Katarina meeting with Asian personnel.

I understand everyone's frustrations with lack of investment on the pitch and constant playing with fire of selling our best players year in year out but the Liebherrs will only really be appreciated when they leave. I would take losing 2-1 to Arsenal over the garbage I watched for years after premier league relegation any day

 

That really is the difference between good and bad ownership. Remember how we would happily have accepted the Clowns that run Coventry city to take us over

You might have happily accepted them but don't include us all in that.

The Chinese thing might have legs and I hope it does. I don't think the present owners have the enthusiasm to push on. It doesn't take a genius to work that out either so let's embrace the idea of an owner with more money and more ambition which at this stage is really what we now need. I would say thanks to the family but realistically I think they have had enough and are beginning to tread water which in time can only lead one way. I can't see them risking a sudden collapse in fortunes and thereby value of the club. Their work is done, football like the world is moving at a rapid pace, you need a lot of bottle to play at this table and the Chinese are used to raising the stakes.....

You might have happily accepted them but don't include us all in that.

The Chinese thing might have legs and I hope it does. I don't think the present owners have the enthusiasm to push on. It doesn't take a genius to work that out either so let's embrace the idea of an owner with more money and more ambition which at this stage is really what we now need. I would say thanks to the family but realistically I think they have had enough and are beginning to tread water which in time can only lead one way. I can't see them risking a sudden collapse in fortunes and thereby value of the club. Their work is done, football like the world is moving at a rapid pace, you need a lot of bottle to play at this table and the Chinese are used to raising the stakes.....

What do you think is going to happen to us under this exciting new ambitious owner who won't be treading water and will be pushing us on?

What do you think is going to happen to us under this exciting new ambitious owner who won't be treading water and will be pushing us on?

Dont get me wrong, I'm happy enough with the present owner. But, we seem to be the only team in the Premier that has to operate a transfer surplus every Summer window.

Man City is state money and Chelsea is a bit bent, both have money coming out of their arses and they chucked a lot of money putting their clubs where they are, money that they are never going to get back. It was all done for prestige and reputation. So it is unlikely that big money or Chinese investment will do a Man City or even provide instant success; Cardiff, Fulham, QPR, Bristol City, Villa, Birmingham, Wolves, none of these teams have had the success that we have had in the last few years. Arguably the success of Leciester, despite having a big backer was achieved without spending big.

But we're still Southampton. Even if we offer the same money, we're a smaller club with less history, a smaller stadium and players will always dream of playing for certain clubs. Or just living in a bigger city. Will take a long time to become bigger. We are doing it, we're bigger each season we stay up in the top 8, bigger and richer but it'll take years of doing well and winning a trophy or two to really be considered big.

if only those idiots knew about this they could cut their costs by offering no more money than we do.

Dont get me wrong, I'm happy enough with the present owner. But, we seem to be the only team in the Premier that has to operate a transfer surplus every Summer window.

Still don't really see why it's a problem.

Seems to me some people would be much happier if our league position was identical last season, absolutely identical, but we happened to have spent £50m more to achieve it.

Sunderland have generated a positive net spend(spend out stripping sales) season after season after season after season. Living the dream.

Still don't really see why it's a problem.

 

Seems to me some people would be much happier if our league position was identical to last season, absolutely identical, but we happened to have spent £50m more to achieve it.

 

Sunderland have generated a positive net spend(spend out stripping sales) season after season after season after season. Living the dream.

Yes they would because this season we look like we won't finish in th top 10, so if it needed 50 million to remain 6th then So be it.

Yes they would because this season we look like we won't finish in th top 10, so if it needed 50 million to remain 6th then So be it.

I'm not talking about this season I'm talking about last season. ie for some finishing sixth wasn't good enough, we needed to finish sixth and show a financial deficit because that's somehow better.

Money is the be all and end all for some. How about we concentrate on coaching players and making them better (which is what we do). And we've signed some top, top level players this summer - let's not rewrite history on that.

Be careful what you wish for is pretty relevant for this thread.

Money is the be all and end all for some. How about we concentrate on coaching players and making them better (which is what we do). And we've signed some top, top level players this summer - let's not rewrite history on that.

 

Be careful what you wish for is pretty relevant for this thread.

No let's not rewrite history we haven't sold better players than we have bought in. We lost a better manager, he's proving it again at Everton. Vic was class and we miss him, mane looks amazing for Liverpool too and Pelle was a valuable asset we haven't replaced. Also, there a 30 million surplus on transfers.

Man City is state money and Chelsea is a bit bent, both have money coming out of their arses and they chucked a lot of money putting their clubs where they are, money that they are never going to get back. It was all done for prestige and reputation. So it is unlikely that big money or Chinese investment will do a Man City or even provide instant success; Cardiff, Fulham, QPR, Bristol City, Villa, Birmingham, Wolves, none of these teams have had the success that we have had in the last few years. Arguably the success of Leciester, despite having a big backer was achieved without spending big.

Money is the be all and end all for some. How about we concentrate on coaching players and making them better (which is what we do). And we've signed some top, top level players this summer - let's not rewrite history on that.

 

Be careful what you wish for is pretty relevant for this thread.

There is wisdom beyond the norm for this board here. I have some Cardiff City ST holders as relatives and they are will tell of the potential dangers of having disconnected foreign investors as owners.

What do you think is going to happen to us under this exciting new ambitious owner who won't be treading water and will be pushing us on?

He doesn't have a clue, it's just a pipe dream .

I wouldnt want to pay to go and eat somewhere and see a woman whacking her bangers out for some brat to feed on

Guess you sailor boys prefer the men only bars

Haha trying to pick an argument again ....?

So sad

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No let's not rewrite history we haven't sold better players than we have bought in. We lost a better manager, he's proving it again at Everton. Vic was class and we miss him, mane looks amazing for Liverpool too and Pelle was a valuable asset we haven't replaced. Also, there a 30 million surplus on transfers.

It has been explained time and time again that you can't just subtract money received from transfers from money spent and produce a net spend (or surplus). Firstly, we don't know how much was spent or received as the buyer and seller often release differing figures. There is probably an element of add-ons that may or not be triggered. But the biggest factor usually is the wages and image rights over the life of the contract. And that's where the financial fair play rules hit a smaller club like Saints. Most of our senior players are now on improved contracts and we cannot just go out and keep spending without significantly improving our income (which is what Krueger and friends are trying to do). Even if the owners were willing to give away more of their fortune(and why should they?) FFP makes this very difficult.

That's utter nonsense Man City and Chelsea were both in the top ten most successful clubs in England PRIOR to their buy outs, both City and Chelsea had average crowds historically that dwarfed most other clubs (City even got an average of 28,000 in league one).

 

Manchester is also one of the most desirable places to live in the country, with the area of cheshire having some of the most expensive properties in the country and Manchester being infamous for night life, music and culture.

 

As much as i love Saints we're not even close to being comparable in terms of history, attendances or attractive destinations sadly, in fact i often am hugely surprised how much people over estimate how attractive Hampshire is to live for a mid 20's footballer.

 

There's a huge dearth of things to do in comparison with even Brighton or Bristol, let alone London, Manchester, Birmingham or Liverpool. Sadly Southampton is something of a cultural blackhole, built around students and chain pubs. The likes of which the elite of footballers are unlikely to ever find that enticing.

Er what? Nonsense is what you've just spouted.

No just no, they might be bigger then we've ever been but they've been middling nothing clubs for a long time. Chelsea had won the league once in 1955 and had 2 FA cups, and Euro cup winners cup in their history, that's it. With one FA cup in 1997 being their only trophy for about 30 years.

Man City are a little better but still nothing really since the early 1970s, 3 of their major trophies coming from before the war. Again over 30 years of winning nothing including getting relegated to league 2 in that period as well.

That is dwarfed in comparison to a Man Utd or Liverpool.

No foreign footballer came to Man City or Chelsea because of their history and no 20 something from France or Italy or Spain is liking their lips at living in the North West of England.

it was money and nothing but money that is behind the success of Chelsea and Man City, they threw money at better players and that got them success, before that they were two middling clubs of no real stature who'd done very little in 30 plus years.

Honestly you sound like those deluded Everton fans, you'll be telling me about Man City's corner flags or something next. Footballers aren't nerdy football fans, most of them couldn't give a toss about past history, those are just soundbites for fans.

It's money, exposure and what they can win now that matters.

No let's not rewrite history we haven't sold better players than we have bought in. We lost a better manager, he's proving it again at Everton. Vic was class and we miss him, mane looks amazing for Liverpool too and Pelle was a valuable asset we haven't replaced. Also, there a 30 million surplus on transfers.

1. We sell better players because they clearly improve with us and prove they are capable of performing in the Premier League.

2. Where exactly would Pelle fit into the diamond formation?

3. If you can think of a better business model for a club of our size to be able to operate in the Premier League I'd love to hear it.

1. We sell better players because they clearly improve with us and prove they are capable of performing in the Premier League.

 

2. Where exactly would Pelle fit into the diamond formation?

 

3. If you can think of a better business model for a club of our size to be able to operate in the Premier League I'd love to hear it.

Are we short of a centre-back and a forward? Could we afford them?

For me, a big yes on both.

Guess you sailor boys prefer the men only bars

Are we short of a centre-back and a forward? Could we afford them?

 

For me, a big yes on both.

Are Man U / Liverpool / Everton / etc short of a decent centre back? Are our first choice centre back pairing as good, if not better than those clubs??

For me, a big yes on both.

Austin will cover the centre forward requirements when they are needed. Thing is we don't really have much need for a traditional 9 as before.

We train academy players to play for the first team. Investing in Staplewood and the academy is for the benefit of the club.

 

Plus we are spending money on the first team. People remain too focused on transfer net spend. I think it is very likely the 14 new senior player contracts (6 new + 8 improved) this season will have increased our wage bill. Plus you have signicant signing on fees, agent fees etc which are often overlooked by fans.

Stability went out the door with Cortese. I think its a sign of the prior decades that people are blinkered enough to call whats happened since Cortese left "stability"

And entire first team sold, removal of two managers and their entire coaching staff as well as a complete change of club formation, tactics and style between the last 3 managers. It has been a mess. We were lucky we got Koeman in as he performed far above expectations. Sadly he also crossed Les Reed and was ambitious for the club.

No let's not rewrite history we haven't sold better players than we have bought in. We lost a better manager, he's proving it again at Everton. Vic was class and we miss him, mane looks amazing for Liverpool too and Pelle was a valuable asset we haven't replaced. Also, there a 30 million surplus on transfers.

I think you mean we have sold better players than we've got in Roger.

Lallana, Mane, Wanyama, Toby, Lovren, Shaw, Clyne, Pelle, Morgan etc would all improve our team.

Tottenham came 3rd last year, almost one the league and tried to end the summer with Toby, Morgan and Wanyama as their spine. We did well, but we sold our souls for money and got lucky with Koeman. The End. Reed has been found out this year and deserves wholesomely all the flack he gets.

I think you mean we have sold better players than we've got in Roger.

 

Lallana, Mane, Wanyama, Toby, Lovren, Shaw, Clyne, Pelle, Morgan etc would all improve our team.

 

Tottenham came 3rd last year, almost one the league and tried to end the summer with Toby, Morgan and Wanyama as their spine. We did well, but we sold our souls for money and got lucky with Koeman. The End. Reed has been found out this year and deserves wholesomely all the flack he gets.

Lovren??

Get real, please. We could not keep those players, whether you like it or not.

Are Man U / Liverpool / Everton / etc short of a decent centre back? Are our first choice centre back pairing as good, if not better than those clubs??

 

For me, a big yes on both.

 

Austin will cover the centre forward requirements when they are needed. Thing is we don't really have much need for a traditional 9 as before.

I agree that our first choice centre backs are a good pair. I don't think we have adequate strength in depth though, especially with the upcoming schedule of games on a Thursday night followed by games on Sunday. If you regard Jay Rod and Redmond as centre forwards, you can make a case for us being well-equipped. To be fair, with Boufal to come into the side when fit we probably aren't that badly off up front.

My general point is more that we could have afforded to strengthen the squad further in the Summer but chose not to.

I agree that our first choice centre backs are a good pair. I don't think we have adequate strength in depth though, especially with the upcoming schedule of games on a Thursday night followed by games on Sunday. If you regard Jay Rod and Redmond as centre forwards, you can make a case for us being well-equipped. To be fair, with Boufal to come into the side when fit we probably aren't that badly off up front.

 

My general point is more that we could have afforded to strengthen the squad further in the Summer but chose not to.

I get your point I was merely pointing out that we're not the only team with sub-standard depth in the CB position, maybe they are a rare commodity these days.

We know what we'll get from Yoshi, I'm hoping that Gardos will surpass that - time will tell.

Looks like you're preparing yourself to move seamlessly from moaning about terrible our current owners are to moaning about how terrible our new owners are.

1. Fitzhugh needs something to protest about. 2. Chinese will have no use for a Club Historian.

Dont get me wrong, I'm happy enough with the present owner. But, we seem to be the only team in the Premier that has to operate a transfer surplus every Summer window.

Lol, well we don't have to, we could be really sh01te at transfers and teambuilding like most of the rest of them.

Reed has been found out this year

Well so far this year we've qualified for the Europa League group stages and finished 6th in the Premier League.

I've been linked this.

Right at this moment in time, this is news to me, although I do not for one second disbelieve it.

Although the Liebherr business is HUGE and it could be literally "anything", I wouldn't be at all surprised, in the slightest bit,

if this was connected to any possible "takeover". I'm saying this extremely loosely at this point.

It does make a lot of things add up for me.

I can't speak for others.

The comment a few posts up about being careful what you wish for and that under new ownership, it's possible to end up with somebody "detached",

whilst the point is a valid one, our current owner is about as detached from the club in a football sense as it likely ever gets.

What do you think is going to happen to us under this exciting new ambitious owner who won't be treading water and will be pushing us on?

Just for once mate - just once why don't you stop making childish remarks towards people on here who have something to say and say something yourself!

Perhaps you have nothing to say - I suspect by your continued spiteful comments to others that is the case...

Have an opinion of your own about Saints or be quiet.

Still don't really see why it's a problem.

 

Seems to me some people would be much happier if our league position was identical last season, absolutely identical, but we happened to have spent £50m more to achieve it.

 

Sunderland have generated a positive net spend(spend out stripping sales) season after season after season after season. Living the dream.

I can see your point.

If you spend big, put yourself in debt and the risk of relegation can be catastrophic. Because Saints are prudent we can spend enough to at least stay up and with a bit of luck finish in the top 10. Again because we are prudent, relegation would not be a catastrophe, indeed an opportunity to clear the decks. We could rebuild with young and inexpensive talented players. Once we get back in the PL we could then sell them at a massive profit to the likes of Liverpool. A good business model.

Just for once mate - just once why don't you stop making childish remarks towards people on here who have something to say and say something yourself!

Perhaps you have nothing to say - I suspect by your continued spiteful comments to others that is the case...

Have an opinion of your own about Saints or be quiet.

CB Fry always does this. He won't change.

I've been linked this.

 

Right at this moment in time, this is news to me, although I do not for one second disbelieve it.

 

Although the Liebherr business is HUGE and it could be literally "anything", I wouldn't be at all surprised, in the slightest bit,

if this was connected to any possible "takeover". I'm saying this extremely loosely at this point.

 

It does make a lot of things add up for me.

 

I can't speak for others.

 

The comment a few posts up about being careful what you wish for and that under new ownership, it's possible to end up with somebody "detached",

whilst the point is a valid one, our current owner is about as detached from the club in a football sense as it likely ever gets.

Waffle.

I've been linked this.

 

Right at this moment in time, this is news to me, although I do not for one second disbelieve it.

 

Although the Liebherr business is HUGE and it could be literally "anything", I wouldn't be at all surprised, in the slightest bit,

if this was connected to any possible "takeover". I'm saying this extremely loosely at this point.

 

It does make a lot of things add up for me.

 

I can't speak for others.

 

The comment a few posts up about being careful what you wish for and that under new ownership, it's possible to end up with somebody "detached",

whilst the point is a valid one, our current owner is about as detached from the club in a football sense as it likely ever gets.

Much appreciated, thanks.

Imagine if we got an owner who was like Dr. Tony Xia

His twitter account is gold https://twitter.com/Dr_TonyXia

Imagine if we got an owner who was like Dr. Tony Xia

 

His twitter account is gold https://twitter.com/Dr_TonyXia

It certainly is. Give me a detached owner over "Twitter super fan" any day of the week.

Just for once mate - just once why don't you stop making childish remarks towards people on here who have something to say and say something yourself!

Perhaps you have nothing to say - I suspect by your continued spiteful comments to others that is the case...

Have an opinion of your own about Saints or be quiet.

He did. He just said "the new owners won't be any better, they might be worse and they might not know what they're doing, either", in his own way.

preferable to having a £200 meal and somebody thinks its ok to pop one out to feed a baby. It seems some people think that their child is the only one in the world and so has to show us all. I suppose next it will be fine to change the nappy at the table as well.

You are coming across as VERY out of touch here.

I'm guessing this is merely business acquaintances of Ms Liebherr being shown around "her football club" simply to see it. I bet they are in business together in another industry.

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Just for once mate - just once why don't you stop making childish remarks towards people on here who have something to say and say something yourself!

Perhaps you have nothing to say - I suspect by your continued spiteful comments to others that is the case...

Have an opinion of your own about Saints or be quiet.

Being that the words I used were almost entirely from your post I'm not sure what was childish about it.

I've talked a lot about my views on how this club is run. There's plenty on this forum from me. Have a search. Tuck in.

As far as I'm concerned, we've finished sixth and we're off to the San Siro - if you seriously think now is the time to complain about how we're treading water and not pushing on then you don't really require a huge amount of my time.

Whoever the owner is, it's unlikely we are going to step change significantly from three top eight finishes and two European qualifications out of three.

Waffle.

I don't have access to KL's diary to give you the when, where, who and why.

Guess you sailor boys prefer the men only bars

Have you served?

I don't have access to KL's diary to give you the when, where, who and why.

Don't worry AR-10 I think looking at his posts he's either eaten too many E numbers or he's lost his favourite toy!!

Have you served?

Nope but I bet you have "received"

With all the whingeing fans on here I would not be surprised if she sold

With all the whingeing fans on here I would not be surprised if she sold

She must cry over her cornflakes every morning checking on the latest posts!

She must cry over her cornflakes every morning checking on the latest posts!

Probably Alpen, though she looks like a Frosties girl.

Why not just look at your food and your companions rather than anyone else? If you've managed to spend anything like £200 a head in Southampton, then I'd look even closer, as the waiter will probably also soon be trying to sell you a very fine suit of invisible clothes...

Will be interesting to see how Everton get on next 3-4 years. They are similar in size to us, very similar incomes each year and similar sized debts.

Although it didn't go exactly to plan this summer they are making the right noises and seem very ambitious.

Wonder if the can have a serious crack at breaking the top 7's hold?

I don't think you should fear change. if you look at SFC like rolling a dice then our situation now, as it stands, it may only be a two or three. go for something bigger and better, yeah, we could easily roll a six!!

We could also roll a one

I'd rather take a gamble and have a chance at winning trophies - under the current ownership we have no hope IMHO

........ if you look at SFC like rolling a dice then our situation now, as it stands, it may only be a two or three. go for something bigger and better, yeah, we could easily roll a six!!

 

We could also roll a one ........

So as per your name there's some uncertainty in this??

But I generally agree with your comments and currently I'd take a gamble as well - but not along the lines of the blue lot down the road