david in sweden

I agree, but sadly none of Jos' " own-goals " looked anywhere as good as Gareth Barry's, a very deft side-footed effort.

.or even on the continent of Europe, but then again it is difficult playing with a broken foot - don't you think?

It's clear that what he did (in the previous two seasons) ....he did very well...more than that, one might say exceptional....and it couldn't happen to a "nicer guy". Helped some ordinary players to turn in some extra-ordinary displays, but it only goes to show the HUGE gap between Championship and Prem. At the end of the day....he didn't have the mindset for the Prem. and his persistance in retaining some of the Championship-level players finally showed in the first ten games. Despite some brave performances, there was a lack of judgement in several areas of team selection, especially with goalkeepers (an area where he really ought to have known better). I keep asking myself..where might we be now... if the only first team keepers we had at the club were.... KD and Gazzaniga? Thank you Nigel Adkins ..and goodbye.

...seems that he's leaving options open...he just wants to play. If we decide to part with him...then he'll be happy to return to Japan, I'm sure.

I didn't suggest that he should be in the first team ...and true neither NA (although 5 times as sub.) nor MP has chosen him to start. That is not to saythat... .in the remaining 4½ years of his contract, he might not become a regular at some stage.........

Except that those named in my post ..all had strong " London connections " - either by birth or previous club employment. and btw. none of the three you mentioned cost huge fees....or, were born in London....or, came from a London club before they were on Saints' books, or were any great loss when they left. I was sure you'd know that Turkish, but good researching anyway.

I didn't say that - did I ? However......if you ask the question I'd say the very idea that a player of his status..... would join a club like SFC ...in the bottom 6 ....then the obvious answer - NO ! (not a chance). BUT, strange things happen in the world of football, and my generation recalls a certain European Footballer of the Year... signing for Saints in 1980 .....and the footballing world was shocked. Would a deal like this EVER be considered...not by me, but it might depend ....on how anxious Chelsea are to get a new LB ?.......Who knows ?

Yes ...please try to remember..it happens to all of us at some time, Kraken.....

My rather spontaneous comments seem to have awakened the pedant in several correspondents...but I was looking at it historically and not based recent history of the last 10 years. YES I admit not everyone was born in London, or played for a big London club..BUT generally speaking ..they fall into the category of players of " big reputation", and /or dubious talent who cost pretty big money (at the time)... but whose career / performances can best be described as " disappointing." ....looking back over my decades as a Saints fan, I am always alarmed by the big money purchase of such players and the shortness of their careers. Three of the biggest buys ; Charlie George, Perry Groves and Kerry Dixon played less than 80 games between them. and yet cost huge sums in comparison with their service to the club. YES - one was injured I know, and another perhaps too old to return to the " big time " though many of them (seemingly) couldn't wait to get back to London. We only have ourselves to blame as we were suckered into deals (like the three above) especially Charlie George who was injured when we bought him....and we lured ourselves into parting with considerable chunks of the record fees we received for Martin Chivers (Spurs)...and Alan Shearer ( Blackburn) - who took back a sizeable chunk of the fee when they dumped a disinterested David Speedie on us, and who managed only 11 games..... (NO!.. I never claimed he was born in London)...but we blew most of the rest on Dixon and Groves who played only 24 games between them. Few would deny (with hindsight) that we were well and truly ****** by Spuds on the Gareth Bale deal, as we took Tommy Forecast in part-ex...(the true cost of which may never be revealed )..and then had to settle for a cut-price settlement to offset bankruptcy. Though(historically) we've made money on deals with London clubs, very few have - either been a longer term success, or seemed happy to stay with the club. I hate part-ex deals, as we nearly always get the sh***ty end of the stick and am glad that the AOC deal to Arsenal was cash, and not a part-ex. to offload when our their " second-rate stars". Such deals are rarely successful and frequently a BIG waste of money.

.thank you ....arthritic fingers again .... DAJFU (in the past tense)

...a rather unusual item is the article in the Daily Star where MP (apparantly) praises the talents of Fernando Torres and suggests that the move to Chelsea has ruined his career... OK it maybe a bit of psychological PR, but there a deep vein of admiration running through his comments about the expensive Chelsea " drop out." Just how long Chelsea will continue to subsidize Torres' poor performances is uncertain, but if they decide to cut their losses and sell him off.....where might he go then ? Could it be that there is more than a passing interest in Torres at SMS ?... and that one day he might perhaps move to ........(NO! NO! I'm not going to say it )

maybe a new lease of life in the Championship next season?. Not the most memorable name in the Saints squad perhaps, but he DADFU..when it was needed.

Obviously it's down to the manager (in this case ) ex-manager to select his side and he will play his favourites and obviously Puncheon got in ahead of Mayuka and held his place. Talk about headless chickens though....did people really expect him to come in from day 1 ....and then play out his 5 year contract with 250 games under his belt? .....surely not ? Who knows what the situation maybe... if we have a few injuries, the odd-suspension and someone is left out because of "poor form ", then suddenly those same people will be moaning because we don't have anyone suitable on the bench. I read an article today saying that Chelsea were on track to play 60+ games before the season is out..whilst we will have played just ....40. We need to have some suitable back-up should be be involved in more matches next season ...and have the (above) to consider. I'm sure Mayuka will have his turn ....but later probably rather than sooner.

THX Turkish, I stand corrected, But that was something similar to what I meant.... I only seem to associate Cup Finals with Wembley..a bit of brain fade when it came to ours....at Cardiff.

correct of course, but he loved having him on the bench ..about 20-odd sub. apps last season ..and then there was THAT goal v. Reading ...(who knows?). Whichever way you look at it, it'd be strange if he DIDN'T look to some of our playing staff- especially as there are likely to be so many on the move in the summer....

you're not be the only person to think that Turkish, but NA thought KD was good enough for the Prem. in August.....I wonder if he's changed his mind......or ?

I think the closest that any of our new signings will get to London..... will be Heathrow / Gatwick when they fly in from Spain.

To Reading.....maybe so, but if NA persists with this compensation claim against Saints .....the price will go up another £2 million.......(in order to balance the books). ....but I was wondering ....Do you think ...he might want to take.....Steve De Ridder?...

Why are you asking us, Barry ? ....it was Nicola Cortese's vision from the beginning......Have you asked him? ( or..were you one of those people laughing at him in 2009) There aren't enough crystal balls on this site to give you any sort of a definitive answer, I'm afraid.

It would be nice to think that NA might keep them up, if for no other reason than we'd have no local game to go to if they go down - (now that Pomp*y are out of the picture). IF.... he can save Reading then he will have done a fantastic job....almost on a par with getting us promoted. I do wish him luck, but not at our expense.

I really should have been more specific - shouldn't I ? Half of the players you mentioned came here as boys, and of the others each had different circumstances. Jack Cork has barely arrived...Puncheon waould have been back in London (but for the grace of Cortese)....Perry was too old to get an extension - and glad of the chance to move up, some of the others were sold....or were not good enough...rather wanting away.; BWP, Moran and Ruddock. I was thinking more about the likes of David Webb, Frank Saul, Charlie George, Terry Hurlock, Perry Groves and Kerry Dixon (who came as big money buys at the time).. but never took to life in the south).

Surely threads like this aren't really a fair way to judge any players' value - are they Professor? you've named 10 players .whereas there were half-a dozen others who were fairly certain of at least a bench spot before the named 10 came, and we can still only play 11 men at a time. We saw last season that many players came to SMS who were not upto the standard of " Saints-fit " (whatever that was) and had to wait their turn. Billy Sharp wasn't (when signed), but his goals got us up. No-one has yet succeeded in deposing Rickie Lambert, Schneiderlin, Cork or Lallana and now Shaw are usually on the team sheet before the day of the game, so few others get much of a fair chance to show. Do you /we expect a player to sign one week, go on to play a blinder every game for the first month?....... Does that mean he was a good buy?...even if his form drops off later on? A lot of people on this board were queueing up to sack Jason Puncheon a year ago, but looked what happened.... right now... he looks a very good buy. JayRod and Yoshida have defied the criticism that came .....even before they played, and surely Boruc has to be seen as the automatic No.1 keeper. You never know how a player will develop and if we sign someone for three years, it may take half of that contract before we see their best, and no-one shouldn't be judged on half-a-season.

..you mean I haven't said that before?. .....Nigel Adkins didn't listen to me either.....

Absolutely.....and if CHELSKI are bidding for him then £7 million would only buy his left foot .

Whoa !..careful there Olallana!....you're making TOO much sense for some of the people who read this site. Those who thought Puncheon should have been ditched a year ago...or those who saw Wootton as a better midfielder prospect than Schneiderlin. I recall Chris Marsden being heavily criticised at the start because he was a" journeyman with no roots ", and who didn't have a definite role to play .....he ended up being CM legend.