MarkSFC

You're correct that is our model but missing one very important aspect.....timing. It is NOT develop as quickly as possible and sell as quickly as possible, otherwise they would not of gone down the route of 4,5, & 6 year contracts. Yes, the length of contract helps to increase the selling price but also it extends the time the core of the team is together and slows down the rate of change. But you keep thinking in headlines my friend like the rest of the world.

football, Saints, and this forum is no place for humour.......you should hang your head in shame at even suggesting it.

That's an interesting statement / assumption. You're correct it is easy to give someone a chance to play but there is a difference between developing by playing and being coached/developed outside of competitive play. Puel was dubbed as a coach and as much as I am quite pleased with the change, you cannot always see the effects of training ground coaching immediately. How measure the effect is tricky and in this case only those who saw his training ground coaching will know for sure.

And your point is......

Football is passion and love for your club and if you just happen to feel entertained well there's a bonus going to a match is not aboit entertainment it's about the experience good or bad. Anyone who goes to a game with entertainment as their number one reason does not have an emotional attachment to either team. Plastics in other words.

Thanks for saying!

My thoughts exactly. We are in danger of becoming the new Arsenal but at a level below in that we concentrate too much on potential and forget about improving the now.

40m not enough in today's market so I will add in the 15m for Jrod! Sigurdsson 25m Chalobah 10-12m Sakho 20m

Ever sold a house without telling people how much you want.....you add 10-20% on and then you ****ing negotiate............its not wise to make assumptions about people you do not know. That's very kind of you to say it but I'm sure I'm no more special than you. I guess you're lucky we are doing this online.

True, I did!! That's aside he still comes across poorly and weak to me. I never find him very sincere. Do you think the decision to get rid of Puel was solely his decision? I don't. It will of been a group decision by Kruger, him et al, and I suspect he was convinced rather than convincing them. But when you put yourself out there as the clubs main spokesman you need to sound far more in control, sincere, confident, believable and motivational than he ever does. Time for retirement....

You miss my point totally, that's not what I am saying. Players and Managers have come and gone in order to take the club forward and Reed has overseen that. NOW is the time for Reed to be succeeded to help us progress further. True leaders know when its time to move on.

Its very easy to selectively pick and choose his words, and that's how the press spins things. As far as I make out the intention is not to sell anyone except those who it is best for both parties, so open season. I would rather he said one of two things.....1) yeah we will sell X,Y, and or Z if we get these amounts for them; or 2) we categorically will not sell X,Y, and Z. He has not stemmed possible rumour-mongering and his words are open to any interpretation. Poor leadership. What's worse is that when you listen to him saying those words I get the impression that even he does not believe himself. He stutters, and does not come across at all confident. Poor leadership. He does himself no favours and has the arrogant attitude displayed by so many of our politicians, saying what he perceives to be what people want to see but also towing the party line, without actually saying anything. Poor leadership. I've never been more sure that he has to stand down and appoint his successor.....because he must have a list of who that will be in his master succession plan?!

You can add Sims to that group. I would be pleased with Iheanacho plus one more and sell Long and obviously Jrod.

He isn't but we would still need another anyway. Both him and Christensen?!!

Rather there than Scouseville. 45-50m plus Ake and Baker please.

Brilliant. Thanks for your insight.

Seems very very uninspiring.

Well we sold him for 16m so not that difficult to accept especially given the way the market has risen generally since. I'm not sure he's improved massively but I think after the initial dodgy year at Arsenal he is starting to look more consistent. I'd be happy enough with him coming back and seeing how good he is alongside VVD. IF he hadn't been ours in the first place he fits our usual profile very well....early 20's, (English, bonus), prem experience, lots of potential. Question is can we get better......

Wouldn't be upset to see Lewis Baker become a Saint.

I think it could be very exciting appointing Viera.Everytine I've heard him speak he comes across as someone who knows the game inside out but is very cool cal and collected. Other things I've read suggest he is some who has a coaching philosophy and a management style which promotes calm, unity, and winning. Nearly all of the greatest managers ever started at a club beneath the big club and that is us. He will not be more driven than anyone else. If he were to relatively fail with us that's his career scuppered. Some suggest it's a risk for us it also is for him. He obviously isn't in management for the money because of the wealth he would of got for playing so I think it could be a shrewd move. He is a big name in the game and that could help bring a slightly better quality of player to Saints. All conjecture right now of course but I say get it done Saints!

I think you may well be right. When I read that report I instantly assumed the mystery man was the main target as why name some but not all via the club insider. Although ha ing said that it's probably because they are already in a job, so hopefully the guy from Fulham whose name I can't spell. But when you go to people already employed the list of targets can easily multiply!!

I think it's inaccurate to describe our players as average. Several are very good hence their attractiveness to mkre successful clubs and many a decent pros. In terms of the Premier League then perhaps you could place a few in the average category but it our assessment (and mine) is based on the standards of the best clubs not against every footballer. This is because our expectations have risen and risen, which is good in general but the downside is that we sometimes lose sight of the reality. I think this appointment is possibly the most important since our takeover because the club is determined - verbally at least - to to push for higher domains still. This is great but it needs to be matched by the leader they select and the players we recruit. Get the right man and we attract the 2-3 decent players we need to compliment an already very good group. Last season though the manager got it wrong. I doubt we are in really that close to relegation battles but I see why you might think that. We are 2 summer windows away if the recruiting only focusses on 20-22 year olds. The 2-3 I speak of need to be close to the finished article and probably 25-28. I think thebtype of manager we need is one who can attract players because of him as well as the club and that we are a stepping stone which should be our USP. Hopefully it will all become in a matter of days!!

did that take you ages to come up with that one? jeez......

good luck to him. cheap enough to let him move to a decent enough club whilst we have one or two RBs coming through the ranks anyway who I suppose we think are better prospects.

It's almost like the press/media don't want anyone to break the stronghold if the top 6 teams especially not little Southampton. Can't believe that's what drives this speculation though. Would love to see the public statement from VVD that he wants to move.......surley they having made that up?