david in sweden

me too Minty, if you see a young lad 's name featured at U16 level ..and then follow his progress we know the heartache there is for those who ..."don't make it ", and we are forced to let go- just at the wrong time. Being released from an Academy (like ours) is no disgrace as we know they get good coaching provides a sound base for everyone of them. Pity those lads at Chelsea who'll never get a look-in. Breaking into the First team ....at a Premier League club is a notable achievement for anyone, and as we see. it's rare, but not impossible (is it Luke ?) There is a long list of those who have left SFC but still managed a reasonable career in the Football League (on a rough check I counted around 20 last season - mostly L1, L2.) Some players still make a good career, and players like; Mike Williamson and Gary Monk even made it to the Prem. under their own steam, after humbler beginnings. I'm sure many of them remember their training days with Saints, and perhaps missed out because there were better players in the first team squad . Whichevevr club Ryan plays at next season - it's certainly a name you find hard to forget.

some "news " gets circulated around and around and suddenly re-emerges as the latest. I'm absolutely sure that SFC published this as " a done deal" before the end of last season.

so trying to be " kind "... let's me say this. Do we really want to keep players here " by force of contract " if they are so unhappy and want out? No-one wants a complaining " rotten apple " in the dressing room. Lovren "apparantly " hasn't seen fit to return when he should have, and so it shouldn't be KL or RK's job to go chasing him ....when he is officially AWOL. If he wants away.. and seeks CL football, then say ....Thank you and goodbye .....and sell for the best fee we can get ...from wherever. I don't believe that we will spend anywhere near the whole transfer pot (already £60 mill...and a probably a bit more to come) by August. We don't need to. Common sense says... we save some of it for January - if required. I wrote earlier that I had noted 15 different players who have been linked with Saints in the media (it's surely more).... as Les Reed said we had been " offered loads of players from all over "...., (or words to that effect)..... and it clearly needs to be the right players ......in positions we really need..... and not simply a case of filling a shirt. I fully expect to see one or two new names from the Academy to be in the squad, too. I can't begin to guess what the start side will be...as I.. (and most of this board) have never seen most of those foreign names play in a match - except for the odd YouTube-clips of their best games) I'm pleased that we don't select a lot of those names that are put forward by various people here, as that's why SFC employ an experienced manager, and not select a team sponsored by enthusiastic fans. Hope you don't feel that's being unkind, but welcome to the board, anyway.

Although your comments may ring true, we should remember that a large amount of Rickie Lambert's goal tally wasn't accrued in this League, or the one below that, for that matter. The fact that his career seems to be near peaking at 32...in this League....is indeed the real anomaly. His (potential) replacement seems to have " a better pedigree " to start with, and perahps that's what we are banking on in seeking to sign him.

I won't be as rude as some others who've responded to the OP already ....BUT I find myself reading this type of post almost every year - sometimes even before the season has ended. Alan Pardew took a bit of stick - especially after buying that Rickie "whatisname " from Bristol Rovers when people complained that we had bought a fat, old " journeyman " instead of a younger striker. Nigel Adkins, too was criticised for missing the best of the early signings, but I don't recall any of those he was supposed to have missed having set the world alight afterwards - but we still got promoted. Pochettino (yeah, yeah) " Osvaldo," would become so great, but I've written for several years back that " big money signings " should come with a " consumer warning " as so it proved - yet again. Now Ronald Koeman is getting the same treatment from some quarters. The truth is we don't know that there aren't signings in the offing, just because SFC hasn't broadcast it in advance and sms'd you. Once thing that has survived the " Cortese Era " is the secrecy blanket over all discussions, and Les Reed seems to have taken that one to heart, and is good at keeping things under wraps. I was interested to listen to a Sky Radio interview that included a respected football agent (evidently some do exist).. who said often transfers take months between the first enquiry and the player eventually hanging his boots up in the dressing room, with a myriad different aspects (not least the fee and the salary), AND in some cases clubs may have targetted a player during the previous season before making an approach in the first place, something LR revealed recently in that video interview about transfers. I'm really not too concerned at present, my own pencilled list of "so-called interested enquiries" that Saints are supposed to have made is upto 15, although I'm certain to have missed some. Even with £60 million (and a bit more to come), we are hardly likely to sign half of them, and perhaps not even the majority of the " transfer kitty " in so doing. Common sense says save some for January. I don't think anyone has suggested that we will start the season with a team composed of Academy lads - have they?... but I do expect to see one or two new names from there getting established. There are thousands of top level footballers in Europe alone, and many clubs have Academies and new players appearing all the time. If our scouting system is functioning as it should - we'll find theem, and some of them may come to SFC. Looking at last season, you win some..(Wanyama) and lose some (Courtinho). Making " big money signings" has nearly always been a burden rather than a blessing. Liverpool must have thought they had a real winner for life with Luis Suarez (!), now they will be glad to get their money back..and a bit more. At the time of writing.we still have Dani Osvaldo. IF RK is half the manager we are led to believe, he won't make too many " amateur " mistakes with expensive signings. Time will tell, and I for one have learned some patience...around this time every year.

......I'm sure few of us would deny him a career end like that, PLUS we get £4 million (and the mysterious add-on's) for a 32 y.o. player who many thought to see end his playing days rotting on the subs. bench A win-win situation..eh ? .

Now that bit makes sense. But surely it's unfair to criticise KL. and Board because so far we've made over £60 million by selling players who - for various reasons - and on their own admission... wanted to leave. AND... if there's another £40 mill. in the pipeline GOOD. Let's be off with all those who don't want to be here. Some people on here are suggesting we'll need twice as much to get replacements- RUBBISH. The prices that these " big clubs " are paying out are only a sign of their paranoia to succeed....Let them spend it all...and we'll get the benefit. Why do we comtinue to brag about the Academy, yet very few posterrs seem to have the confidence that there are more Lallana's, Shaw's and Ward-Prowse's just waiting to get their chance. We don't have to pay out a fortune to get in World Cup stars to SMS, but the right balance of new signings with good experience will help our youngsters enormously, as it has done before. I'm not expecting to win the Prem. title next season,(if ever) and a Euro place seems just as far away as it did last August, but I do expect to see a steady improvement, and not break the bank to do it.

keepers take longer to develop, and for the past four/five years England managers have become obsessed with only one candidate...Joe Hart. Why shouldn't we see more English keepers?... and with Dave Watson on staff he'll know all the " possibles" as well as anyone.

..that's true but whether you say Boruc..or Marshall..there's no way Gazzaniga comes anywhere near either of them. Remember those lost 25 points I quoted (in the above post). Mostly Gazzaniga's call.

yeah sounds stupid.....doesn't it ?. Mind you Cortese said that about the prospect of signing 27 y.o. Rickie Lambert for £1 million ....back in 2009..

good post Derry!

......we're the same generation Gingeltiss, and I agree with every word. Well said.

whether Boruc " likes the idea " of being no.2 ..or Marshall would expect to be no.1 is immaterial .....as it's the manager who selects the side. The big problem last season was Boruc was out (on two occasions) for a total of 10 matches. In that time we used both KD and Gazzaniga who had only ONE win between them and shipped in 20 goals.....(means we lost 25 points during AB's 10 games absence). In the remaining 28 games ...Boruc let in a total of 26 goals in 29 games. Surely those stats. speak for themselves. He's the only reliable custodian we have. He is a very good keeper, but we have no competent replacement. Were he to have another serious injury, we 'd surely be in the same situation once again. All this nonsense about not wanting to play because of the competition is rubbish. Boruc may be good, but I don't believe he's fool enough to think he has a Divine Right to be no.1 for the coming year(s). Just a couple of seasons ago, Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs each had THREE international goalies on their books, and they fought it out to get the no.1 spot. We must have good cover - it's common sense.

they do? ..really ? ..in which case.... Artur has 9 months to get himself sorted, I think his contract goes out in a year ..?

Er .....? .... maybe his taxi's caught in a traffic jam on the M4...?....or...

Well said Jack. I think any half-intelligent player would realise that Koeman has a better CV than MP is ever likely to have. I don't blame JC (if he is having a quiet dig at the departed manager), who rarely selected him for a start side, but was very glad to have him around when injuries forced us to make changes. I think Jack Cork is a much better player than he is given credit for (by some).....but unfortunately he was just another victim of " the Chelsea Academy System " that claims to bring on youngsters .....yet rarely promotes their youth players . and even gives them away.... rather than integrate them into a Prem. League side of foreigners with an average transfer value of £20 million+.

I agree in principle, but many of our best players have cost a lot less than the " norm " for top-rated types, and most of those " big money signings" we've made have been a real disappointment. You need look no further than Osvaldo and Ramirez to see that. Jay Rod was " a steal " by today's standards, and though some fans thought Wanyama's fee was " a bit steep" , he has the potential to be much better. Aside from the latest outburst from Dejan Lovren...who can deny that a player we bought for £8 million a year ago ..can be rated for £20 mill. today? They were good deals then..and look even better now. I'm just waiting to see if RK's new signings will appreciate to the same extent next year, whether they stay for years...or not.

I think we have to trust the Board to take these decisions, as (unlike David Cameron - who isn't a Saints fan apparantly)... they are not up for re-election next year. However, with the transfer kitty increasing by the day, and Koeman carefully selecting his new squad, let's not forget that (at one time) Adam Lallana was struggling to get a place on the Saints' bench, when players likeTheo Walcott, Gareth Bale and Alex O-C had already made it to the first team and were on the train to North London..... ..and just a season or two ago ....we had our fans asking questions like ; James Ward-Prowse?....Luke WHO?...and how old is he ? .....and who is Calum Chambers ?.... Who are they? To be absolutely honest, I'm just as interested to see which Academy lads will make it to the first team squad, as I am to see which " established players " who will likely cost £10 million+ each.. will grace the first team sheet in August. In that area, I'm trusting Les and RK to find the right players, at the right price.. (that's their task)...and the Board are there to make sure we don't get ripped off (financially).

whoops..sorry:blush: it seems that those really dedicated posters (more than 12 posts-a-day type) ..use the term " IN THE KNOW" (hence ITN)....when they claim to get inside info. from Staplewood / SMS.

I see the Daily Mail has resurrected this story that I first read - even before the end of last season.... the Mail, it seems, has quoted that Saints have bid £8 million, about half (they say) of Cardiff's valuation of the keeper - where did they get that figure from, I wonder? .....Certainly not tapping Les' phone, but maybe they have someone who is I.T.N...? However, this promises to become an interesting storyline for the next week or so ....one way or another. ....whatever the out come...perhaps Cardiff may recall that Paulo Gazzaniga kept a clean sheet when Saints beat Cardiff 3-0 last December...? At any rate it might be a carrot for a part-ex deal ?

Of course there is the point of view..... that.... good players though they (are / were)...... maybe .....they weren't good quite enough as we didn't qualify for Europe, as so many had hoped. Perhaps we ought allow Ronald Koeman some sort of " honeymoon period " before giving up all hope, especially as we haven't yet seen what his new team sheet will look like. Exactly how good a manager Mauricio Pochettino (is / was) can also be judged in the same period. Daniel Levy seems to be an impatient man with no sense of humour.

I was beginning to think that I was the only one of that opinion....... (it would seem) that the Board bent over backwards to try and support him and move forward. As it was I think he had it in mind to move on all the time. Now he's gone. Hasta la vista Mauricio.... and good luck at WHL. You'll need it when results start to go badly. Daniel Levy has no sense of humour.

Saw an interview last year (before his Prem. debut) where he was described as a midfielder. His lucky break came with Clyne's pre-season injury and I think many would agree he filled the role very well. Why can't he be tried in that same midfield role, in front of Clyne in the RB position. After all we'll need " someone " to fill Schneiderlin's boots before August.....

....but (for example ) .....if ...HIS AGENT " floats that rumour to the media, it's a good way to push up the price a bit - don't you think?

Aren't you just a little bit quick off the mark?. OK.. we haven't signed Pelle YET......but he hasn't signed for anyone else either YET. The idea of signing him (or any of the other dozen or so names being bandied around by the media) may /may not come from RK, and for all we know it ...may be agents who are trying to up the deal? (last season it took months to come out that there were no other serious bidders for Wanyama and Cardiff city stated that they hadn't bid for him, so in the end we were bidding against ourselves). I don't see that the failure (or delay) in signing Pelle is a condemnation of the Board, or anyone on it. At the end of the day, the player willdecide on the his best deal , but I don't think we should bid against ourselves and pay over the odds for player(s), who may not even be a success in Prem. As for those who have / want to leave... I say don't let's have players in the dressing room who aren't 100% dedicated to the club. If they want to leave ..then the "so-called big money clubs" must expect to fork out" big money," as we shouldn't sell off players "cheap" when we don't need to. .....Nor do I want to see any of their " bench-bound rejects " signed by us for some ridiculous part-ex deal. If (said players) aren't good enough for the Prem. with other clubs, they'll probably fall into the same category..... if they came to us. There are more Scheiderlins (and Lovren's) out there, and it 's the Board's task to find and sign them. Some you will get, others may not come.....it's the players choice and their future. ...and on the same topic.....do you not expect to get a new crop of; Lallana's..Shaw's...Ward-Prowse's and Chambers' this season..or have you given up on the Academy, too?