Saint-Armstrong

As said in the other thread... Blackmore speaking to Koeman before press conference.

Blackmore speaking to Koeman before press conference.

Well that goes against Monk's reports...

Fans will be getting monthly insight from behind-the-scenes at Saints, as part of a new documentary. Taster:

Adam Blackmore confirms that it's been checked out by BBC, and Atlético Madrid HAVE broken the terms of the loan agreement and missed the deadline.

Are people really getting into a tizz over some Spurs-fed media drawl from their London contacts? Let's just wait and see how this plays out. As far as I can see, nobody has agreed a fee and nobody has permission to discuss a contract with Toby.

http://sport.bt.com/live-football-on-bt-sport-S11376627423099

Simon Peach: I am led to believe Dani Osvaldo cost #SaintsFC in the region of £25million when you add up transfer fee, wages & termination agreement.

http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/article/20150701-dani-osvaldo-southampton-contract-terminated-2518604.aspx

Clyne: "Rodgers told me he can do one-on-ones with me if it helps and do individual training sessions. I'm looking forward to it."

I don't really mind that he's left. Not irreplaceable, but a deal that makes sense for all involved.

Leicester City Football Club has today (Tuesday) relieved its First Team Manager, Nigel Pearson, of his duties. The Board of Directors recognises the success Nigel has helped to bring to Leicester City during his two spells in charge of the Club, particularly during the last three and a half years. However, it has become clear to the Club that fundamental differences in perspective exist between us. Regrettably, the Club believes that the working relationship between Nigel and the Board is no longer viable. Leicester City’s owners, Vichai and Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, and the Board of Directors would like to place on record their thanks to Nigel for the considerable contribution he has made during his time with the Club and wish him well in the future. Khun Vichai and Khun Top remain wholly committed to the Club’s long-term development and to on going investment in a squad that will continue to be competitive in the Premier League. We trust that the Club’s supporters will recognise that the owners have always acted with the best interests of the Club at heart and with the Club’s long-term future as their greatest priority. Craig Shakespeare and Steve Walsh will take charge of first team duties while the Club begins its recruitment of a new manager. There will be no further comment until this process has concluded.

Being reported by John Percy (reliable Midlands football reporter for the Telegraph), as being due to a breakdown of his relationship with the board.

Thank you, that just isn't how it works. The nationals can't just have freelancers turning in whatever they like to a national and it going straight onto the page. Sub-editors are important, and can obviously work either way. Some people have good relations with subs, some don't - there are numerous reasons as to why. To suggest that you really thought that writers get to choose their own headlines just shows a general lack of understanding. Spot on. Nationals can't be employing an army of full-time staff to cover clubs like Saints and now, Bournemouth. They'll always need to 'rent an ear' and get anything that happens passed on to them. Some of it goes into the papers, some of it doesn't - but it's all kept for the purposes of knowledge. The Desmond point is also correct - it's why they're prepared to pay a bit more to freelancers, to keep their paper filled with copy.

Steve, I agree with you on this. If things are being sent out in your name, from your company - then you're associated with it. I just wanted to make the point that he hadn't written this one. I fully agree that it's a naff, pointless article that serves no real purpose, that has then been twisted by someone at the Daily Star for their own intentions.

I take your point Trousers. However, to return serve - as it were - these papers don't 'listen' to freelancers. If a freelancer starts getting a bit too authoritative, or starts whining at them, guess what... they just use someone else. I don't know about finances and people situations, but I'd suggest losing a contract for a top-half Premier League club's coverage (and possibly Bournemouth too, now they're on the radar) in the national sport pages over it probably isn't financially worthwhile for the freelancers - who traditionally have little by way of security. I do accept that it's pretty naff and should be challenged if possible, though. I totally understand your point in them being 'complicit' too, if absolutely nothing is said.

I'm not going to sit here, biting my tongue and pretend I have nothing to do with Alex - as many of you will know, I do. I've worked for him as a freelancer, and I've spent time inside M & Y's offices, so I feel as if I can offer up a bit of truth here. He's done me a turn, as someone who is now writing for a few national titles as well as covering matches and doing interviews of a weekend for various outlets alongside my studies - I owe a lot of thanks to him. In an industry as competitive as journalism, I'm pretty thankful to him for taking a punt on me and putting me in touch with some pretty helpful people that have put me ahead of the competition, at this stage. The same goes for a couple of the guys working at Saints, who've been helpful to me also over the past couple of years, so I like to think I can see it from both sides (especially as a fan of the club) - and try to be a fair judge. It's only fair and balanced that I put that out there, rather than put out a thinly-veiled attempt at defending anyone with my adjudged vested interests. So basically, I have five points to make. 1) Freelance journalists do not write the headlines 2) Alex Crook is on holiday in Cornwall and did not write the article 3) Daily Star will have requested that article and written their own headline 4) The copy begins with the focus on Schneiderlin 'waiting' - not 'forced to train with the kids' - typically that's where a journalist indicates the 'angle' 5) It's a pretty empty article, and doesn't feature anything particularly 'newsworthy' for us - but it might be of service some of the Daily Star's readership While Alex didn't send the copy out, it is Alex who has the contacts at the Daily Star and his name is on the email address used to send copy out for nationals to pick up - which is why he'll have his name on it. It'll have come to exist because the Daily Star requested a 'latest' on Morgan's move to United - and as sport pages go, the Daily Star pay surprisingly well. In summary, it's a pretty naff article with a sensationalist headline forged for click bait, which doesn't represent the piece with great accuracy - best ignored. It's not helpful, though, I agree. For what it's worth, Jim Lucas has highlighted on Twitter that his gripe is with the paper, not so much the writer...

Hiddink has resigned...

Daily Star with a snap of him in Liverpool.

Indeed, he did. Here he is with our new keeper, Maarten Stekelenburg.

Wait, are we talking about Adam Lallana, as in, Adam Lallana... the 'Everton fan' ?