A saints championship team

I was getting depressed and angry about our decline and the ridiculous people running our club so I decided to do something productive. What would be a team that you would be excited for and pay money to watch if we do end up being relegated this year? Here is mine so far:

 

New keeper

 

New rb Stephens Yoshida Targett

 

sims jwp hojbjerg new lm

 

Austin new striker

 

Managed by Gary monk. Nice mix of English players and academy players there, hopefully instill a bit of passion into them, not a bad defence for the championship if we get in a decent rb and maybe a good bit of pace up top. I'd be very excited to see how the academy boys do if we did go down this route. It would also have the added bonus of binning most of the dross from this year. Maybe replace Austin too if he's too injury prone. Thoughts?

Add Hesketh to that team.

 

We’d probably sell Austin and have Gallagher up top.

Austin would be gone, so would Hoj, JWP and Yoshida I think.

 

We'd probably go with Gallagher, Sims, Bedranek, Stephens, Lewis, Reed, Hesketh etc. So, not good enough.

 

That's the glaring thing for me, so many of the players in our side would be off like a shot and get another top league club. We have ability in this side, we're just a poor team.

Well would they be off? A lot of them on long contacts and UNLESS they have a relegation release clause, are we not in the driving seat?

Sure they would never sign a new contract but reckon squad would still be majority of this seasons squad?

 

Or is it a case of us being forced to sell players due to paying PL wages in the championship?

Sign Daniel Bentley as the new GK.

Well would they be off? A lot of them on long contacts and UNLESS they have a relegation release clause, are we not in the driving seat?

Sure they would never sign a new contract but reckon squad would still be majority of this seasons squad?

 

Or is it a case of us being forced to sell players due to paying PL wages in the championship?

 

I imagine we'd be forced to sell a lot due to finances, some of these lads will be on crazy money. Forster amazingly being one of our highest earners. Not sustainable wages in the Champ.

 

We'd go down the youth route and we'd hear about how the pathway is flourishing, before we end up selling them all to average PL clubs after 18 months or so.

Coming back up would be so difficult with us rolling over and selling anybody who was any good for us in the championship.

Austin would be gone, so would Hoj, JWP and Yoshida I think.

 

We'd probably go with Gallagher, Sims, Bedranek, Stephens, Lewis, Reed, Hesketh etc. So, not good enough.

 

That's the glaring thing for me, so many of the players in our side would be off like a shot and get another top league club. We have ability in this side, we're just a poor team.

I reckon we could keep yoshi and jwp for a season or two. I can't see why anyone would want them. Hojbjerg I agree but would be good to keep him for a season and give him the armband. Plenty of clubs have kept bigger players for a season so we may be able to do it. Forgot about Reed that's a good shout.

Coming back up would be so difficult with us rolling over and selling anybody who was any good for us in the championship.

I'll be honest if we go down I'll probably get a season ticket again. Even the seasons when we were sh*t it was a good laugh going to some away games with players who cared. We had some rubbish but most of them put a shift in even when they were inconpempetent and we had cult heroes like stern John and rasiak. I'll get over relegation quite quickly I reckon and hopefully the skates get back there so we can have a Derby again.

I was getting depressed and angry about our decline and the ridiculous people running our club so I decided to do something productive. What would be a team that you would be excited for and pay money to watch if we do end up being relegated this year? Here is mine so far:

 

New keeper

 

New rb Stephens Yoshida Targett

 

sims jwp hojbjerg new lm

 

Austin new striker

 

Managed by Gary monk. Nice mix of English players and academy players there, hopefully instill a bit of passion into them, not a bad defence for the championship if we get in a decent rb and maybe a good bit of pace up top. I'd be very excited to see how the academy boys do if we did go down this route. It would also have the added bonus of binning most of the dross from this year. Maybe replace Austin too if he's too injury prone. Thoughts?

 

Stephens and Yoshida isn't really good enough for first choice pairing in the Championship. Stephens complete lack of aerial ability would get exploited. Assuming Hoedt leaves we would need another CB unless Bednarek is good enough.

 

I'd imagine / hope the following would be off:

 

Forster

Cedric

Bertrand

Hoedt

Romeu

Lemina

Tadic

Boufal

Gabbi

Long

 

That would leave us with

 

McCarthy

 

Pied

Targett

McQueen

 

Yoshida

Stephens

Bednarek

 

Hoj

Davis

JWP

 

Redmond

Austin

 

Potentially the makings of a very good Championship team but a few additions would be needed.

Gallagher scored again tonight. The Brum fans are full of praise over the last month

Stephens and Yoshida isn't really good enough for first choice pairing in the Championship. Stephens complete lack of aerial ability would get exploited. Assuming Hoedt leaves we would need another CB unless Bednarek is good enough.

 

I'd imagine / hope the following would be off:

 

Forster

Cedric

Bertrand

Hoedt

Romeu

Lemina

Tadic

Boufal

Gabbi

Long

 

That would leave us with

 

McCarthy

 

Pied

Targett

McQueen

 

Yoshida

Stephens

Bednarek

 

Hoj

Davis

JWP

 

Redmond

Austin

 

Potentially the makings of a very good Championship team but a few additions would be needed.

I'd genuinely be more stoked to watch that team than our current team. Very difficult to muster any enthusiasm for the likes of 2017 Bertrand, romeu, Long, redmond etc.

The championship isn’t to bad tbh. More league games, better atmosphere at the grounds, cheaper tickets, return of El Clasicoast, 3pm kick offs etc.

 

Do prefer the Premier League tbh.

The championship isn’t to bad tbh. More league games, better atmosphere at the grounds, cheaper tickets, return of El Clasicoast, 3pm kick offs etc.

 

Do prefer the Premier League tbh.

 

It's alright when you have a decent team and are competitive, but it is an absolute dog fest if you're stuck in a downward spiral. I do not look back at 07/08 and 08/09 with anything other than horror, stuff of nightmares. I don't think Sunderland or Hull are enjoying it by any means.

Pied wil be gone on a free transfer as his contract is up. And I expect Yoshida would make a big money - for him anyway - return to Japan.

 

Davis will probably go back to Rangers.

 

I’d love to keep Hojberg but can’t see him staying - and I am sure Redmond would go a well - but I think we’d be stuck with Long.

 

So that leaves us with McCarthy, Targett, McQueen, Reed, Bednarek, Stephens, JWP, Austin, Long, Gallagher, Sims, Hesketh and a load of loan signings.

The championship isn’t to bad tbh. More league games, better atmosphere at the grounds, cheaper tickets, return of El Clasicoast, 3pm kick offs etc.

 

Do prefer the Premier League tbh.

Better football in the prem wheb we have a half decent team and manager but mostly the atmosphere is very shoddy. I can remember playing Plymouth before the takeover in the championship abd singing oh when the saints in the Itchen for the entirety of the second half which you simply don't get nowadays. There's definitely both pros and cons to playing in both, the biggest con may be if we get into financial trouble again.

It's alright when you have a decent team and are competitive, but it is an absolute dog fest if you're stuck in a downward spiral. I do not look back at 07/08 and 08/09 with anything other than horror, stuff of nightmares. I don't think Sunderland or Hull are enjoying it by any means.

 

That Plymouth game at home where Euell got loads of stick stands out, as does Donny home 08/09. Gao has no money to invest so could see us going straight down again

Given the state of things right now, I'm not sure that we will arrest the slide, I can feel a 'Sunderland' coming up a bit like last time we went down.

 

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That Plymouth game at home where Euell got loads of stick stands out, as does Donny home 08/09. Gao has no money to invest so could see us going straight down again

In contrast, Sheffield United at home was brilliant as was West brom away when we stayed up by the skin of our teeth.

 

Pretty sure we contrived to lose a game at home to Charlton though when they played most of the game with ten men and they scored near the end of the game. That was awful...

In contrast, Sheffield United at home was brilliant as was West brom away when we stayed up by the skin of our teeth.

 

Pretty sure we contrived to lose a game at home to Charlton though when they played most of the game with ten men and they scored near the end of the game. That was awful...

Shelvey winner I think

Yoshida would stay, no one would want him.

There's no good way to go down when you've actually got a good squad. But there's nothing to mean you have to slide down further. You just need to make sure you have the right management to bring you back.

Not so sure that getting back will be quite as straight forward as last time, we got exceptionally lucky with our new owners. A lot of big clubs have been less fortunate than us and struggled for years to get back to the premiership.

 

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It took us 7 years (and administration) to get back to the Premier League last time. Very few clubs manage to come back immediately.

 

19 out of the current 24 clubs in the Championship have been relegated from the Premier League since 1992 and lots of them have bigger stadiums, fan bases, trophy cabinets etc than Saints but keep failing to come back up.

I would love to see a team of mostly academy graduates play in the championship. Gives us a chance to refresh the squad as well, we are starting to see the team being filled with overpaid foreign dross after our European adventures. I think that’s one positive as a result of this nightmare season.

Pied wil be gone on a free transfer as his contract is up. And I expect Yoshida would make a big money - for him anyway - return to Japan.

 

Davis will probably go back to Rangers.

 

I’d love to keep Hojberg but can’t see him staying - and I am sure Redmond would go a well - but I think we’d be stuck with Long.

 

So that leaves us with McCarthy, Targett, McQueen, Reed, Bednarek, Stephens, JWP, Austin, Long, Gallagher, Sims, Hesketh and a load of loan signings.

 

JWP would go and I think Austin would too.

Don't forget the other players out on loan - Reed, Olomola, Seager, Lewis. I think Olomola in particular would have a shout in the championship after spending a year toughening up at Yeovil. Reed was never quite good enough for the Premiership but would be OK, and although the quality of football may not be the best in the Scottish championship, Lewis will have gained enough experience to be a good backup to McCarthy.

 

Oh...and everybody seems to have forgotten about Gardos....best leave it that way...lol

PEH, JWP will definitely go, Targett perhaps - don't forget that he was wanted by Newcastle in the summer. Austin may stay, it all depends on the terms of his contract, i.e. whether he gets a substantial reduction in wages or not. I wouldn't be so sure about retaining Stephens or Long either. I think we are in for a hard time in the Championship to be honest.

There's no good way to go down when you've actually got a good squad. But there's nothing to mean you have to slide down further. You just need to make sure you have the right management to bring you back.

 

Eric Black?

I imagine we'd be forced to sell a lot due to finances, some of these lads will be on crazy money. Forster amazingly being one of our highest earners. Not sustainable wages in the Champ.

 

We'd go down the youth route and we'd hear about how the pathway is flourishing, before we end up selling them all to average PL clubs after 18 months or so.

 

With VvD money and the parachute payments we would not be forced to sell. More alarmist crap

I remember pony like this the last time. How it maybe a good thing to go down and re group, win more matches, see new grounds. How did that work out? ****ing dire. The championship seasons before league 1 were ducking awful, even the play off season was frustrating and ultimately ****ing woeful. Watching a shiete team like derby promoted.

 

We were ****ing hours away from going bang, were lucky Marcus didn't walk away with all the fantasy bid. We won't be so lucky next time, we could end up the new Nottingham Forest or Sheffield Weds, just watching shiete second rate football season in season out. No thanks.

 

 

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I am resigned to not giving too much of a sh1t now. Will be hard not watching the PL superstars we currently have serving up such entertaining football each week. That is what I will miss most.

And hope we have relegation clauses in the contracts for half pay. Otherwise FF will be here forever.

I am resigned to not giving too much of a sh1t now. Will be hard not watching the PL superstars we currently have serving up such entertaining football each week. That is what I will miss most.

Really? I haven't seen much of that recently. What I will find hard will be teams like Bournemouth and Brighton lording it over us.

I remember pony like this the last time. How it maybe a good thing to go down and re group, win more matches, see new grounds. How did that work out? ****ing dire. The championship seasons before league 1 were ducking awful, even the play off season was frustrating and ultimately ****ing woeful. Watching a shiete team like derby promoted.

 

We were ****ing hours away from going bang, were lucky Marcus didn't walk away with all the fantasy bid. We won't be so lucky next time, we could end up the new Nottingham Forest or Sheffield Weds, just watching shiete second rate football season in season out. No thanks.

 

 

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Disagree. Some of my best memories of supporting the club occurred during those times. It had its frustrating moments of course but the playoffs were very memorable even if we didn't get the result we wanted. Of course it would be preferable to stay up but if we do go down now I do look back on some of the games during that time with some fondness and hopefully we can have something similar this time.

And hope we have relegation clauses in the contracts for half pay. Otherwise FF will be here forever.

 

What are Redmond and Ward-Prowse on? They might be hard to shift too. Newcastle seem to have kept a lot of their best players when they were relegated; Shelvey comes to mind. If it happens and the likes of PEH and Romeu stay, with youngsters like Sims and Hesketh, we could be ok.

I don't want us to get relegated as I really don't think we would get anywhere near the Premier League again for a good few seasons just like the Leeds, Sheffield Wednesday's, Nottingham Forests & Coventrys have found. There are enough team's in the Championship that can give all but the most exceptional team's in the division a bloody nose, to wreck a promotion campaign & I don't see anyone in our squad who falls into the exceptional category. Can you imagine what would have happened the other night if we had been playing Millwall instead of Palace, with the lack of fight and work rate in our current side we would have been murdered!

 

Btw, in the Championship we will need two centre backs who are proficient in the air, Stephens & Yoshida can't head their way out of a paper bag, Benteke won every header against them both the other night and had Zaha been playing off of him instead of sticking to the wing, Palace would have scored at least as many as Leicester did!

 

The only positive are that we have some local boys in the squad who will fight for the shirt as they are Saints fans!

Disagree. Some of my best memories of supporting the club occurred during those times. It had its frustrating moments of course but the playoffs were very memorable even if we didn't get the result we wanted. Of course it would be preferable to stay up but if we do go down now I do look back on some of the games during that time with some fondness and hopefully we can have something similar this time.

 

As long as we don't go bust like last time.

Find it pretty odd people don't think we could come back up when we don't know who the players would be or who the manager would be.

 

It's hard to be optimistic after the last mess, all those saying we could play x list of youngsters have a terribly short memory and should talk to some leeds/Shefiield Wendesday fans if they want to understand just how hard it is to get out of that league. Wednesday have splashed some serious cash and have still struggled to make an impression our youth team certainly won't be tearing up the league!

As long as we don't go bust like last time.

 

Thats the great unknown, what will our new owners do? Will they suck up the costs? How well structured are the contracts we give to star players in terms of relegation clauses?

as an aside, how would people feel if we went down to the Championship next season then down to L1 the following season with a -10 point deficit & an unknown benefactor comes in to save the club & sets us on a 5 year plan to get to the champions league and we achieve back to back promotions all over again?