Saint Billy

I don't understand this, sorry!

Oh goody, another 5 year plan!, any case I hope your right about the signings.

On the other hand if we get lumped big time that could be very damaging to moral and confidence. To get a result out of this I think we are going to have to play ugly containment football with the hope of catching them on the break. We do not have the firepower to go toe to toe with them.

Very good post sir.

Yep agree with that, he's a box goalscorer but this system is the end of his time here. What with Pelle gone, Jay half the player he was we are in dire straights up front, hopefully they get someone in who fits.

Agree with this, he does make some howlers folks and has been ridiculed on here for them. Don't get me wrong, he's been a big part of our recent history but for me he is an average cb. I think the panic if he left would not be.missing his abilities but rather not having an adequate replacement in place and a bit late in the day to find one.

No.

I'm trying to offer something positive to today, and here it is, we did'nt lose, otherwise meh.

Tadic presumably is the left sided attacker we were signing.

Good one.

This is my guess, not really left sided but that info could be given to us as a curve ball. He has been wanting away for say 18 months, Brom won't release until replacement in place, record fee, England under 21 which fits with new criteria, other prem clubs after him ie Stoke and Crystal Palace.

Well lets hope this next signing is worth the secrecy and the gagging of the ITK's.

This has got to be the most inactive transfer thread ever on this forum.

Not out choice agreed, but do we replace with the same quality?

Wow

Glasgow on a mission.

Out of interest FF, when you say the board did not like his methods, is that relating to his treatment of some of the player's?. Also, it was widely rumoured that Koeman said that as a club we lack ambition, is there any truth in this?.

I am not saying we will not buy anyone else, its who we might buy

Here's how I see it. Several reasons have been spouted as to the reasons Koeman left us for a team with lower league status. Money is an obvious one, but I think we could have come close to Evertons offer if we wanted to, but I also wonder if the reason why we let him go is that he did not buy into the youth policy to the extent Reed and co wanted him to. Koeman wanted to build upon last season exploits which necessitated the club spending some serious money especially with VW, Mane and Pelle probably leaving. Reed and co wanted to go back to the old ways of concentrating on the youth policy which has rewarded us with huge profits in the past but which might adversely affect top 6 aspirations. We have obviously gone for a Koeman replacement who is happy to buy into the youth policy and dismissing the likes of Pelligrini who didn't fit their agenda. Lets face it, Puel has come close on a couple of occasions but he is not a winner. So basically in a nutshell I think Reed and co are prepared to sacrifice our heady heights that have been achieved of late for that of vast profit. Make some really good signings and I might change my tune but I cant see it happening, McCarthy as a backup goalkeeper is an example.

Where on earth did I say I am not interested in the Europa!! On the contrary I want us to win every game we play be it in the Europa cup, the Premiership, the domestic cups, even a friendly, everything!!, my concern is that due to an apparent change of priorities we are not putting a team together that will compete well in any of these. Btw, to answer your playschool style putdowns, I am a few months off of 60 and was going to games at The DEll from the age of six, I am surprised at you suewhistle, I normally look forward to your posts, you obviously consumed too much vino collapse in those mountains of yours.

Sorry Give it to Ron, confused.com. I would have gone all out to get a up and coming manager ala Frank De Boer or similar. I would want him and his staff to nurture the kids but not make it the be all and end all. Claude Puels pedigree is not that great and he was probably only taken on because he was compliant with Les Reeds focus on the kids demands. I would spend decent money on replacements for VW, Mane and Pelle in order to maintain if not improve on last seasons position. I would have sold Classie who is not up to the job. It's good to see players signing new and long contracts but for me JWP didn't deserve one and should have been sold. What with the new increased TV money and the transfer profits and the compensation for Koeman we could afford it, but it seems that making money rather than using some of it to improve has become the new criteria.

Poor belittling attempt, must try harder.

I am not looking at it through rose tinted glasses as you obviously are. It's actually our second season in the Europa but never mind.

Our ambition is obviously to go back to buying kids and then selling them for huge profits, thats fine if your sole ambition is to make money but it is not going to improve our league aspirations and is more likely to be detrimental, and is one of the reasons why our one of our best managers for decades probably moved on. But thanks for the replies chaps, the content was expected and you did'nt fail to disappointment.

God this summers transfer window is dull, I'm not even excited by the names rumoured which are normally wide of the mark anyway. Dull manager, dull signings, dull ambition, dull kit, dull season ahead and I will no doubt get the normal reaction from the dull 'Saints can do no wrong brigade' on here. Bring it on chaps, you have every right to brown nose your club and I have every right to say how I see it.