UpweySaint

Sensible post. Ideal world we would see more change and I expect the club feel similar but we may need to be patient. Worth reflecting that were a lot of the players in our squad coming in with their records or being picked up by other clubs it might be seen as good business. An example would be I was impressed Birmingham got Doyle on loan but I think he’s probably comparable to Downes or Charles. It could also be a big year for Matsuki, Robinson, Dibling and maybe even Sesay. I still think we’re missing a 10 and would like to see more proven quality on the wing - I’m thinking more classic winger than wide forward type player. If Matty goes some more creativity in the middle would be valuable. I’m less worried about Bazunu as others but if we can find the right target it’s an area we could do with strengthening. Otherwise I think the squad is good enough to be competing for automatic promotion - I don’t see anybody getting past Ipswich though. They look well set to go straight back up.

Valid point though elite footballers have to have a lot of self belief and confidence. If you have a good season with us this year then there is an option that Ramsdale doesn’t come back and you’re now potentially a premier league no1 or he comes back and you have the chance to push him for the shirt. Let’s say we sign Johansen (sp) and we have a Burnley type season - as Still do you stick with what has worked or do you immediately stick Ramsdale back in?

Not small beer indeed but they felt like decent deals at the time especially given the relative barren spell for our academy. Both moved on for a reasonable profit after not getting too much chance to play first team football for us. Hopefully with Dibling, Robinson, Sesay and the striker we got from Port Vale (name escapes me) we will have a run of bringing through first team players from our own academy on a consistent basis again.

Him and Meghoma who went to Brentford. Both from Spurs. I think we paid compo for them both but may be misremembering.

It’s probably a stretch because it’s not what I said. The OP was making a point about players being identified by ‘non football’ people. I asked if Shields counted as a football person. I think people are entitled to form whatever opinion of a player they like - that’s their prerogative. I don’t go along with the implication that our recruitment had been run by people without a scooby. Talent and potential aren’t in a vacuum - some transfers work, some don’t for plenty of reasons. Bazunu clearly hasn’t worked - or at least worked yet if we’re being kind - but signing a young keeper who was a player of the season for a league one side and the starting goal keeper for Ireland at 21 (ish) isn’t some ridiculous concept.

I don’t get what the distinction is between a football person and a non football person. What qualifies somebody as a football person or is it a bit intangible? Either way I may be misremembering but was Bazunu not a pick from Joe Shields? Like him or not he’s got a good reputation in the game as a talent spotter particularly at youth level. Does he count as a football person in your opinion?

Potentially a good move for Ramsdale. It’s a shame to see him go but hardly unexpected. I don’t think Baz is as horrendous as many think but I wonder how much it would cost to get genuine competition for him? It’s a shame we’re probably a year too late to get Cooper or Johansson for reasonable fees. If Ramsdale is a loan I can’t see is throwing much money at another keeper. I wonder if somebody like Sam Tickle could be available for the right price? The issue is relative inexperience but he may not expect to be a guaranteed starter should we go up and Ramsdale return.

I don’t agree. I think this overestimates the quality in other squads we are competing with. I think the ‘as is’ squad should be comfortably in the play offs with an eye on the automatics. If we want to be a good candidate for the autos and have a fighting chance of staying up were we to go up I agree improvements are needed.

I think he has the ability and vision to be more creative. There were games last season where showed it. I do agree that he is at his best a little deeper but in a 4-2-3-1 with the current options we have I would see him playing as a 10 in games we feel we need more solidity. We could drop one of Downes or Charles and put him alongside one of them in the middle where we expect to be seeing more of the ball and trying to break down sides.

No chance we’re signing two wingers and a 10 without major sales. Expect the likes of Edozie, Dibling and Robinson to offer some more of the creativity. Fernandes as a 10 with Downes back in the middle with Charles also an option.

Fair. The principle of clubs not spending more than they can afford is a good one but the system ‘as is’ feels rigged and the top clubs are incentivised to keep it as such.

Don’t worry, we’re used to embarrassment over the past few seasons! Genuine question, how is the uncertainty over if/when you’ll get a points deduction sitting with the Leicester fan base? Is there also an acceptance of it as ‘fair enough’ based on financial rules? As a potential rival I see it as giving us a potential competitive advantage and the way you dodged it last time round hasn’t sat right but Leicester hardly feel like the worst offender compared to the likes of City (what charges when?!?) and Chelsea (loophole fc).

You won’t find anyone stable here. That horse has very much bolted. *I’m not proud of that one 😂

I’ll give you Larios and ABK though I’m not sure that I would include ABK in that specific cohort as he wasn’t part of the City academy exodus. Baz I don’t think is as awful as some think and he is still young in goalkeeper terms. He has clearly lost confidence and may not come back from that. You did miss Lavia off the list too. Injuries have been a big issue but he is clearly top quality. He was the 2022 cohort right? I won’t be heartbroken if Edozie goes for the right fee but I do feel he is worth persevering with.

Yeah the Anderlecht loan spell was a disappointment, can’t argue that. I don’t know much of the context of the team, how he settled etc. Hard to know how definitive it is. I suppose the caveat is Club Brugge would have seen him in the Belgium league and fancy him based on that. They’re a decent side. If he does go hopefully it’s for a good fee and Still is given a quality replacement well suited to how he wants to set up.

I thought Edozie looked decent albeit a bit raw in our promotion season. If I remember correctly he got an injury just when he was getting in to rhythm with us. Unless we have a replacement lined up I would rather keep him - I think he could do a job at this level and has the potential to develop into a premier league player.

If we did it would be good business. I had been working on the assumption we wouldn’t get a fee for him so anything is a bonus. I would take a lower fee with a good sell on clause - just in case he kicks on.

Yeah fair point - that’s the risk. I think we overpaid a bit for Mara but can see why we took a punt on him. A few goals in a good league at a young age, youth international pedigree etc. Mara being sold on to BlueCo was a bit odd - they seem to be throwing a lot of cash at potential so even though he didn’t do it for us perhaps people in the game still see something - personally I never saw much for him in a saints shirt that made me think he would crack on. If you believe TransferMarkt we actually made a profit on him though which is strange…

No guarantees but we’ve seen other teams get more value from European leagues for a while. That price for an international striker with goals in a comparable league with his physical ability profile has the potential to be a good deal at relative low risk. You could say similar about Quarshie.

Maybe that’s why he is moving over the border?!? It all adds up now …

Interesting read, cheers. He sounds like the sort of full back Still likes - if he is on our radar it fits with the push for more athleticism. a few comments on that thread about Rudoni too who some have mentioned. A double raid would piss off some Cov fans for sure and in some ways they feel to be a ‘similar’ size club but it’s not entirely impossible and would make a lot of sense in terms of recruiting top championship players with scope to kick on if/when we go back up. I would feel a bit for Cov fans. Generally a nice bunch and have had a few almost moments after years of dross and uncertainty.

Before anyone has to leave. As in we would target them whether we made sales or not. Getting sales done early is a bonus all the same!

I think there is a risk of oversimplification at times. Some top championship players make the step up, some don’t. Some young foreign punts end up representing great value, some are Bella-Kotchap. Players aren’t signed into a vacuum. A player coming in to a good team with talented coaches and a defined culture in terms of tactics and the bigger picture stuff such as a strong dressing room with leaders are more likely to succeed than those coming in to a shitshow. Wanging on aside I like Sainz and Rudoni from what I’ve seen. I don’t know how realistic either is at this stage - Sainz apparently has admirers higher up and Coventry would likely see us as a direct rival so would want a sizeable fee for Rudoni. If Spors and his team can pull a Marty Fernandes type deal from abroad then I’m all for it!!

Hard to see past Ipswich as favourites. As others have said they are a settled side with quality and a good manager. Plenty of us questioned their squad depth last time around but it didn’t seem to be a factor. They probably need a centre mid (or two) and possibly a striker but otherwise they look strong. I’m confident we’ll challenge but if Ipswich fly out the blocks while rivals are still getting together- us included - they could be hard to stop.

Fair enough, game of opinions! There aren’t many players I’ve preferred watching for saints in the last decade or so but I get that he could infuriate. Your main point - Dusan at 37 isn’t right for the championship - yeah no arguments. I don’t think he would fancy it and I couldn’t see him being up for a 46 game slog. It would be fun to see him doing his thing back in a saints shirt against lower quality opposition but it doesn’t feel like a se sensible or realistic bit of squad building.