david in sweden

Am I the only person who recalls Mr. Gao saying (on Day 1) that he wasn't going to make investments and expected the club to be self-sufficient?. A few years back the Chinese Govt. encouraged their rich businessmen to invest in European football, but now they have made an about turn and Mr. Gao's is stuck between a rock and a hard place . He can't sell and recoup his original investment, yet is supposed to divest himself of his commitment in order to to placate the Chinese regime... or face repercussions. This sort of unfair (fan) criticism of Mr. Gao really should stop now. Prem. clubs are well-used to big investment from billionaires around the World, (who will invest " their lunch money " just for fun) but in China even the richest men cannot put two fingers up to their Government, or they may get them cut off - along with their heads. (No joke - as not so long ago a leading Chinese finance man suffered that fate, and the Chinese make up the laws / rules - as it suits them. I commend Mr. Gao for his original move, but in the present circumstances no-one can reasonably expect him to become even more involved.

Agreed CB. obviously Villa are dipping their toe into the market, but with regard to the " suggested bid " , quoted above.... I'd say £25 mill. is for his left foot....... what price for his right?

Few of us could blame Danny for wanting to get the best out of his career - whilst it lasts, but despite all the positives there doesn't seem to be a queue at the door to buy him. IF ...he stays until the end of his contract he'll be going on 30 and perhaps even fewer "big clubs" likely to take him on - even as a free transfer - If that is the case then our 4 year deal may look more attractive by this time next year.

In a footballing world where 65% of the players are imported, it's good to see the club standing by a local fella' who has been associated with the club for almost 18 years already.... we can certainly claim that "he's one of our own" and deserves another chance. His injury was about as bad as one can imagine and Ralph was certainly right in saying that it would take some sort of a miracle for Sam to get upto speed for the Premiership - BUT stranger things have happened. (the comparison with Danny Ings' situation is inevitable -except that Danny had two knee ops. before coming back after 2 years). We can only hope that Sam recovers enough to get " some sort of a career " whilst he's still young enough to cut it. Considering the comment (from some above) about a waste of money to keep him on.... I think the club have "wasted " enough money in the recent past on worse talents, that a small outlay for someone so connected with the club shouldn't be "beyond the pale" , and may even prove to be a good investment if he gets to play again.

The most difficult positions to fill (historically), and few mature so early in their careers. Most goalies don't make it into a Prem. side until their mid/ late twenties (will watch Angus Gunn's progress ) but Ben White was a late developer who didn't impress that much as a teenager, but it's interesting to note that he wasn't the only CB we lost along the way. Tyrone MIngs was shown the door along with others (around 2010) after Nicola Cortese dumped the Academy scheme - as a cost-saving measure, and then spent the money .... on the likes of Ramirez and Osvaldo.(!) Short term gain - long term pain.

I think your suggested dialogue (above) was about right. Having a 19 year old demanding a transfer because he wasn't chosen for the first team ...shows a lot of bravado to say the least, but I don't see it washing with Ralph. Well....he got his debut and 2 minutes of infamy that didn't help our GD last season. Talented he may have been, but the MU Game wasn't his only red card in a Saints shirt. In the first half of last season with the B team... he got half-a dozen yellow cards and a red too. Perhaps shows another side of his character that future clubs will want to look at carefully.

Oops ! .. I thought this thread was supposedly about the Euro 2020 football tournament ... and the England team's performance under penalty expert Gareth Southgate ... I'll go away and find another subject .....

In tournaments like this, you need "game-changers " to come on and DAJFU, and not just a row of subs. on the bench who need a run-out. Excluding Ings and JWP may cost England before the show is over. It isn't a case of if " they are better than .....so and so. ", but for Southgate to leave out two successful players in favour of two who are totally unfit .... is plain stupidity. If their presence is so important to the squad, they might just as well sit in the dressing room wearing their England blazers and give their support. As it is, GS gave over two places to men who are clearly unfit to play, and neglected two who (on stats) might clearly have made a difference. In the Croatia match, England had two free kicks that didn't even clear the wall, whereas JWP would have had meaningful efforts on goal. Danny Ings' skill in the box is legend, but no-one in the current squad shows anything near his ability to finish decisively.

Hoedt must have "looked good " in teams before he got to us, but often players become the "square peg" in a new club, and don't ever fit in. This was certainly the case with Hoedt, and his outspoken reaction to being dropped / blamed for team errors didn't help his case either. My input is that many players look good in a successful team, (or are stand-out players in a poor side), but that doesn't help if they join a new club and are asked to play another role, or in another formation. The footballing nous, or talent they had learnt before just goes to waste. Looking at Hoedt's performances with Saints, few of us would deny that is didn't work out, but there is a footballer in there somewhere and it would be nice to think that despite all the strife in between, he may get the chance to kick start his career before it's too late.

Agree with Harv. Some players advance well, but there is still a lot of distance between the B team, and a realistic chance to take over a CB spot from Vestergaard or Bednarek and with Salisu on the way in, unfortunately Alfie would have a long wait to get a real chance of first team football. I'm glad for his sake that he has got a real chance of a higher level of football, remembering that there are still a lot of good sides in the Championship.

Very difficult for young keepers to make a real impression. Nearly every Prem. side has an experienced and /or International keeper and many play well into their 30's.

Maybe but he'd be a long way behind Bellingham...

We can always smuggle him through the Channel Tunnel, and hope no-one notices ....

Lewis signed very young from ..Shrewsbury (?) and has had a loan out chance in Scotland, but somehow is still here. Goalkeeping is a strange position to progress in - especially for a young man. Whilst outfield players can get their debut games as teenagers, many keepers still haven't made their mark when well into their twenties. Biggest problem is understudying an established international who has the first team spot and can play well into their 30's. (Don't know who the youngest "regular " Prem. keeper is ?....but there can't be so many). Those "Saints " who came young but later fell by the wayside include players like Bialkowski and Gazzaniga who had a few chances, but often failed to impress when called upon in an emergency when it mattered most. Even now many cannot agree on whether McCarthy or Forster should our best first choice custodian, and so Lewis' future is still in limbo. He may well get more B team chances, but our best young keeper of late is probably Jack Bycroft.

If Jack G. doesn't win a medal with England, he can try out for the Diving team in the Olympics ....

For all round ability, JWP should have been in the group to start with, and not scrapping for a sub. spot in the 26. If there is a better free kick specialist (than JWP) in the 26 squad, I can't really see who they are?. TAA took one free kick in the first friendly game which was in a prefect position for JWP (had he been playing), but Trent didn't even manage to clear the wall in front of him, let alone going for a shot goal. I'll be counting the free kicks England get in the group stages and see how they manage without either JWP or TAA.

Of course disappointed for JWP, but history shows that most players in the " bigger teams " get first choice - if only to safeguard that player's valuation to his club. Two very poor friendly games against sub-standard opposition have convinced Southgate that he has the right combination. At a time when two of his key choices are fighting their way back from injury Gareth has adopted the " Big Lie " that even if they don't play - they will be an asset to have around the kids in his squad. They could do that by sitting in the dressing room wearing their England blazers and let him choose two other players who are match fit. The pathetic sight of Henderson " pulling rank " on Calvert-Lewin and then failing to score from a penalty maybe a precursor to him missing another when we have a penalty shoot-out at some crucial time in the tournament. JWP will come again, and hopefully have better chance in the World Cup, (after playing every minute of games next season), and Southgate will recall too late that the old football adage " you don't win things with kids", may come back to haunt him when he sees how they compete against a top class " men's team " - provided England get past the group stages.

some of these enlightening reports aren't that shocking, but are surely amp-le enough.

I thought Elyounoussi played as a left winger at Basel ?...(you remember those types who used to run the line - before we got wingbacks) I think he's had a similar role at Celtic, and has certainly scored a lot of goals and made assists for them. He seemed to be stuck in a midfield role with Saints, but ANYONE who can score goals in our side ought to be playing up top.

..Surely Pompey already rate as " an obscure European side " - don't they ? We may not be in the EU anymore, but they would still qualify geographically-speaking. Q - Do you need a special vaccination to visit Fratton Park?

Gradually we see the names of those Academy lads who - along with many others - just " don't make the cut " and end up leaving the club. The brutal truth is that the higher you climb the tree, the further it is to fall and sometimes it isn't even your own fault. Although results show that Saints may not be the best in the Premier League, we are still amongst the top 20 clubs in the country, and that means that someone like Matt Targett - good as he was - weren't better than the likes of Ryan Bertrand at the time, and whereas experience is a key factor in many professions, every passing birthday means that Prem. footballers are that much closer to a VERY early retirement. Those lads who get into the system at junior school level, and later into an Academy have a very short time to establish themselves before reaching the next level and maybe even a seat on the first team bench - without ever getting a Premiership debut, means tough decisions have to be made. Many fall by the wayside yet still go on to make careers in the game and a CV that Includes Saints' Academy is still a very good recommendation for those who maybe starting out at a club - at a somewhat lower level . The stats. of young players who actually make it to a Prem. debut are so incredibly small (0.05 %) that you wonder how they ever made it. In that respect Saints have produced a long list that began with; Theo Walcott, Gareth Bale, Alex Ox-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers ..etc, all of whom went onto clubs who had "sugar-daddies " to meet their every need, whilst Saints needed to "sell to survive" but nearly always left us with the short end of the deal, and the vain hope that "big money buys" might succeed instead. Many youngsters who depart should take encouragement from a list of names that does NOT show on the Board at Staplewood, who also left the club at an early age. That list began in Lawrie McMenemy's time, with ....Dennis Wise and Kevin Phillips, and in later years has included the likes of ; Danny Ings, Tyrone Mings and Ben White (whose name recently turned up in the latest England squad). Some youngsters who never get near a pro. football career, may end up playing Sunday league, or just quit to start another profession. Those who persist with " their dream " will find the path is a bit steeper, but need the reassurance that in life ..some things may take a little longer...

I never like criticising the team I've supported for over 60 years, but today ...! ...*!# /// *^^ ? Ralph was correct in saying it was the worst display of the season, (and probably a few other seasons, too). All this nonsense about giving grades to our players was out of the door. Who was the worst of the worst ? Given the injury situation we picked the strongest side available, but we have so few alternatives just now. We need two, perhaps three more wins to feel safe, but on this display ....where are they coming from? The only plus was that after a very long drought Ché Adams has 3 goals in the last 3 games ...as for the rest? Right now only a Cup Final place would brighten life, but after today's show, I'm beginning to doubt that possibility.

Cedric has made an " extra career " by playing both RB and LB at Arsenal, but I don't see Bertrand managing that - after last night's performance. Clearly we need to get a good LB who can DAJFU at Prem. level for the next 4-5 years, and quite frankly ..." it a'int gonna be ' im " . A more mature Vokins?, or A.N. Other ?... but somehow this must be resolved in the summer.

After trying to wade through Turkish's hate mail, I thought* might some comment of the match. If McCarthy continues to be Ralph's first choice, then we need a quick re-think. He might surely have done... a bit better. However, watching replays of the action, it seemed as though he was moving in slow-motion on occasions. I'm sure there was some truth in Pep's comment about how he was impressed by our first half performance, but clearly City had players who could finish... .and we didn't. As he remarked..they paid the money and got the right players who could. Good points?...Salisu looked better at LB than he does as a CB, but clearly Bertrand is not an option at RB. Jack Stephens looks better in midfield than he does in the back line, and Diallo continues to improve. Ché Adams ..." has taken the top off the Ketchup bottle ", but really should stay upfield, and JWP clocked up most miles again. I liked Ralph's comment about .." playing Champions League matches on Wednesdays " ..and returning to reality at weekends, and going after the 3 points. Of course the result was disappointing, if not somewhat predictable but if only we could play two halves like the first 45 mins. we'd all be happier, regardless of results. Right now, there is no quick fix now and the problems at the back AND those up front will (hopefully) be resolved in the summer.

I agree with almost every word Turkish. Many people think there is a natural progression through the Academy and U23 / B sides and onto the bench. The reality is that around 50% never get past the U18 stage, and only a handful of the eventual U23's ever make it to a matchday squad. In part, because the " regular " first-teamer holds good form and is seldom injured, but mostly because they don't have " what it takes ". The demands of anyone coming into a Prem. side and playing against experienced internationals is enormous, and cannot be compared to the "boys game " at the lower level, and even a few good games is no guarantee of a promising career. Prowsey's 300 up ..disguises the fact that Ralph is the first manager to put any real faith in him, and he was often used as a sub.in or as injury replacement by previous regimes. Those we have seen " graduate " to the bench this season have done so through necessity because of Injuries / suspensions /etc. The club is in for another generational shift. Koeman brought in 8 new players in his first year and fortunately most of them turned out to be good buys. Now Ralph will need to take a good long look at those remaining at season's end... and make some big decisions.