a1ex2001

It is all about the money, that's football these days we can't have 92 professional clubs without it being all about the money. In this case it was also about the future of the competition without a title sponsor I think it was probably a season away from collapse the clubs just didn't want it this is a chance to try something different and see if it works a chance to redistribute some of the wealth of the premier league and give young players proper competitive game time. The overall key being it is a one year trial that the vast majority of lower league clubs voted for if it doesn't work they can try something different. Football can't stay the same forever, nothing can everything changes and evolves otherwise there would be no premier league, no champions league etc etc etc now you can argue all you like about whether these are good changes but you can't close Pandora's box!

That was a great summer the thread ran and ran and ran and then the signing on the pitch with the mystical number 7 shirt really was the crowning glory! He was never going to ive up to the hype but for me was a very good player who also put in a shift when needed ie spending a season at left back! Also the same year Tim Sparv left the club!

Hillsborough was nothing to do with people standing it was a fookin great fence what killed em!

if he has one and it is 45m then no problem if it is 15m then problem, given the clubs record what do we think is likely? I would suggest there is no release cause but we may have an agreement with him that if in a couple of years a champs leage club comes in with a big money offer he can go.

I think it is undeniable that somewhere in side is a fantastic talent it's just a case of whether or not he really wants to get back to his best and if he can find an environment that allows him to. Personally I don't think he would fit in here at all personality wise which is a shame as if he could be coaxed back to his best he is the type of player every team in the league wants!

Exactly it shows the player wants to be here and it shows contrary to what some seem to think that the club do try to persuade senior players to stay and not just sell them off at the first sniff of a bid. It also puts his value up significantly in the transfer window so if Liverpool do really want him they will have to dig very deep indeed!

I've always found this really odd he is such a clever creative player and his stats show just how effective he has been at this level yet because he doesn't score spectacular goals the press seem to have totally overlooked him I'm sure he could do a job for a much bigger club than us who would pay him plenty. Fingers crossed the new boss can make if feel at home get the best out of him and convince him to sign an extension he really has been fantastic for us and as others have said I'd keep him this season regardless it's not like he's going to command a 35m transfer fee even though his assists should make him worth close to that!

Not quite the sort of player they like to be linked to in the press though! Has the chairmanship idiot don been bigging it up on Twitter?

It's a tricky balance sending out a pure academy side against a seasoned lower league outfit is more likely to damage there development! You would need at least a couple of more experienced players out there to steady the ship with leadership and experience.

Good news was worried about loosing him but hoped his previous experience would encourage him to stick around and do it proved! I'm sure he is on a hefty wedge but will be great to have him here for a few more seasons!

http://talksport.com/football/golden-oldies-10-most-expensive-players-over-age-30-revealed-150624151978?p=0 According to this it puts him well up in the top 10 players over 30! More than Real paid for Van Nistlehorse but not as much as old Batigol went for back in the day!

Looks s decent signing to me fingers crossed he hits the ground running, love all the les bashing they would moan even more if he said our midfield was average! Good to see the club doing it's buiness quietly and professionally as always.

It's all there is the link I posted to the Southend chairmanship comments we will receive little/nothing from gate receipts and prize money this will all go into a pot to be divided amongst the league sides and they have been guaranteed 10k prize money for each group game rising once you get out of the group. I'm not convinced it's a great idea but it is probably one final roll of the five before the football league trophy goes the way of the cup winners cup!

It will as the premier league are throwing in cash read the Southend link I posted then you'll get it!

Where's the like button when you want one! The money on offer is seemingly crazy and the fee we've got is pretty bonkers 13m puts him in some pretty rare company! http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/golden-oldies-10-most-expensive-6087114

Crazy day but can see why he's gone if that money is for real even if he gets bored after a season and retires he will have nicely topped up the pension pot! Seems strange to be loosing a decent player who'd I have happily seen stay to the Chinese league but maybe it will become more common if that sort of money is on the table fo decent but not outstanding players. Hope we replace him with a new signing as his goals will certainly be missed.

How many have left? They already had a pretty big squad for a club at that level and seem to have a habit of handing out longish contracts! Surely they wouldn't be gambling with the finances and taking a massive punt on promotion or bust?

Dire game of footy can't believe France haven't sent on a fast centre forward to stretch the Portuguese back 4.

Looks like a better version of Romeu hopefully he is quick over the ground as well as a bit of pace in the centre would be useful. Obviously you never know if he will make it has a decent pedegree and is the right age at the right price. Yet again a signing out of nowhere which is nice to see with so many clubs doing all there business in the media

Always good to see us signing up exciting prospects as long as we avoid the Chelsea model of sign half of Europe just in case!

Saying no is probably the death of the Trophy it has no sponsor and the clubs don't want to be in it unless they win it as it costs them money they simply don't have.

Wales without Ramsey look seriously limited which I think made all the players look that little bit worse last night, Allen suddenly looks like the average premier league player he is and one or two others suddenly look like the lower league players they are. I think it is underestimated how important he is using up the space created by the opposition concentrating on Bale. Ramsey is a very very good footballer and one of only three wales players that would walk into the England team.

You'd think with the regional groups we would be guaranteed to play them in that phase but I'm not so sure our academy would win and if we pack the side with first team players it kind of negates the point of having the u21's in it in the first place!

I was totally anti this but then I read this piece from the Southend United Chairman (it was linked in the last thread on this topic) and while it didn't completely change my mind it did make me realise that maybe it wasn't such a terrible thing after all. http://www.southendunited.co.uk/news/article/efl-trophy-changes-3141983.aspx I still think the biggest problem with our football pyramid is too many professional clubs most of which seem to live beyond there means but I'm not sure how you fix that situation!

You can't get that across to some people on here though, I know it looks nothing like a bra but can see why the comment was made and don't have a problem with the description!