Daft Kerplunk

Selling players early will allow us to have money early on and allow better planning of replacements. This has probably been ongoing for awhile given victor wanted to go to Spurs last summer. Far better to move a player on then get others in early.

Shouldn't there be a thought about how long do we need players to stay? Players leave all clubs, only the very biggest keep the majority for a long time so probably needs to be a mix of the time duration players stay with us. For me, we need a core group of 5-7 first team players to play for at least 5 years, one or two who will stay for 10 years or more. The rest needs to be some coming in who improve us and stay for at least 3 years, and then youth coming in to keep things fresh every season. Currently, following Wanyama's departure, we are on track for this being established. The key trying for our ongoing success is that every player who comes here feels they have improved their career. If the academy starts producing the type of players the strategy requires, we won't need to buy as many in but players and their agents will always feel there are opportunities elsewhere. To avoid that, and even then, players still move on, we need to be winning trophies on a regular basis.

I doubt we will replace Wanyama with a like-for-like player, maybe the money will be used on a couple of youngsters in more attacking roles

Les will possibly retire, or take a job with UEFA or FIFA

I'm coming around to the idea purely as this is a coach who might suit us more than he suited the zillions to spend likes of Man City

But that wouldn't have been good for us as by not sacking him, we get £5m and Ron is the bad guy. I doubt if we'd have sacked him as that would've aliented fans and players, as well as losing the financial bonus. He's left and whatever shenanigans went on, no doubt by both sides, now we have an opportunity to move on and get someone who fits what those running the club want. That's more exciting for me than getting angry at Ronald, or Les and the other board members.

Apart from the 80s when we were better. Keep in kind football did exist before the Premier League, and this is not a dig at Les Reed, it's a reminder that in the 80s we were actually pretty good for quite a chunk of it.

You are trolling right?

Said it before and I'll say it again, when Steven Davis plays well, we also play well. He's one of our most important players.

Rudi plays a 4-3-3 so that's a tick from us

So we need to wait two weeks until we announce the next first team manager as 1st July is the beginning of the UA deal Hopefully our new leader will be in place by then

#freeRonald

Personally I think that some people are just so gutted that they don't hear anything, or know anybody who might be able to tell them anything so they respond in an aggressive manner to make themselves feel better. I'm sure you were right and it's hardly fantasy to suggest that Kat and Ron had dinner together and discussed the club she owns, and how it needs to protect its investment in youth. Keep on posting and ignore those that judge from behind keyboards.

Valverde signed a contract extension with Bilbao earlier this year

Not sure on the timing but VVD said he's looking forward to next season apparently after the RK news was announced.

This

Completely agree, it makes us look small time when actually, the whole club's football structure is about moving forward regardless. By the words of the ITK comments today, we'd be moving onwards anyway with or without Ronald. He's been important for us but not as important as the next appointment will be. I don't hate, or will never hate him as he's been part of getting us back in Europe and becoming among the new European elite.

Everything in the papers comes from somewhere. And that somewhere is usually a leak from someone involved on one the interested parties. In the case of Wanyama, it could be Spurs, the agent, or even us. The Mirror even has its own ITK now with Ronald and I'm pretty sure they started breaking the Everton/Ronald interest.

Paco Jemez certainly an interesting candidate. Likened to Poch in many ways, and his mentor Bielsa.

No, my season ticket is purchased to watch Saints, regardless of who is leading or playing for the team

My guess would be that we can't talk to anyone yet because Everton still haven't sorted things out with Ronald so technically he is still our manager, and if we talked to anyone else we'd possibly lose out on the 'compensation' we will get. Just a thought but it might explain it. FDB does sound like he'd be perfect from watching those earlier Ajax videos, particularly where it concerns bringing academy players through.

Neil Lennon is ruled out as he's joining Hibs

Whilst I don't really truly understand Koeman's decision to go to Everton apart from the money, there are things that can be read between the lines about what direction Les wanted to go in and how Koeman would have known he had to take an opportunity elsewhere. I am gutted he is leaving as he is a big character in football but I can't hate him as there are always two sides to any story and he has just overseen two very important seasons in our history. What I am more interested in now he has gone is who replaces him and whether we can get our man in good time for preseason and not allow players (and their agents) to get twitchy.

So we are keeping the biggestist most massivist club in the whole world other than Spurs waiting until Les announces the most ridiculously good replacement and we can all laugh at some of the noisy and rather silly Everton fans who are delighting themselves with our perceived situation and how next season they will be challenging for the title.

How about Fonte as player manager?