Saint86

Fancy us to win the champ. Yes... I actually think we might win something.

I have never felt so enamoured towards another fanbase as i do towards Rangers with this post. They really do get it 😂 In fairness, he would be a good appointment for them - he would dominate in that league no question at all - but as with saints, it would be flattery to deceive, and then being too soft against any serious side they met in europe / celtic.

Agree, but i think the vast majority of people are well aware of this, are pleased that we've got Spors in trying to rebuild the recruitment back to something resembling what we had previously (and after wreck it Rasmus and co dismantled it), and are pleased with the early signs (Will Still, finally singing a pacey and powerful CB, noises from fernandes and negotiating stance re Dibling) - there isn't much to fault Spors' new era on so far?

Looks great, which means it won't happen 😖

No he isn't/wasn't - he played in a shit side with crap service, most of which were bread and butter balls for CBs, and he won more than any other striker. He was also routinely (isolated which made it much easier for CB's to mark him and be comfortable in their positions). Had saints actually been getting down the flanks / to the byline, whipping in crosses rather than over the top balls of deep diagonal crosses, and had players off him, he would have won more and had better stats for assists and chance creation. We were shit, he's a limited striker, but to say he's poor in the air is needless revisionism.

He's a poacher / finisher, and a good one - and his off the ball movement / positioning is also very good from what I've seen. Put a player like that in a side that's dominant and he'll get you goals... sadly I also think his overall ceiling will be limited by his physicality - and by that I don't think he excels in either strength or pace. I hope I am wrong, and I would love to see us give him a go in pre season because the mental side of his game is for me above why of the other strikers we currently have, but as above, I do think he will have a ceiling of champ (sadly) - but we are in the champ, and he's a player that loves the club and would be on cheaper wages - use him as a squad player this year and who knows 🤷

Everything I have seen (even from the all knowing Romano himself) says city get 30% of what Chelsea pay - which will be his £30m release clause. https://www.si.com/soccer/chelsea-sign-liam-delap-report https://www.football365.com/news/chelsea-total-agreement-sign-30m-star-romano-confirms-three-reasons-man-utd-u-turn

There rolling 3 year losses stand at 200M plus. I know what you're saying, but they surely can't be too flush with the cash - the limit is £83M.

In SaintsExtra's case, pretty sure they also pick through saintsweb's "vomit" from time to time 😅😂

Reality is that they'll basically lose money on delap when you consider his signing on fee and any agents fees. Absolutely crazy to sign him for £20M with a 30% sell on clause back to city, and then put a 30M release clause in his contract - it's almost like recruitment and contracts were in different departments that didn't talk to each other. They've essentially lost their best player for zero profit and will need to replace him on a smaller budget - and that was always going to be their best case scenario... He could have flopped and been a £20M waste, and if he did well they would break even at best 😅. Schoolboy stuff from Ipswich 🧑‍🎓

A CB with pace and power that actually wants to be here?!?!?! Plus he's young, hungry, and guaranteed to improve? 😨 I'm dreaming right? What's wrong with him, is he injured? Does he pass like Wanyama? There has to be something...

Apparently Juan is staying at Goztepe next season. How much did Saints pay for him? Anyone know if we've received a loan fee or anything?

Keeping AA is the obvious choice and people are mad to consider selling him for anything other than silly money. He was arguably the best player in the championship in our promotion season, and was top on combined goals/assists from memory?

That close to the start of the season it will be near full strength from both sides you'd imagine.

What a pair...

Leicester forums yesterday saying that Martin is 100% done, that they're also trying to sign someone from saints, and that people's heads will fall off (in a bad way) over who that is... It couldn't be Stephens... could it? Hopefully not Adam Armstrong though...

THB and Edwards as a minimum should be given a chance to see how they play together and whether they can develop. Potentially with an experienced head (fonte esq) to settle things down and take a lead. The objective is to build for the premier league, not sign players like Keane who are already established pros and who are being considered a weak link / excess to requirements in a poor Everton side. Sanda has shown there is some potential to him as well, and in a similar boat there is Charles (in CM). I personally would like to see all them retained and their pathways into the first team and opportunities to develop not being blocked. So, if we are serious about promotion and building a future team for them prem, i think the likes of THB, Edwards, Charles, Downes (if he can sort out his attitude), and Fernandes should all be on a "to be retained" list. And that shouldn't change unless silly money offers are received. Ditto ramsdale... If the club can afford it and we're happy to play hardball. Keep all of them and it's a very solid spine for championship team, and one that has the scope to grow into the next fonte, Spiderman, lallana, Lambert style core of a side.

The CoT were a couple of weeks ago 👀

Will be gutted if Martin goes to Leicester tbh. He is a quality manager and will only have improved by his time with us re the push to the playoffs, winning them, and then the lessons he's doubtless learned in the prem... I think there is a very real risk that Leicester come in and take bazunu, Fraser, Stephens, manning and bednarek all off of us this summer for knock down prices... All of them were invaluable to our promotion push last year and losing them would decimate our defensive capabilities at this level - something we simply can't afford. Stephens especially was imperious at the back, and baz's possession and distribution play were second to none. Fraser as well was a machine on the wing contributing with key goals. Really hoping this season obscures just how good they were and Leicester fail to take them off our hands 😖😬. 👀

Sadly we already have more ample 3rd / 4th CBs 🫣

No smoke without fire. But I wouldn't be surprised if we're after an investor more than a full sale.

The guy is worth barely any more than Solak, his track record in spain isn't remotely impressive (especially given the relative levels of opposition in their 2nd tier), and at least under Solak's more recent tighter control Saints have started to make the right moves? Equally, will he back the club more than Solak has? If the guy had tens of billions i'd be more interested - but is it really a good time to rip everything up and indulge in a load of uncertainty over an increase in owner wealth from £1.5B to £2B? Could this be as an investor / co-owner perhaps?

Strong first interview from him i thought. He's calm and unassuming, but you can see how his self confidence and belief has grown across his numerous interviews so far. I do think that dealing with our dressing room (morale / exits / turnover) and the pressures of immediate promotion will be a significant challenge for him (and to me, this is where the risk lies), but his general man malmanagement and tactical nous seem to be his strong points. Over to him and Spors now for what needs to be a very strong summer - but so far, Spors has made solid moves and hit any targets i could have set (i.e., sort out the recruitment team after SR/ RA previously gutted it, and made a solid managerial appointment - all in good order before the summer). It seems like we're in safe hands post Solak getting more involved / shaking the tree.

I think there is a pretty good chance that Leicester will get a transfer embargo myself.