ChrisPY

Great cause. Any reason Joel and Nish sticking burger cheese on their face was filmed at St Mary’s?

————————McCarthy———————— ——Vestergaard—Yoshida—Bertrand—— Ward-Prowse——————————Targett ——————Hojberg—Romeu—————— ———Armstrong————Elyounoussi——— ———————Gabbiadini————————-

Has Skacel signed yet?

If he's not happy then he's not happy. Could be personal, could be football related but don't see why he should pretend to be on top of the world to keep other people pleased.

Agree. He's getting paid lots of money so should have no emotions. No idea if he has personal issues but either way, they shouldn't stop him from being happy and good at football.

He led Northern Ireland to a major tournament. They tend to be **** at football. He played a significant role in them being good. MBEs are given for contribution to sport.

It's just going to add another level to the chain. Not sure it makes any difference to us. Our best players will still go to the bigger clubs in England with a few bypassing that and going straight to China. Nice to see the big English clubs on the back foot but it's just more money being pumped into certain clubs that will increase the gap in the levels.

Shouldn't be difficult to find anyone else dodgy in football. Who else has Scott McGarvey attached himself to?

Wasn't it mentioned that the assistant had also managed in the premier league on day 1? Was always going to be Black or Keith Millen.

If the thread title was 'Dave Kitson claims saints academy is criticised inside football' would anyone be taking it seriously?

Another pre season and another 'meltdown' with the sale of 2 of our first 11. It's left the press asking how long can we continue to sell our best players and keep improving? But surely it's better to have a club where players believe they can play at the highest level, believe they can rub shoulders with the players at the biggest clubs and believe they are better than mid table Southampton? Why would we want someone who believes there are far better players, so when they visit Old Trafford, Stamford Bridge etc. That they hope, rather than believe they can win. Signing winners who are full of self belief is what gives us an edge over other mid table sides. We will never be a big English club. We don't have the history and we don't have the money. We can still (and I believe we have) created a culture of progression and success that is relative to a club of our size. I realise my argument has become broader than the original question, however are people happy supporting a club that is set up to remain in the Premier League but never truly challenge the top clubs in England?

Insigne is more of a West Ham/Stoke/Everton signing. Despite the 'vocal minority' our fans are reasonably happy to trust the club and don't expect too many 'statement' signings. Don't think we'll sign any big name players this summer but doesn't mean we won't bring in a little bit more quality.

Mourinho wanted 4 main signings which he's got. He's also said he'd look to bring in other players but happy with squad. Reckon United might have put a bid in based on what they value Fonte at. Didn't meet our valuation and United didn't want to up their bid. Jose would have been happy either way. Stay somewhere he's settled and loved by the fans or get a chance at a massive club.

No Rooney is my only concern. He's hardly been box to box so not sure he needs resting. Been consistent and from the outside he looks a good captain and someone the younger players look to for guidance if things don't go to plan. Could be a problem if we go 1 down.

Hart Clyne Smalling Cahill Bertrand Wilshire Dier Henderson Lallana Vardy Sturridge Should have enough to get a win. Think Wales will draw so matching that would be enough anyway.

Allegedly tried blackmailing Valbuena over a sex tape.

Think that's pretty much why he won't be dropped. Agree he's not performing particularly well, but Forster would be a risk and if it doesn't pay off, we'd be relying on an even less confident Hart or Tom Heaton.

Team v Slovakia Hart Clyne Stones Smalling Bertrand Wilshire Dier Rooney Lallana Kane Vardy

No, they'll only actually do anything for issues inside the stadium.

Stan Collymore running around Lille, thinking he's Ross Kemp, getting tear gassed, shouting 'journaliste' and grassing up a Russian is well worth a watch.

First appointment I remember was Strachan even the Dave Jones was in charge when I went to my first game. The news came up on teletext that WGS had got the job. He was well down the list of who I wanted!

UEFA have never punished a nation for trouble that's happened outside a stadium. They'll leave that to the police to prosecute individuals. That's why the only punishment handed out from Marseille was to the Russians for their behaviour in the stadium. We won't be kicked out of the tournament.

Agree you've given example of better results but would argue that the team performance tonight was a lot closer to being a top international team than anything in the last 20 years. Better finishing and we'd have comfortably won this game. For me, Sterling doesn't offer enough defensive protection so Rose will be vulnerable against better opposition but we had a great balance in the midfield that we haven't had for years because of the obsession with playing Lampard and Gerrard together. If we could just knock a few years off the defence of the 00s of Cole Terry Ferdinand and we'd have something special!

What does that tell you about the constant underachieving in between?! Best performance in a tournament game SINCE 96 (not better than 96) isn't a bad assessment. Can't think of any better. Not anywhere near good enough to be thinking about winning it but there's definitely something to build on.

Can't see Everton breaking into the top 6 in the next 5 years. The sort of player they'd need to attract just won't want to join them.They,re the 4th biggest club in the north west with the 4th best manager. Man City will offer more money, champions league football and Pep. Man United can offer European football and Jose. Liverpool have proved last year they can perform in Europe, can offer the chance to work with Klopp and as it is apparently so important, a far greater history than Everton. and all of that is before mentioning the clubs that can offer the big city life in London that Everton will have to compete against in Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs. If they'd had a big investment 10 years ago, Everton could have transformed themselves into a club the size of Chelsea and Spurs. Not a massive club, but one that can push for titles and regularly compete in Europe. They didn't so have fallen back into the next group of clubs, West Ham, Southampton, Stoke. We're clubs that don't have the big money (£100m will be nothing to the big clubs this summer). We have 2 choices in the transfer market. We can either go for big names who have never hit the top (Shaquiri, Bojan, Afellay) or we can set up a scouting system that looks across the world for hidden talents waiting to be unearthed that nobody has taken a gamble on before. The former option is easier but will cost you more in wages and you have to question why it hasn't worked for these players before despite their obvious talent. The latter option involves more risk and takes time to build the network that will make sure you are making the right decisions but when it works, you can find some real gems (mane, payet etc.). To go and spend as much as they have on a manager hints that Everton will choose the former option in their hunt for instant success. Southampton are the opposite, we've created a system where the manager of the first team isn't so important that we can't afford to let him go (if we'd matched Everton's offer he'd probably have stayed). We've got a structure where we can bring someone else into the fold with minimum effort, something that could and probably would if it weren't for the pr gaffes, been seamless. When Cortese and Liebherr first came in, they spoke about 'The Southampton Way', creating a playing style that we would become known for but it's become more than that, it's a culture that's been created where the club is more important than one or two individuals who will come and go. Everton have proved with this appointment that they are willing to throw money at problems to try and solve them. I'd rather do things 'The Southampton Way' than risk the future of my football club.