GGalpin

As much as you're likely to get s**t for this, I do think there's something in this. Do wonder if Saints marketing themselves as a stepping stone for players has lost a lot of squad balance and instead of a healthy mix, it now seems to be too many players seemingly only there to get a move away.

Fair point and obviously it's not a barometer that he will come good for the seniors; saying that, is it nailed on that Bednarek will either? Jones cost us nothing.. Bednarek cost a Polish top flight record!

The fact he's supposed to be very, very good makes me wonder why on earth we bought Bednarek.

Under-supplied.

I know there was supposed to have been a problem with communication and getting the point across, which wouldn't be a shock given the press conferences. Whether that was the only issue or anything further I'm not sure.

Considering by every barometer he would have failed this season I'm struggling to understand the overwhelming reluctance to sack a criminally underperforming manager, who by every assessment factor should be sacked even if we stay up. Sacking Puel was the right decision long term, it had reached breaking point with the players and the majority of fans. But if we're sacking a manager because the football was dire, how on earth can you not sack a manager who has left a better squad than what Puel had (without Europe to contend with) in a relegation scrap with a much worse defensive record and with the football just as turgid to watch, if not worse?

I've spoken to people in club football and international football through stuff I did at Uni. It's a completely different game managing a nation to managing a club. I also suspect it's a bit harder than you're making out...

Ajax have it too and works very well.

Martin Cranie has played for Huddersfield this season

I know the Times are cracking down on stuff like that because they want people to sign up etc. so at this time I won't do so. That was the only vaguely Southampton related bit to be honest too. Rest of it talks about his career and Liverpool.

Van Dijk has done an interview with the Times ahead of Sunday.. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/sport/virgil-van-dijk-ignoring-critics-over-75m-price-tag-gdbrxr7gn

Lèandre Griffit‏ (@elgdix) ⚽️so now i can say the players i was talking about lately .. Cabella ( saint Étienne ) was contacted.. Ferry ( Lyon) was contacted Ntep( wolburg) was contacted Plea ( Nice ) was contacted.. Lamela ( spurs ) was contacted .. Nothing happened !!! #saintsandproud #Southampton https://twitter.com/elgdix/status/959058416907030529 Leandre's list...

First time I thought he could've been sacked was Burnley. He had to go after Leicester.

2/10. Sold VVD which made sense for the fee and the trouble he seemed to be causing, but didn't replace him or sign a forward with pace to play out wide which we desperately lack. Carrillo looks to be the right profile for what we needed in the striker position but whether he's of a quality to keep us up remains to be seen.

Except he wouldn't be able to take the transfer fees out, so would make a very big loss if he sold the club in the Championship compared to being in the Premier League. Clueless.

@adamleitchsport: Quiet deadline day for #saintsfc now. Promes deal all but off. Spartak wanted entire release clause up front, which is unacceptable for most clubs. Negotiations found an agreeable compromise, Promes wanted to join, but Spartak unable to find a replacement so won't sell.

Saints not willing to spend more than €27m (Sport Express) https://www.sport-express.ru/football/rfpl/news/sautgempton-esche-ne-podnyal-summu-vykupa-promesa-do-razmera-otstupnyh-1365385/

True. Do wonder whether it is gross or net salaries though; think the Russian tax rates are different to England's, which would obviously affect how much more it actually is...

Cheers! The joys of the Cyrillic alphabet means putting Проме* into Twitter/Google finds links from Russia. No idea on the reliability of the papers, though.

Saints have upped their bid to £25m, and offered a £3m salary (8news- who have an interview with Promes out soon...) https://8news.ru/news/football/2018-01-29-sautgempton_predlagayet_za_promesa__28_mln Sport Express claim we have offered a £3.2m salary to Promes, more than what Spartak are paying him. http://www.sport-express.ru/football/transfers/news/promes-i-sautgempton-chto-pravda-a-chto-vymysel-1365165/

Fair enough, cheers for posting it- hopefully it won't kill the deal completely dead.

To meet a release clause it has to be all up front, doesn't it? Could be wrong on that.

Agree. If I was being cynical, I think he is disputing the bit in quotation marks, but he could've stayed silent as you say.

http://www.sport-express.ru/football/transfers/news/sautgempton-ne-hochet-platit-za-promesa-30-millionov-evro-1363670/ "According to our data, the parties will not find a common language. The fact is that the British proposal is significantly less than 30 million euros - that's what the 26-year-old Dutchman signed with the Muscovites as a compensation for Europe (His release clause basically). For less money, "Spartacus" striker will not sell, and to increase the amount of "Southampton" has not yet intended. (Vyacheslav KOROTKIN)"

Before the rumour about Saints being interested in Promes came out, he gave an exclusive interview to a journalist called Artem Kalinin from 8news. https://8news.ru/news/football/2018-01-25-kvinsi_promes_ya_schastliv_v_spartake_dumayu_mne_idut_krasno-belyye_tsveta