Toon Saint

Think he needs the Sweeney Todd treatment at his next trip to the barbers. Pathetic.

@DutchftLeague: Dusan Tadic is also followed by Sevilla and Schalke 04. He hasn't made a decision yet. (Voetbalzone) #sevilla #s04 #saintsfc Come on Ronald, we need to get this one over the line!

Lallana's advisors have obviously moved to control the meta-narrative with this stunt and a lot of media outlets are commenting on what a lovely likeable chap he is, while ignoring the groundswell of invective that has risen against him. Not much we can do to change that now, so probably best that we stop moping and start looking forward to the new signings.

While Fonte has probably reached his maximum level with us, Cork could be a decent squad player for a team like Spurs or Liverpool. Both are dependable and low maintenance and I do find it strange that this wasn't a priority issue following the board restructuring earlier in the year. Would be pretty shoddy if they both walk away on free-transfers next summer.

But doesn't the very notion of being a 'fan' (with its etymological roots in the pathologised term 'fanatic') presuppose an irrational thought process, or at least one that is clouded by allegiance/devotion to something or someone? Better to admit that your opinions are skewed by skepticism towards the new board, than cling to a Cartesian ideal where we judge our team on some neutral plain of rational objectivity. We are all fans, no matter whether your opinion is positive or negative.

Fair play to Calum Chambers and Sam McQueen for attending a pre-pre-season training camp in the Lake District last weekend. Both are intelligent guys with excellent attitudes, and good to see they are eager to impress the new management team. Expecting big things from them both this coming season.

Pocket change? If we save £2-3m through negotiations then that could pay for a senior players wages for a year. Glad that the Lallana/Shaw money isn't burning a whole through Uncle Les' pocket, and we are trying to get maximum value from transfers in and out.

Immers currently negotiating move with agent:

Cheers Guan, assuming this is the Serb and not the Italian?

Llama Anal Ad

Koeman should know better than most the state of Feyenoord's finances and what they are likely to accept. Given the bond between Koeman and Pelle, he isn't likely to move to another club, so I reckon we can bide our time on this one and make sure we get the best deal for both parties. Tadic, on the other hand, we could do with snapping up ASAP as there is rumoured interest from decent European clubs.

No. 7 should go to the creative force IMO. Pelle can have no. 11 which is also free.

First big test of the 'pulling-power' of Koeman then.

He said he was 'following' him on twitter not that he had just started to. If you think that is 'possibly interesting' that a manager follows a player on twitter that he has worked with for several years, fine. I'd say it was a complete non-event.

Just not sure why the twitter link meant more to him than the fact that he actually managed him? The fact that he follows him on twitter is not news.

Yep, with Targett stepping up as first-choice LB (hopefully only temporarily if we sign someone else) and Pelle and Tadic joining, we'd be on a relatively even keel and will bring a bit more stability to our dealings. With you on needing an additional CB, striker (preferably one with pace), and GK. I really can't see J-Rod moving while still recovering from a ACL injury - that would really prove Levy is an imbecile - and hold out hope that Koeman can convince Morgan to stay. Dejan will most probably leave, I just hope we can get someone like Barcelona to cough up stupid money for him. Some of the names being mentioned are getting rather silly and I wish people would think before getting their hopes up. Witsel? Why on earth would Zenit sell him for less than half of what they paid? He is also currently playing CL football and must be earning ridiculous money there. Hernandez? Hasn't improved in last two years and isn't half as good as everyone seems to think. Could we really afford his wages which are likely to be 60k +. Do we really want to? Saw a post on twitter yesterday from Itchen Dan claiming because Koeman is following Clasie on twitter maybe we will bid, which put more onus on some stupid social media link than the fact that Koeman actually managed him. Much bigger clubs will be circling for his signature than us, but apparently twitter contacts now give signals of impending bids. FFS.

Callum Slattery?

Pretty much sums it up nicely. Don't know if the Lovren strike story is true or not, but the Ashton story that broke the news about his transfer request did talk of an email where he listed his complaints with the club. Therefore the Spurs fans post does read as plausible. I really hope that if Lovren goes, we don't sell to them. KL and the board may well have vision for where they want to take the club - and I'm confident Les Reed's ambitions for the club have remained the same - but the problem is that the PR coming out of the club has been so negative and defensive from almost day one (stress on no player sales, 'difficult' financial situation, only a recent admission from Ralph that 'we have our wish players too' as though it were an afterthought) that the perception of the club, for players and fans, has shifted beyond all recognition over last six months. Things have improved since Reed has been worked into a more prominent role, and I am genuinely excited about the appointment of Koeman, but in some sense, the damage has been done and there is little that can be done to stop the press chuckling about Southampton's 'amazing summer sale'. Speculation isn't immaterial and newspaper reports driving talks of meltdown have brought down far bigger financial institutions than our football club (so thank f*ck we are privately owned and not publicly listed!) While good things may be happening in the background at the club it would be naive to not see press reports as affecting the intentions and thoughts of players currently at the club. Last night the perenially woeful, Andy Townsend, laughed about us on ITV during the most prominent football competition in the world about 'whether [we] will have any players left'. Whatever your thoughts on the new board, it is hard to argue they have managed perception of the club well, and also hard to imagine a similar comment being made while Cortese was at the helm. We desperately need some more good news next week to start to turn the tide, and hopefully we reinvest all of this money wisely.

Different player to Fabregas. Well known that Arsenal are on the look out for a holding midfielder, and unfortunately for us, I think Morgan would fit them perfectly. You'd hope we would be loathe to sell to Spurs, so Arsenal seem the best bet.

Two North London clubs who have a history of raiding us?

There is a longer YouTube video of this. The guy is clearly just messing around to provoke a reaction from Wenger, so I wouldn't take it so seriously.

What about 'the sack of Southampton'? More alliterative, and less violent sexual imagery.

Yes, fair comments. You are both right. Time for bed and to leave this forum alone until we get some good news methinks.

Lambert, who I assume he will be replacing, left about 4 weeks ago!