Heisenberg

We have a talent for finding talent that's for sure. Keeping them, well that's a huge problem and that list is depressing to read. I wonder if the recruitment team and Reed earn some % on player sales??? :suspicious:

We are a level 4 club with level 2/3 ambitions. We will continue to lose players to level 2 sides and this is almost unavoidable. We can reduce this by becoming a level 3 side. Europe is not a pull for players, wages and medal opportunities are..... simple as that.

Before or after Chadli signs?

Davis was captain on saturday

I don’t think you can underestimate the effect of winning the Euros and spending time with a successful Portugal squad. Bear in mind that while Fonte was away winning the Euros, SFC were losing Koeman and staff, selling Vic, Mane and Pelle and doing very little to show Fonte they were going to have a real go at this season and/or Europe. A mixture of underwhelming (SFC) and euphoria (Portugal) would be like a salesmen going on a world tour for 6 months and then returning to your mundane job where some of the best colleagues have left and matching prior year targets almost impossible. He spent time winning with winners and that can be contagious - he will also be looking at his CB partner (Pepe) and thinking WTF! Wages Fonte 40-50k per week Pepe £120k per week Medals Fonte = Football League Trophy: 2010 Pepe = Intercontinental Cup: 2004, Primeira Liga: 2005–06, 2006–07, Taça de Portugal: 2005–06, Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2004, 2006, UEFA Champions League: 2013–14, 2015–16, FIFA Club World Cup: 2014, La Liga: 2007–08, 2011–12, Copa del Rey: 2010–11, 2013–14, Supercopa de España: 2008, 2012

Truth hurts mate and negativity of any kind is denied on here - its been that way for years Its easier for people to believe Fonte is Saints through and through and would never be persuaded to leave our warm cosy bubble Fonte is the same as every footballer - motivated by money. He proved that when he dropped down a division (and doubled his wages) to join us from Palace

WHU got a rumoured £20m for the land and this was largely reported to be used to help pay down a £35 million bank debt West Ham had to clear before they moved into the Olympic Stadium. Rent is £2.5m per year (99 year lease) with various add ons. Interestingly rent is halved if WHU are relegated

With every new contract comes a new "gentleman's agreement" that the player can leave if a level 1 or level 2 side come knocking. Seems that's how we operate

We were the Man City of league 1.... That's why we enjoyed it Of we returned to league one and tried to compete like Crewe we would hate it

Wages!!! Only clubs that compete with top prem clubs on wages is Real and Barcelona and our recent departures are not quite that level

Talk is cheap mate and some of that chat we give out is embarrassing Happy to wager anyone on here that we WILL NOT finish top 6 this season.... Anyone fancy a £20/30/50 wager?

This Fonte rumour is a particular worry as a move to Man United I would understand and wish him well but if we start losing player to Everton (like koeman) it's a move for money not ambition and that's something we could avoid if we wanted to. Most of our departures last few years have gone to level 2 sides (teams with a realistic chance of medals and winning the league + of course pay the big wages) once we start seeing players moving simply for wages we have to be concerned as why can't/won't we compete with Everton, WHU, Leicester on wages?

What part of my post do you disagree with? Never get much by way of an opinion from you. 40,000 posts (lol) saying nothing at all.....

League finish is irrelevant. Stoke hold in demand players better than us as they pay better wages than us (simples) Stoke, WHU, Everton all hold players better than us because they pay that premium premiership wage. We don't - hence level 4

Stoke do seem better at holding decent players than we do and I would make them a borderline level 3 club. We are level 4 Players are motivated by money and if you are not a level 1 club (Barcelona, Real) or level 2 (Man U/ C, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool) you can only keep better players by paying high wages (ala WHU, Everton, Spurs possibly now Leicester) We typically sell players to level 2 sides but players are also probably tempted by the level 3 sides too.... Depends on players demand level We are a level 4 side (with Palace, WBA, Swansea, Watford) and will typically not be able to hold onto anyone wanted by the level 1,2 and maybe level 3 sides I would like us to move to level 3 just so we can hold onto players a bit longer

I'd imagine this is all part of any agreement when we sell players and very much part of the "gentleman's agreement" we hear a lot. Agreement is very much if a level 1 club (Barcelona, Real or Bayern) of level 2 (Man u, Man c, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea) offer a transfer fee acceptable we will allow you to leave but you will need to agree to forfiet your remaining contract here On the basis that most players move on to bigger clubs and double maybe triple wages they'd be happy to oblige The issue is more with players you can't shift - Gaston, Osvaldo, Mayuka

Part of me understands that like all clubs we are a stepping stone and I don't see us selling our better players to sides on our level (for example WBA, Stoke and Palace) We typically offer players a springboard to the next level of club and right now we are probably at level 4 Pierre talks quite openly about using us as a springboard and I think unless we change our philosophy we need to accept that good players will only be here 1 maybe 2 years http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3735792/amp/Pierre-Emile-Hojbjerg-keen-follow-footsteps-Gareth-Bale-Southampton.html?client=safari

I'm the same, reluctant to jump to a conclusion so early but not seen much in his short period here or his previous roles to inspire much confidence. 1st half yesterday was some of the most depressing football I've seen from Saints possibly in the last 5/6 years. 2nd half covered a few cracks and was a vast improvement but still failed to beat a very mediocre side with 10 men. I worry about next Friday and feel we could get hammered to be honest Fans and players alike seem a lot uninspired by the boards philosophy and ambition (lack there of)

Would make sense

Another post saying absolutely nothing... Time to put up or shut up pal

Can anyone really blame Fonte for wanting to leave? At United he would get more money, more fans, more history, more ambition, better players, more medals. He'd be an absolute idiot if he didn't want to leave us for them. If he goes I wish him well and thank him for his long service and contribution.

Transfer profits this summer = £40 million 2014/15: transfer profit = £24 million 2015/16 TV and position income = £85 million 2014/15 TV and position income = £80 million Matchday income per season = £18m Commercial income £8-10m Less Wages circa £70m So where are we stashing all the money?

We lost Koeman and Big Vic due to lack of ambition.... Now Fonte wants out too for same reasons I personally do not blame him. Fonte simply wants to win things, not battle it out for mid table nothingness

COME ON SAINTS

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