georgeweahscousin

Similar to Ramirez, a lot of what he does won't come off, but when it does it can be special. Fans will have to show patience. Nice touch to completely mug off Lovren for our goal.

For Southampton, the transfer window became a revolution. Full-on right the way through" is the verdict of Les Reed, Southampton's executive director. "And it hasn't stopped." Manager Mauricio Pochettino left in the summer – along with six first-team players for fees totalling £95m – replaced by a new manager, Ronald Koeman, and seven players costing £47.4m. Today the rebuilt Saints face their first test, away to Liverpool, who include two of the players sold to the Reds, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren, while a third, the injured Adam Lallana, looks on. "I think the perception is that there was just a queue of players waiting to knock on my door and be the next one out," Reed, the reluctant architect of that rebuilding, told The Independent on Sunday. But he rejects talk of a "fire sale" and believes that the media overreacted to a situation whose catalyst was the departure of Pochettino for Tottenham Hotspur on May 27. "It was sudden," the former FA Technical Director, England coach and – for 41 days in 2006 – manager of Charlton Athletic said. "We had to identify a new manager, the right person for our vision and our structure, and we think we have. Ronald was at the top of a very short list." But even Koeman's arrival could not prevent Lallana following Lambert to Anfield and Luke Shaw joining Manchester United. And Lovren began to press publicly to join the exodus, which would also include Calum Chambers to Arsenal. "When players know that a big club is looking to bring them in, they dream of big and better things," Reed said. "You tell them that they might be better staying here, but once their heads are turned, you've got to make a judgement. You have to be fairly detached and businesslike about it." How did Koeman react? "He knew exactly where we were. But we had to dispel the myths and rumours and make it clear that this was a club that was going forward. And this was amid incredible speculation that the club was about to implode, which we knew couldn't have been further from the truth. It was frustrating." Fans, though, found events hard to square with Reed's statement in April that players were not for sale. "My message had been that we didn't need to sell, so there was no point in predators coming along thinking there was a fire sale and that there would be easy pickings. Every club has offers made for their players. We were in a position to remain very strong and make sure that the prices we got were acceptable and so we set the benchmark very high and it was up to clubs to match that." Yet when they did, with no replacements signed, speculation was fuelled that Katharina Liebherr, the owner, was asset-stripping in preparation for selling up. Not so, Reed says. "Katharina Liebherr made an amazing impact when she came in on a more hands-on basis and internally the club was extremely motivated. But it would have been wrong to present a new coach with a squad he hadn't had any contribution to assembling. Now it's as if the pendulum has swung the other way and we're landing targets." They include England goalkeeper Fraser Forster, Serbia playmaker Dusan Tadic and forwards Graziano Pelle and Shane Long. But could Saints have kept more of the team that finished eighth in the Premier League last season? "We would have been very happy to keep all those players," Reed said. "But I think the media frenzy and the rumours in the background and the perception made it very difficult once bids started to come in. And it was all very public. Once that happens, players believe the rumours. "But we got good prices and we know now that every single player in the squad wants to be here. If you're going to be successful you've got to have that, but if you've got three, four, five players who are affecting that environment, then you have to make some cold decisions. "I think the fans recognised those signs and symptoms and the majority have been brilliant, very supportive. They know we're working through this and building a team again for the future." Having already won at Anfield managing Benfica in 2006, Koeman is not only looking forward to his baptism in English football but feeling bullish. "If you'd like put some money on us to go down, I think you will lose it," he said. "What I see in the pre-season is that we are a much better team than other teams in the Premier League."

No Boruc or Ramirez in the travelling party apparently (from the same guy who tweeted the Morgan picture). Katherina 'not interested in the club' Liebherr travelled with the squad and is staying in the same hotel......

georgeweahscousin.com (me basically):- 1. Chelsea 2. Manchester City 3. Arsenal 4. Manchester United 5. Liverpool 6. Spurs 7. Everton 8. Stoke City 9. Newcastle United 10. Southampton 11. QPR 12. Swansea City 13. Hull City 14. West Ham 15. Sunderland 16. Crystal Palace 17. Aston Villa 18. Leicester City 19. WBA 20. Burnley

Spurs to deny them Europe.

Yeah I found it bizarre too, though he insists that Ice Hockey is way more popular than football there. Which pub on the Island?

The 'bit part heroes' thread prompted this.... A colleague of mine is Latvian, we got talking a while a go, and amazingly he had never heard of Marian Pahars. I told him all about him and he was intrigued. A few days later he said he had spoken to his friend back in Riga who works for the Latvian FA (in what capacity I'm not sure, administrative by the sound of it), he said if I ever wanted to speak to Marian just let him know and he would arrange an interview.... ...anyway.... ....said colleague went on his annual three week holiday back to his home country. He told me to give him something to sign as he will visit his friend at the Latvian FA and he can pass it on. I made a montage picture of the build up to, his goal, and celebreation against Pompey (so I can frame it). When he arrived at the Latvian FA HQ his friend said that Marian was on a day's holiday but he could leave the picture and he would get him to sign it. At this point Pahars' secretary interrupted and said I'll call him. She phoned Marian, who promptly said he would come in especially to sign it. My colleague spoke to him and apparently he spoke of Saints and his goal v Pompey with a clear glee. He also made it very clear that I could contact him through the Latvian FA any time if I wanted to speak to him for the website etc. There is nothing really to this story, other than it can be filed in the small but cherished 'Not all footballers are selfish, arrogant ****s' folder. Can't wait to get the picture (which the Latvian FA have couriered so it didn't get damaged).

Lowdown (with added WBA input):- http://georgeweahscousin.com/2014/08/14/the-long-and-the-short-of-it-shane-is-a-saint/

Lowdown:- http://georgeweahscousin.com/2014/08/14/the-long-and-the-short-of-it-shane-is-a-saint/ WBA answers to come.

Lowdown:- http://georgeweahscousin.com/2014/08/14/way-to-ro-florin-gardos-the-lowdown/

As mush as Cork has done a good job for us, who in reality, has him in the starting XI if the whole squad is fit? I don't. If he has been told he isn't first choice (pre-season selections would certainly suggest it) can you really blame him for wanting to go? The price is low, but that is due to his lack of contract. I wish him all the best, for me we have better.

Taking advantage of the situation. It would appear that Long wants out, his family are unsettled in the North. If they can make a tidy profit on him after only six months and reinvest it in another forward then makes sense.

Bloody hell, I'm not Long's biggest fan but he is better than all of those. By some distance in most cases.

Presume he will be seen as someone who can play wide or in the lone striker role.

Not my first choice as a signing, but as a squad player he is a vast improvement on Sharp/Mayuka. On his day he is an absolute nuisance, but his goal record in the Premier League is very poor and I don't think he has those days that often. Will be happily, and hopefully proved wrong.

This might work, but only if idiots don't use it. Much like the self service tills in supermarkets, they should make it quicker, but too many fools use them and actually make it slower.

I think this actually works out ideal in all cases. Boruc is 34 and has one year left on his contract. All he has to do is play backup for Saints in his final year (still playing in cups etc.), before getting a pat on the back and a free transfer move. Something that will enable him to go and finish his career at his beloved Legia Warsaw. Would they be able to buy him now? I'm not sure, especially as they have just lost expected CL income. If he is prepared to play ball, I think this could actually be a very amicable situation. Saints have a long term keeper, and Boruc can leave with his head held high, having completed a brilliant turnaround in the eyes of the fans given his dreadful start at St. Mary's.

Goal 2

Doing some research for a traditional 'Lowdown' piece on Gardos. Remember Raducanu? He scored Steaua's goal at St. Mary's in the UEFA cup in 2003, and then the winner in the away leg. Anyway... ...he now plays for FC Romania in the Essex Senior Premier League. Irrelevant but interesting. [video=youtube;oKZY4RL-rV4]

Personally, I'd be amazed if he A) Plays at Anfield (not had a minute's pre-season in a Saints shirt) and B) is still a Saints player come September 1st. I resigned myself to him going ages ago, once Spurs meet the asking price I don't doubt for a second he will be gone. Koeman does not want people who don't want to be here in the squad.

Did some digging and it would appear that Gardos' injury is cranium localum. It is an affliction suffered previously by both Dejan Lovren and Calum Chambers, where you head is temporarily detached from your body and often in a completely different city. The remedy is simple. Allow the body to rejoin it at it's own request, experimental and costly but effective.

I enjoy them, and it's become quite a nice tradition for the site. More of the effort comes from the guests who answer the questions to be honest. The brain fade is all mine.... Cheers for pointing it out!

(not so) Lowdown:- http://georgeweahscousin.com/2014/08/09/the-great-wall-fraser-forster-the-not-so-lowdown/

Well this is brilliant. https://twitter.com/niallmcfc_/status/498144924207169536

Covered.