surgery required. It’s no good having a top player if said top player can’t do the job you want him to do and/or you have other capable players in that same position. The signing of Mads and Quarshie, the promised signings of Azaz and others does look promising. It will be very interesting to see if Still can shape the new look team to do the business. On that point, I think we can be moderately positive until they prove otherwise.

Yeah, but the interesting thing here in my mind is that Saints wouldn’t have contemplated spunking £42m on a young player from the 2nd worst team in EPL history. Whether that’s wise or a false economy will be interesting to see.

Bugger - kind of expected and the new midfield signings signalled it was end game, but it’s still a bit gutting to know our best player is leaving. Leaves a huge hole in squad quality.

Agree with this and he may well offer more dynamism and flair to the role that certainly Downes doesn’t bring - i.e. I think Still has had to settle with Downes and his lack of a pass forward - one of the players steeped in Martinball and finding it difficult to adjust to the new demands. Must admit, never heard of the guy, but that’s not to say he’s not the next best thing.

Seeing unofficial claims this morning that it’s done already, although in truth it’s likely the signing is today and we’ll see a media release this PM. On the face of it, it’s a great signing.

You poor sod - having to holiday on Hayling… 😉

🤣🤣🤣….not a chance - 4 year deal all the way.

…except he plays though the middle quite a lot. Just saying. [MLG mode off]

For my thoughts, please refer to the thread dedicated to this outstanding signing…

Morgan Guilavogui spent the 2024/25 season on loan at St. Pauli from Lens before making the move a permanent transfer this summer. However, the Guinean forward won’t actually play for the Bundesliga club again… Guilavogui joined Pauli ahead of their Bundesliga return in 2024 on a season-long loan from Lens in France, having previously played for Paris FC, hometown club Toulon and also in the Saint-Étienne youth academy. The forward went on to impress for Alexander Blessin’s side, scoring six goals and providing two assists in 25 league appearances as the top-flight new boys ensured another year in the big time. Only a two-month layoff for an ankle injury prevented him from contributing more. * Lens decided to activate the buy-back option from St.Pauli…I wonder why? Probably because good old SR/Spors had £42m burning a hole in the proverbial collective pocket and they fancied some of that. To be fair, while he’s not prolific, he’s not afraid to shoot and does score some nice goals, plus he does appear to have some pace about him *

Welcome to Saints…go straight to Goztepe or Valenciennes ? 🙄😉🤣

Who? Mmm, don’t like to judge early but it’s looking like another SR Special…

Played well by all accounts. Think he deserves at least a consistent place on the bench, if not shoehorning into the starting 11.

2-1 Saints. There - I’ve said it.

Think Reed would be a good option, however I’m not sure that’s where the club see a need - reckon we’ll either see a decent winger or two, OR just as likely, some squad filler type signings as has been the case in the past.

I think you’re forgetting how (relatively) short a time Markus was in control (sadly). Had he lived, I don’t believe he would have put the brakes on Cortese as Kat did. She clearly felt she had little or no control…was not friends with Cortese in the same way Markus was…and felt she needed to reign in control of her inheritance. Cortese knew that the impetus gained would quickly be lost in the shadow of the big hitters in the Prem and the club needed Markus’ investment for another 3-5 years to really establish the club at the top in a self-sustainable way.

Who said “football is results business”? It wasn’t Cortese - but he understood what that meant and how a small provincial club could potentially grow into something more. Markus trusted him as a friend to run the club with his money - good enough for me.

The guy had a vision for the club - in conjunction with Markus - and knew how to deliver it. He got results and provided a brief glimpse of how a small (by comparison) club could grow to challenge the elites. Four seasons of complete joy for supporters. [sighs]

You’re absolutely correct - the trajectory of squad quality is downwards, but that’s been the case for at least 4-5 years now. In reality since Kat sold off her shares to Gao and allowed a sub-standard group of individuals to tear apart her Fathers legacy. What’s gone is gone and while there’s always a chance of renewal and re-growth, I don’t believe we’ve seen the worst of SR’s incompetence yet. Spors had a hard enough job sorting out the terrible contract legacies, but to then also persuade decent players to come to a club in decline…we’ll, it’s a massive task.