ENSKIED

Good points Sour thanks for the reply - so as for myself I'm still not entirely convinced at this point in time that the major teams have a first 11 or even a first '11 ish' - especially when you see the likes of say Real Madrid, Man City etc etc where they have £200 -250 mill of talent sitting on the bench just staring at their belly buttons. I will however reflect on your points, some more. Yes the term 'reserves' and what it conjures up is definitely in my book yesterday's terminology though I still remain sympathetic to its use.

Just one or two observations on that - the greedy and rich Big clubs don't in truth have reserves as such in this era, they have a squad or the new in phrase a "group" of up to 25 quality players so they can rotate and rest players at will, sustain injuries etc. etc. and still [or attempt to] win League Titles and get ECL victories and reach the Finals - that is the modern game.

:D Loosen up Chas unless I'm misreading ya you seem a bit uptight there, so it's an attempt at a bit of light hearted banter, laced with empathy - nothing more, nothing less. I know it's an instant throw away society but maybe if you take your time re-reading the piece the meaning will suffuse - if it doesn't well at least I tried - to cheer up Draino who appears so despondent he's gonna turn to the booze and informs us even the silly accents [That's Scouse accents of course which he's really referring to - gerrit?] anyway even they will get him down. Let me say this - I wish I could get in the corporate box of any Major Club come a win or defeat for my team! But you see I LOVE footy per se NOT just my team Liverpool. Hence I've posted on here because I'm empathetic to the Saint's plight and thence their cause, whereby the authorities have ALLOWED the Saints to be more or less asset stripped and thereby it constitutes IMHO an attack upon the very soul of football itself.

Yeah I think I'm like you, I find those corporate box Hooray Henry upper crust and Queen's English affected accents silly also, as that literary genius George Bernard Shaw observed "It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him". . . . . and having disclosed that, I often think how regional dialects enrich the spoken word and in my more lucid moments consider how dull it would be if all accents in the country were as " one ", rather bland I think - don't you? So an opportunity to re-evaluate your linguistic bias begs? I would suggest so. Go steady on the booze then Draino, a form of anesthesia for you I know but don't let it become a constant matter of "Draino at the Drains" because not only will the booze drain your bodily fluid it will drain your sensibility, induce blurred vision whilst also eradicating your judgement and thus your good manners to boot and the Saints might win! Then you having basically missed it through hitting the drains too regularly allied to poor vision will be pished off for being pished up.

Spurred on by your alcohol blighted observation I've dutifully checked the rules and guidelines and guess what? No excuse is required, hence we suppose that's why drunkards like your goodself are allowed to vent on here. So here's a further sobering thought you may get sober, we'll take your word for that, but alas you'll still be ugly and I'll still be handsome, ergo you need to drown your sorrows. Hey! We understand Horley mate - commiserations - however remember you can still beautiful inside! Now just for a bit of fun and to cut asunder any tendency for personalisations as we attempt to get back on topic . . . . No! Put that down! Not the chocky bar! So what was in those pearls of wisdom you couldn't grasp in your drunken stupor?

I think I gave up well before that and I am now of the mind the insanity may have entered a new phase, indeed reached a higher plane to wax philosophical . . . . . .

In that case my most sincere apologies [Mein Führer?] but can this errant Scouser please continue to post with you nice chaps, with whom a I feel a filial relationship has been established?

Well Goatboy as the old saying goes "it takes one to know one" so then that being the case you GB will know as well as I, that being mental in this world is a real asset - it certainly ain't no drawback that's for sure. Just one quick example, the Gaza catastrophe is being continued, led and fed by those who claim to be not only sane, but eminently SANE indeed sane enough to run the major governments of the world . I could cite a lot more but we'll be totally off topic then. So then my new friend, are you claiming what has happened to the Saints is the product of sanity? Are you?

The Saints may have been signing Blind for sometime but not on a 'Daily' basis , but the most telling aspect may be they have been SELLING blind recently, as in someone blinded by money. Cue . . . . . . "Money, get away -Get a good job with more pay and your O.K.- Money it's a gas - Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash -New car, caviar, four star daydream -Think I'll buy me a football team" A further clue is in the last verse.

Dunno. If I were would that be a good thing do you think? However, having stated that a moment's reflection and my philosophy informs me I'm related to everyone! Mankind being one big family. Cue, "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see . . . . ." The clue is in the last verse perhaps

Yeah but bringing total scepticism to bear on this and why wouldn't you? Serious money like rats always finds its own hidey-hole. So having tried to establish malpractice which paradoxically becomes orthodoxy thus the only crime is getting caught . . . . . . So £10 mill for the 'transfer' up front and 'known about' and say what another oh £5 -10 mill in some off-shore account, or some overseas development fund somewhere with white sandy beaches, clear blue seas and skies to match. Altogether now, "Oh island in the sun, Built to me by my father's hand, All my days I will sing in praise, Of your forest waters, your shining sand . . . . .". I think it's often rather callously termed the 'name of the game'.

You're out of touch Batman the new MO is to bite a player, head butting is old 'hatitude'.

But Koeman's comments are all just part of the money-go-round game in that if Koeman was a player we could probably and safely bet he would do a similar thing as Morgan. He's making the right noises because he has too, since the Board realise the natives are growing restless, so no matter what they have to at least make it look like they are putting up a 'battle'. And so it goes . . . .contractual legislation 'enforced' is what is required to stem this unfairness - "end of" as they say.

Excellent post. And I would add one sort of observation in that he's a millionaire doing what millionaires do when they smell even more money - anything they can to get it! What's that old saying "much wants more"? Anyway he'll do anything he can to get those extra millions in the Bank and if that means err 'refusing' to play to get the loot . . . . . . a Voilà.

What you say contains elements of truth so the grass roots fans will indeed welcome Rickie, the season hasn't even started yet and they'll be patient as always, the problem lies in the main with 't'internet fans' and the train riders who want constant success as of yesterday. Social media being what it is these sort of fans now seem to have the greater sway in the public consciousness in that people tap the social media for information and indeed to 'vent'. It's one of the downsides of the massive clubs. In fact there is a seeming paradoxical element to this social media input [output] and that it's supportive while somewhat destructive in the same context. Your "Fat Spanish Waiter" jibe is consistent with this, no true grass roots fan ever thinks that. Indeed if Rafa Benitez had won the ECL for say Everton, Arsenal, Newcastle, Saints, Sunderland, Spurs etc. etc. indeed say about 98% of football clubs in Europe, they'd have had a statue erected to him.

Good and in many ways informative article. However, now for the caveat, it contains one rather considerable flaw or misconception. The writer finishes his conceptual thrust with, "With the memory of Bale and co still fresh, there is a brief window of opportunity for Saints to grab a seat at football’s top table. Inevitably it will take a triumph of marketing, not football to get them there, but it’s got to be worth a shot, surely?" It is always good to end a piece on an optimistic note, however, the concept that in a sense negaes it is this, that UNLESS the Saints can keep hold of the likes of Bale, Lallana, Shaw, Lambert, etc. etc. in order to BUILD ON THAT type of foundation, they will find it nigh impossible to create a Global Brand and creating a Global Brand does not happen overnight and that is the key to compete with the Big Boys. [The Saints this coming season I think could have made the Top 4. of that I am convinced - that's IF the Saint's had NOT been 'pillaged'. Along with Liverpool and City the Saints IMHO were the most entertaining team of last season, wonderful stuff for the purist, of which I am one. I am gutted, I was hoping to see them continue on developing in the Prem this season. Maybe just maybe the miracle will continue on but it will take that - a miracle] Anyway back to the main theme - the teams that have the "marketable" BIG name players and thus 'win' things are the ones the non-grass root support WANTS to follow - let's get that straight! That's why of course the Big Teams are kings of the plassy supporters, you know 50,000 at the match 2,000,000 plus watching on worldwide TV and buying most of the merchandise, walking around far away high streets and thoroughfares sometimes almost with an air of flirtation and the touting of their allegiance often houses a subcutaneous taunt. Psychologically speaking, their 'by proxy' symbol "of hey you! Yes you! I'm as success mate - look whom I support!" To create a Global Brand which is the road to truly competing with the Top Table - the Saints MUST indeed HAVE to be ALLOWED - to hang on to their Greats. So something has to be introduced to stop them being asset stripped ever again. It's not sport and it certainly isn't fair - in fact it's finally become devolved to being ALL about the almighty dollar and the very SOUL of the game duly suffers.

That sentiment interests me [and I'm not ascribing to any level of facetiousness]. So I can understand recent dislike or detestation but why have you always detested them? . . . . . . . . . Detested in the full sense of the word?

So long in as - they have never won it, in either of its forms.

Hi Toon Saint, did you enjoy your sojourn in the 'Pool? I hope you did! So well done . . . . . .Your education pays off! Yes Liverpool came into existence to "basically move things around: cotton, sugar, slaves" and, later, paperwork when all the big insurance companies moved to the Pool. Thence to the "Liverpool Gentleman and the Manchester Man" - the Manchester authorizes built the Manchester ship canal to avoid paying any local Liverpool taxes . . . . . . so this was a sort of a put down. Manchester was "an industrial city, its workforce stable, drawn from the Lancashire agricultural lands,claimed to be dedicated to progressive causes such as the industrial revolution and the campaigns that grew out of it for trade unions and socialism". The Manchester mill-owner came clad in overalls with dirty finger nails so it was said. The Liverpool Gentleman engaged in commerce sat in a nice office sporting the famous stiff white collar - my grandfather always used them. Meantime the dock labourers, crowded into Scotland Road, forming or helping to form the largest and densest SLUM area in all of Europe." Famine-Irish populated, slums subject to arbitrary labour practices" which to quote " had more to do with the SLAVE auction than industrial relations". The Liverpool Gents voted in the main Liberal and the Dock Labourer rand many others up to the 1950s still interpreted politics as something of an extension of the Fenian and Orange struggles over in Ireland.

Well continuing on with the education subtexted by your healthy facetiousness as it were. The world itself owes an apology to the slaves particularly of course America, where most of the slaves ended up working the tobacco plantations unfortunately they are all dead but a new slavery [it's never gone away in one form or another] has most definitely filled its place I was reading [yep a Scouser who reads and understands] recently about child slavery, an estimated 250 - 300 million children are in labour and or sex slavery, even the word estimated seems a form of gross insult. Perhaps we'd all better start looking to apologise there but what's an apology if we do nothing about it? So Bearsy as for the Irish, Scottish and Welsh, if you're "English" what's the chances you yourself are not of they - ergo they are not in your blood? Indeed is there any such nation left as coined by the term "English" as many perceive it - any more? Phew! Eeeee lad back t'footy then! I hope that JWP is not lured by the big bucks [] stays and blossoms!

Ah well Bearsy the answer is a resounding YES. If you are English or even if you are not, you must catch up with your history - old bean! Liverpool was once regarded as the richest city in the world, most certainly it was one of them. One of the reasons for these 'riches' was the Slave Trade. The writer of Amazing Grace [in essence an anti-slave trade song] was composed by a Liverpool sea captain and Slave Trader John Newton. If one wished to be facetious one might say it looks like Liverpool are indulging in a new slave trade albeit something of an inverse nature of course in regard to the old one! Also you must catch up with the Industrial Revolution the rapid expansion of nearly all the major Northern cities [and not so major] came about because of this phenomena and people migrated from everywhere [off the land mainly] to live [exist] and work in the likes of Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sunderland, Blackburn, Rochdale, Bolton, Leeds etc. etc. we were the "work-house of the World" as declared by William Gladstone a Scouse Prime Minister. That's one of the reasons there were [and are] so many Ethnics, Irish, Scottish and Welsh in Liverpool and why it is home to the oldest Chinese "community" in Europe.

And back comes the rather stark message "Yes JWP and how much more you can enjoy one's untold riches in the core of disparity and desperation. What is a Ferrari if every pleb owns one? And indeed what power can wealth truly provide if there is no real poverty and everyone is wealthy? The disparity functions as a constant reminder of how lucky we are and really enhances that sense of well-being provided by the wealth quotient. The plebs will continue to emerge from their slums and cheer us on and make us richer, meantime you watch us enjoy . . . . .see you soon, Liverpool map enclosed!

Good thinking . . . . . . .but somehow I'm of the mind it might be a tad more 'cruel' than that - in the case of say Lallana - JWP will receive an electronic copy of off-shore bank account statement with oh about maybe £5,000,000 just idly sitting there, increasing as he looks by 25K per week in interest, 150k per week in wages and another 100k a week in off-the-field endorsements and an associated pension contribution in some overseas investment portfolio fund increasing by another 20k per week and a cryptic "Wish you were here?" scrawled at the bottom.

What's the bet they've having him monitored? And given that Gerrard impersonation - sounds like he's half way there!

Aptly named talent in this climate, for who indeed will Ward off the Prowlers . . . . . .