melmacian_saint

I think MP got an offer (or more than one, but considered this one), got to the end of the season, asked Kruger "what's the big idea", Ralph said "err...err...this!", MP didn't enjoy the reply, called his agent, negotiated, asked his staff and off we go! I'm worried about how this was openly discussed in the media. Maybe an indication that if it is Saints related and pops up on the BBC, it may actually, really be happening? Also I wonder if Reed's statement at the end of the season came as a result of this too. Maybe he could smell the coffee, and tried to show commitment to Mauricio (clearly not enough to convince him of the rest of the boards commitment)? Anyway, life goes on.

Since when do the BBC chase ex-chairmen of football clubs all across Europe?? Even that Fernandes fella at QPR only got an interview in London! In all fairness, Saints are surrounded by some tinpot, attention-seeking, pretentious wannabe journos. Connor Armstrong (I just can't stand him) and Ben Smith for a start.

Atletico, despite having been through rough times, are the 3rd biggest club in Spain and certainly the only besides Real and Barça to have a solid nationwide fan base. So the comparison is misleading and extremely wrong. The question should be: can we be Deportivo, or at least be Wolfsburg? That of course, can happen. But it takes time, luck (transitional periods of bigger teams, perfectly complimentary team with great synergies) and even then it may not happen. We can push forward, but the Atletico level of success, I'd argue, takes decades to build for a club which is starting off from almost 0 trophies.

What I do know is that we'll feel lucky to have UKIP when we have a look at the sort of mentalists that will be coming to the EP from all the different European countries. If you think UKIP is a racist hell hole only surpassed by the BNP, think again when you hear about the Lega Nord, the FN or some of the outright fascist, sectarian parties of some Eastern European countries.... And yes, we will have something to do with them. We will share a Parliament with them, and there's nothing we can do about it. You can bring them into LBC every week, get Sky, C4 or the BBC to provide the biggest hatchet jobs ever. It won't matter. This country, despite all its historical and current woes, does not realize its luck in having such a stable democratic system capable of debating issues and discussing troubles, even if in a rather bloody-minded, fickle or angry manner.

I don't support UKIP, nor do I believe that Farage has always come across nicely and clearly, but I'm afraid my opinion of journalists (apart from a few sports narrators/presenters/reporters) keeps going down every day. For all their "open perspective and mind" imagery, they strike me as very angry people who are essentially on a mission to demonize people's lives irrespective of their ideas and personalities, having no problem in casting judgement over everyone and everything, and preaching absolute truths whilst hiding from attack and questioning under the banner of promoting "freedom of speech" and serving peoples (???) interests, going extremely defensive every time someone may attempt to question them. I know it's looking too much into this, but I do believe that public opinion has a massive influence on people's expectations and traits. Aren't we all just going a bit too angry at everything, expecting way too much from society and people in general, maybe because the opinion "facilitators" have that same attitude in their job? Not condoning some questionable statements in Farage's responses, but this O'Brien fella came across very arrogantly, and seemed to be happy to just make it a "I shut you" contest, rather than perhaps trying to debate the questions in more detail. Instead, he came across just as biased and narrow-minded as Farage, or a UKIP member for that matter.

Will there be any training sessions this week or is the season officially over?

I still think one of our FBs will depart this summer for decent money. I always thought Clyne was the one going, but the Shaw hype is getting out of control and it may just be too much for us.

I think that, in spirit of our institutional rules, any sort of limitations based on religious backgrounds or rules should not be allowed. If people who follow a set of beliefs cannot eat a certain type of meat or meat processed in a certain way, then rather than making it a "who concedes more" situation, it's better for those not to engage in something that will compromise their ideas/beliefs (i.e.meat consumption from non-(insert ideologically-backed process)). My opinion is that we should not be served something that is only prepared in a certain way because of the beliefs of a group of people, irrespective of where they come from. Halal, Kosher...these have origins in specific groups and hence it could very plausibly be argued that it is a discriminatory practice towards others.

Lallana vs. Hull for me. Better than Osvaldo's despite the incredible finish as I felt the build up was a bit scruffy.

Few away frequents in my area at SMS agree that Norwich and Fulham are the best trips. Nice local supporters, good surroundings and apparently a choice of quality pubs. They also add Swansea for a sound day trip though the stadium experience is less interesting. Guess the fact that both matches were towards the end of the season and with great weather on the day helped.

Agree. I usually find last away day themes good fun but to make it more than that is a mistake.

See I guess it's incomparable, but really I look at what I thought of Matt Oakley at the time, and I don't think I rate him less than Schneiderlin or Cork.

If we consider our best part of the season, then I'd say the standard team and Clyne/Wanyama. Overall, I'd still consider Clyne over Chambers. Clyne has been very good but he got injured halfway through the season. Had this not happened, I doubt Chambers would've had that many chances to justify such a long run of games. He did play well and certainly in the future I think Chambers will become our no.1 RB but Clyne is better than him right now. Possibly the player I feel is most likely to be sold should a good bid come in. The situation is the same re Wanyama. Cork would've probably played much less this season had he not had his injury and struggled to return to form. However, as we already knew, Jack has the technical ability that our short passing game demands and you can tell the difference between his and Victor's passes. He has been excellent at times so he may just get in over Wanyama in my best team. I do feel however that he will be playing less and less should both be in squad next season. The DM position is more about presence and pressure than technique.

Yeup. 7th place will go to Hull instead as Arsenal will probably make it to the CL.

Norwich were obviously putting all their chips on the final home game vs. Arsenal. Not going to happen unless they get something out of Stamford Bridge tomorrow.

Surely the assist has to go to Vorm? He basically shoved Lambert onto the ball.

Hahahahaha. Cracking goal that sums up the game. Great pass from Davis BTW. Have that moaners.

For what? JWP has been poor all season, and Reed will add nothing as he is only just had his debut. And I don't think Davis has been bad. The players ahead of him have been awful, and he's been forced to gamble a bit more on the ball.

If the players around him (in this case Lallana and Gallagher) have bad games then there's nothing he can do. We know he won't set the pitch alight.

Shame that Cork is a non-league finisher for such an intelligent and neat PL player.

I'm sorry?!

8/10 The season has been really good, we've watched some excellent games particularly at St.Mary's and played good football, even if those back and side way passes frustrated us at times. We have a squad of talented, level-headed players who are mostly mates and enjoy working at the club, and our academy players have really upped their game and are generally tearing the first team door down. We were also not afraid to get rid of our highly-paid prima donna, which shows authority and strength as a club, crucial for us to be perceived as of a higher position in the table. Our captain is someone local to us who progressed with the club and is now an England certain, so really the perfect person (even if, like during his progression, it took him an extra season to do it) The 2 missing refer just to things off the field. I really want us to have a peaceful season off the pitch next year. Be it Adkins, Cortese, Osvaldo...just none of it for a whole year! Given our evolution since promotion to the PL, these occurrences do us no justice. But overall really happy!

I wonder if all these Western advocates of the "free mind and spirit" who get a sour feeling in their stomach they're told they are something ever wondered what the origins of a Secular state really are. And maybe why, of all the countries in the world, those who have it with minimal repression are historically linked to Christianity. Maybe then, we can start to understand what our countries really are, and transmit it proactively. Until then, we're prone to whatever the rest of the world thinks of us, as well as a self-imposed hatred of our own. For example, I remember how many people in this country moaned the fact that Ireland's RTE used to transmit services, or some Southern European countries broadcasted the Sunday mass on their public TVs. Now Channel 4 is doing exactly that with others but criticism, though existing, is dismissed. Of course, we might only know how good we had it when it's gone.

At least they'll know they started it. Plus it only really happens once a year, so as long as it stays a final day thing I think it might actually be a funny tradition to establish.

I think the club's policy is as fair as it gets and if any situation is good to put it to test is an end of season game against a "big" side. Plus those ST holders with 4 additional home game tickets still get priority anyway, and they sure deserve it!