Weston Saint

Fair comment Steve.

As your previous post said Bert, we may have no one to carry out such an important decision.

Oh well at least we got our statement. I am concerned Poch might have left because the club were unable to meet his aspirations with transfer money or guarantees that our top players would not be allowed to go. Good enjoyable season but that is in the past. We had a good, happy, bonded squad when he came which made his job all the easier. He may find it a bit more difficult with the players at Spurs. After all he did not handle Osvaldo very well. Still good luck to him. If he is a success I will be happy. If he fails I won't care. Need to make a positive early appointment. By mid June to give the new manager time to get back-room staff and understand the club and it's players ready for pre season. If we can get that right, even without Lallana and Shaw, (no I have not heard anything) we have a chance of stabilising.

I think it will be more "We cannot compete with Pochettino's ambitions or those of our star players"

I hope I am wrong but I get the impression the club does not know what it is doing. I am not at all impressed.

It applies to life in general. No more, no less. Seemed sort of appropriate to all the threads on here at present.

Do not be so quick to believe what you hear because lies spread quicker than the truth.

Have a look at post 1081 on this thread

No, he is a massive Saints fan

6 weeks

I do not believe that will be an issue should he want to move.

Saints have no reason to sell Lallana. He is under contract so is dependent on the club giving him the opportunity of playing his football at a higher club level. He has been a magnificent and loyal servant to Saints and still loves them to bits. He is very happy here BUT he is 26 and just got into the England side. He needs the next level and will not get it here for a few years at least, if ever. Put yourself in his place. Say double salary, Champions League football etc. Just say he decides to stay and years later reflects. Would he regret the opportunity was missed? It is a difficult time for the lad, decision wise. The club may have had a bid and may have turned it down indicating a minimum transfer fee knowing that they should not stand in his way for the right fee. If Liverpool then go elsewhere the club win, the supporters win and Adam can look back and say the opportunity never reached a decision stage. For me it is in the hands of the club. They have an equally difficult decision. One part of me desperately wants him to stay but another part says he needs to go to fulfil his undoubted potential at a higher level. I think Adam father hold similar views. Let me again reiterate, I have not discussed this with his father or anyone else close since the last day of the season when there was no confirmation of any interest from Liverpool or anywhere else but a suspicion that something unknown was rumbling behind the scenes. It is my opinion, and mine alone so please do not read anything into it, I am not ITK, that if Liverpool make an offer in comparison to the club valuation and the terms meet Adams aspirations he will move.

Try John at Mayfield car sales.

In my opinion the OP is a complete over reaction. The season was only completed a week ago and the Chairman has already said planning is under way. You do not release ongoing discussions. You complete the business plan and then say what you are going to do. At present we have a First Team Coach, Team Captain and one of our brightest prospects splashed all over the media. What does the club do? Tell us they are staying no matter what and kill off their ambition to better themselves. We all know contracts are worthless in football. It appears the Under 18 coaches are being released from their contracts. Is that not the start of the planning? Is it compensation negotiations are underway delaying the release. Are we going to alert every club as to our targets for strengthening the team? I seem to recall some on here complaining that Norwich last season did their business early and snapped up some good players! Need I say more. Sit back, relax and see what unfolds over the next two months. We cannot influence what, where or when during that time.

I suggest you look at my posts on this subject.

I have to try to be responsible here and say have not spoken to anyone close since the last game of the season but I think Lallana will move on to higher things and he can only do that by signing for one of the Champions League qualifiers. Liverpool are definite favourites. I also think the Shaw rumours are so strong he will be off as well. So three go to the world cup and only one comes back to us! I think Pochettino is the most likely to stay but the owner is going to have to work very hard to convince him and let him have most of the money from the above to strengthen.

I woke up to this quote from Adam Blackmore and as he is highly respected by the Lallana family there may be something in it but it would not have come from Adam or his father because of what I posted yesterday. The club has said no official bid when the Chairman spoke yesterday. Are they being economical with the truth? As much as I also like Adam Blackmore as a journalist & broadcaster I am going to stick with what I have been told. However, I think there is no doubt a bid will come in and it will be interesting to see how the club deal with it. If Lallana and/or Shaw go it will be because they are impatient for the next level now. We know they are ready. It would be nice if they stay but if they go it does not make us a selling club any more that Spurs, Arsenal or many other top European clubs who fail to hold onto their talent. I would be more concerned with our future path if some of our yet undeveloped talent is sold on.

You utter prat. He was not.

No it is not! I am just fed up with the numpty posters on here who ruin every thread with the idiotic postings. This is not the site it was. As at 2.30 this afternoon his father has heard of no contact. I think he would know before the rumour merchants don,t you? Will he go? If you were player at the hight of your skill, picked for England and a chance to earn a lot more with a top four club playing Championship League what would you do? I am still fairly confident but would not want to stop him putting his skills to test at a higher level!

There is no doubt to reach the next level we need it increase our income substantially. We have had a good pay off this season but so has everyone else in the Premier and for me it will just mean increased (inflated) transfer fees and wages. We need to increase our commercial income not only at home but also abroad. Cortese developed the "Southampton way" on the pitch but little else. The new team of Directors have inherited that higher profile and it up to them to capitalise outside the club. I am cautiously optimistic like Duncan. They look a focused team. Fair play rules may restrict our transfers and there is no doubt there is better value in British players but will they, as additions to the squad, have enough flair and skill to lift us to the next level? We may have to sell to improve but at the same time that will weaken what we already have. A catch 22 situation faced by all but the top 5 or 6 established teams with high overseas exposure and income. For me, I hope next season is a chance to consolidate with the same Manager and Players with some additions to expand our small squad. 7th or 8th next season with the same flair of play will suite me. We have a brand. Let's not dilute it next season.

Interesting quote on PPrune (an aviation forum) posted from someone in Western Australia. This comment in relation to someone else posting that even if the military know something they would certainly comment without details

Reed was Cortese's appointment at the start. Cortese demands only the best out of his team and many others, including 2 Managers have been moved on but Reed stayed and now appears to have been given a vote of confidence from the present regime. He helped oversee our clubs rise from bottom of Div 1 to 8th in the Premier. He may only be behind the scene but he has an important role to play.

Do not need to.

Many are talking or asking about signing up the Manager on a long contract. He has already indicated he has another year left and is happy with the situation. In my opinion and listening to others who know more it is not about money in his pocket. He is happy with his remuneration. It is about what money is available to strengthen the team in the summer. Let him have £40m at his disposal to get two or three good additions and that will say more about the clubs ambitions than anything else. If we keep the present influential players and add a few more and if the Manager maintains his performance then a new contract will automatically follow. This is a young guy who has plenty of time here to progress and look for that big job four or five years from now. May be we will be that big club then!

I am not concerned