Saint Fan CaM

Wumtastic thread.

#itshappeningbutnotthewayweexpected (Sorry...couldn't resist).

Meh - good point. lol

No of course not...there is the possibility that players heads would still be turned, however I do believe that Cortese and Mopo would have had a more sound strategy to keeping players on board. Once Cortese went the chinks in the armour started to appear and it went to rat-sh1t from that point forward. However, as I said the Prem creates the situation where cash is king - over and above that, it's the culture and conditions created by the club. If that were not true then why would Saints invest so much in Staplewood for example? Thing is, the outgoing players may prove to be a blessing in disguise...we might actually push on from here...who knows? The only leaver I'm really miffed about losing really is Shaw because he symbolised the supposed new age future - the first real talent to break into the 1st team since our rise back to the Prem. Now he's been sold it's shown that the strategy is pretty much dead to the current Board.

Why do you think tomorrow?

Took Mopo's boot up Lallana's arse to make him defend half-decently TBF!

I doubt it - they can't be arsed to take down the posters and shop fittings plastered with Lambert, Shaw and Lallana in the West Quay store etc., so can't see them worried about that TBH!

Thing is though, we're talking about pro footballers in a job with no affiliation to the Company. Just the same as many, many other like you and me who work for a living. If you were offered twice as much money to move job, most people would move without much of a thought, especially if you knew your career would only last until your mid-30's at best. The problem lies not with the players, but with the environment they work in. Firstly that's the Premiership and it's cash. Secondly that's the culture and environment provided by the club and it's staff. Can't influence the Prem really, so it's down to the Club to create the conditions. Our top players are rejecting the condition post Cortese and Mopo. Simple.

What that could tell us is that either Saints Board...(a) is very sneaky and possibly underhand and/or (b) are way behind the curve when it comes to professional level appointments and realised late in the day that they were about to miss out on someone they think might do a good job?

If anyone thinks we will spend more than £25-30m this window, they're in cloud cuckoo land. Why do you think Koeman has been brought in if not to promote the youth into the 1st team?

Would prefer Forster myself, but Marshall would be a fine addition. What I really would like to know is why there's nothing from the club on either of these two supposed new staff members? Talk about chicken and egg!

Completely understand your feelings on this, but just for one second consider this. What if to move to the next level it was deemed deliberate and necessary to make changes to the squad? Admittedly losing Mopo was not ideal, however in Koeman we have a top, top Manager who should be able to bring further success. So without bleating on too much, what I would suggest to you is the same thing I'm telling myself - wait and see what players come in...wait and see what Koeman can do...wait and see what style of football we end up playing over the first 8 or 9 games...wait and see where we are at Christmas. Then and only then will we really be in a position to feel disenchanted if we're struggling near the foot of the table.

This. Saints would want £15m at least for JRod on the promise of his return to full fitness. Can't see any club being prepared to risk that much...JRod is not THAT special.

Mate, the 'Southampton way' died when Cortese left club. He created the conditions for that including hiring a General in Mopo to keep the players on-side. The clubs success was not down to individual players...it was down to the collective team from Cortese down. Now thats gone. Some players were not fully on board...they were marginalised. Now it's over...the project....a new way forward has to be found. You can either view it as an exciting opportunity to forge a new path to the top or a dangerous chasm. Hopefully news next week of Koemans replacements will dispell some trepidation.

Wonder whether that medical has gone well?

Yes and yes while that turned out wrong, there was some truth in the interest apparently. Other info is proving accurate so far.

Watch out for more leavers. Clyne doesn't want to be here for example (I'm told).

Excellent. Any player that stands up to sub-standard journos demands huge respect and should be warmly welcomed.

Exactly my point. Indeed this was exactly my point some months ago when I first was told about player departures. The key was not in the players themselves going, but in the club strategy going forwards. It's going to be different...whether it will be as good remains to be seen.

#itshappeningbutnotthewayweexpected Yup, if we lose Morgan...I.e. he's allowed to leave, then it will indicate the end of the project thats for sure.

No, not funny...quite embarrassingly sad.

I guess the positive spin is that the most influential players + the most expensive player needed to leave the club to allow Koeman to re-build his own team. It would make sense and the only real test will come at the end of the summer when the team walks out at Anfield. Then we'll see how competent this Board are at maintaining the momentum of the last 5 years.

While the club definately appears to be taking two steps back, changing ownership at this critical time would probably be a fatal blow to really put paid to any aspirations of greatness. #itshappenningbutnotthewaywexepected

Need to see some proper evidence of our interest like a definite offer before I get "excited" about Ings.

OK, a timely reminder #itshappeningbutnotasweexpected Posted that a little while back now - got shot down of course. Reed made some promises...so far economical with the truth at best. Does anyone REALLY think we're going to be spending £70m in this window? RK has been brought in because he likes working with youth. We could likely be seeing a lot more youngsters turn out against Liverpool than we dared imagine. Time will tell.