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The Chamberlain Dilemna.......


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As Nigel is thinking over things on his well deserved holiday, I wonder if he is pondering what to do.....

 

The problem is this....if Chamberlain stays during the summer and next season (which we all hope) it cuts down on available transfer funds which we have to play with this summer. However, if a big club comes in during the early summer then let's assume we get £7-8M up front (if Cortese does his negotiating job properly) , which would enable us to buy say 3-4 high level Championship - bottom level Prem players with the money.....which could make us a true top 6 club......

 

The BIG issue is timing.....my question is - should NA be saying to Chamberlain's team we are going to set a deadline for next season planning - if you want to go - say by mid July - then we will have no option, but to support the move - which gives us some time to buy and bed in new players in pre season; if after this time - we will refuse all offers regardless?. If Chamberlain really loves the club this sounds like a sensible compromise?.

 

Thoughts all?

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You're right in that we need to know relatively early. It would be stupid to sell him last day of July, and then only have a week to get sorted for the new season. Personally, Cortese strikes me as stubborn, but well within the interests of the football club. It is him who will have the ultimate say. If he turns around and rejects offers of £10 million then so be it, there isn't a lot anyone can do about it. At 17, Chamberlain has so much time on his hands and I think he'll stay for next season, get some invaluable experience and then go from there. Saying all that, it still wouldn't suprise me if we cashed in.

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Whats his contract like ?? Personally I think he will go if we get a decent offer as I believe he will want to move on (like most youngsters these days) perhaps he will stay now that we are in the championship but I don't know, the lad has talent.

 

IMHO we will have money to play with anyways this summer, so for me it doesn't make much of a difference, but we will see, keep the lad for another season, and if he has a better season will probably increase his value by 1/2.

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Are you sure your maths is correct? If we get 7-8m then it was my understanding that not all that is available for incoming players transfer fee. Surely some would be held back to subsidise the higher wages that such players would require?

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As Nigel is thinking over things on his well deserved holiday, I wonder if he is pondering what to do.....

 

The problem is this....if Chamberlain stays during the summer and next season (which we all hope) it cuts down on available transfer funds which we have to play with this summer. However, if a big club comes in during the early summer then let's assume we get £7-8M up front (if Cortese does his negotiating job properly) , which would enable us to buy say 3-4 high level Championship - bottom level Prem players with the money.....which could make us a true top 6 club......

 

The BIG issue is timing.....my question is - should NA be saying to Chamberlain's team we are going to set a deadline for next season planning - if you want to go - say by mid July - then we will have no option, but to support the move - which gives us some time to buy and bed in new players in pre season; if after this time - we will refuse all offers regardless?. If Chamberlain really loves the club this sounds like a sensible compromise?.

 

Thoughts all?

 

What makes you think Saints won't sign players without selling first? Adkins and the new scout have both indicated the club is spending this summer. If Saints are going to spend money regardless, why sell a first team regular?

 

If you sell Chamberlain, who are you going to get that is better than him? Chamberlain decided to sign a 3 year deal last year, you don't need to set him a deadline, he agreed to stay contracted in a 3 year deal.

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IMO I think he will go. I think he will want to go as youngsters want things quickly and maybe who can blame them. Everyone is saying keep him but that is also a gamble as he has only done it for 1 season in Div 3 and could (I don't think he will) flop this year and only be worth a fraction of today's fee.

 

I would flog him for as close to 10m as possible with a loan back option. He is not as important to the team as AL. I think some people are wanting to keep him just becaue we are in the position to do so, is that the right reason? I would love him to stay but it's not the end of the world if he goes.

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I would flog him for as close to 10m as possible with a loan back option. He is not as important to the team as AL. I think some people are wanting to keep him just becaue we are in the position to do so, is that the right reason? I would love him to stay but it's not the end of the world if he goes.

 

I want him to stay because he's one of our best players and will be key for us next season. We'll be weaker without him.

 

People said the same about Bale and Walcott but I bet you'd give your arm and leg to see them in a saints shirt now.

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We need players like Oxo if we are to be promoted (or even to compete) in a much tougher league next season.

His value is very unlikely to depreciate over the season. Therefore he is a considerable asset to the club and should not be sold.

If the club is serious about getting into the Premier League then they should be able to budget for the necessary additions to the squad without the sale of our best teenager.

I believe they are and will.

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I think the key to success is building a team that play and think as a team, keeping the quality we have already and adding quality to the weaker areas. AOC is quality and has always performed well for us, so the 'problem' isn't timing, it's not value, it's how do we keep hold of him. That's our only problem with AOC and should be our only focus.

 

IF it becomes absolutely clear his heart and head are no longer with us, then the focus turns to getting the quickest, best-value deal and moving forward from there. But this should certainly not be the focus of anybodies attention until we are confident we cannot keep him with us.

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If AOC is pursuaded that he will do better elsewhere, it won't be possible to keep him, but if things go according to plan his future should lookprogressively better at SFC as times goes on and as more quality players are brought in. The longer we can hang on to him the better as he will also be a reason for other players to sign for us.

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I want him to stay because he's one of our best players and will be key for us next season. We'll be weaker without him.

 

People said the same about Bale and Walcott but I bet you'd give your arm and leg to see them in a saints shirt now.

 

I agree with you. But some people are saying we don't need to flog him because we are 'rich', thats not the reason. the reason should be he is good for the team.

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A successful season in the Championship would see him double in value and possibly us promoted - would be madness to sell now.

 

Unfortunately if he stays with us this season next summer he will only have a year left on his contract which puts Saints at a bit of a disadvantage when demanding a high transfer fee.

 

I understand how selling him may be for the greater good in terms of next season, but with respect to the long-term keeping him has many benefits off the pitch as well. It creates the right impression of the club in terms of having to sell all our best players, it shows how determined we are for our Academy graduates to have a career with the first team and not just be used as fuel to run the club, and it helps attract other players to the club when they see how we are growing and keep our best players. Chamberlain is a potentially important milestone the new era of the club.

 

On the other hand if he determines he wants to leave then we need to let him go - but only on our terms.

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Unfortunately if he stays with us this season next summer he will only have a year left on his contract which puts Saints at a bit of a disadvantage when demanding a high transfer fee.

Surely he'll be offered better terms this summer after the season he had and the interest he has attracted?

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Times have changed.

 

We dont need the money and don't have to sell. There is no dilemma

 

When will some people grasp the reality of the new world Saints are now in ?

 

 

Lets not get above our station yet! We do have money but it is always a business. By your theory no price would get him. Every player has his price especially if he wants to go. If we do keep him for another year his price won't go up (unless we sale him in jan) due to his contract terms. If we got good money for him and invested it well it would be a good move. I think he is great and will prob be better than be Walcott as he seems to have a better football head but he has a long way to go. Lets not get in the Man City head set that we can keep or buy who we want. We are a long way from there. My caveat is I would love him to stay if invested in more players aswell.

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If AOC is pursuaded that he will do better elsewhere, it won't be possible to keep him, but if things go according to plan his future should lookprogressively better at SFC as times goes on and as more quality players are brought in. The longer we can hang on to him the better as he will also be a reason for other players to sign for us.

 

You are right. It is his decision and if he wants to go that will be it. I don't think it is a question of if he can be persuaded though...with the money and the crumpet guaranteed with Prem status it is just a matter of time.

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Times have changed.

 

We dont need the money and don't have to sell. There is no dilemma

 

When will some people grasp the reality of the new world Saints are now in ?

 

I disagree. We do need the money as we have been told we have to live within our means. But that is not the point. If a premiership clubs wants him badly enough he will go. It is the same old reality of big fishes eating smaller fishes.

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If we can get a decent amount for him up front AND a large percentage for a sell-on, then let him go....we're going to lose him eventually anyway (even Utd couldn't keep Ronaldo...), why not cash in now and utilise that extra cash to strengthen the team in a few areas for next year when we really need to aim for a top 6 spot. My biggest fear in selling him, though, is that all the other clubs who have players we are interested in will sudden'y double their price if they know we are "cashed up" from his sale.

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IMO he has to stay next season.

 

In August we are no longer restricted by the stupid FA (or is it FIFA) rules that say a 17 year old can only sign a 3 year contract.

We then offer him a long term contract (like Adam's) with clauses LIKE :- allows him to leave after 2 seasons (if we are not in the PL) and only if club A or B offers over 15m say. Of course his father may want to vary the terms i.e. amount / club C etc. but I'm sure an arrangement can be found. (imo I think this sort of thing is what his mum was hinting at on the radio)

 

With the "25 man over 21" Squad rule it makes no sense to sell now.

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Selling our best young players & replacing them with some decent players to the same value never seemed to work too well in Lowe's era if I recall so why don't we as fans learn from the mistakes of the past and keep our youth for a change?

 

That was the point I was trying to make above..... some posters seem to think that selling a really good player and replacing him with two or three less expensive (but generally much less good) ones is the answer to our problems.

 

It never has been before - so why should it now???

 

If we don't have to sell, don't sell

 

Build a team around some key young talented players with some solid experienced players around them ..... and return to the Promised Land of the Premiership

 

Simples

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Times have changed.

 

We dont need the money and don't have to sell. There is no dilemma

 

When will some people grasp the reality of the new world Saints are now in ?

 

they are likely to keep their cards close to their chest (rightly so although won't keep fans happy!) on budgets but you are probably right.

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why dont we need the money......of course we do...as does every club

 

No our owners will just throw unending amounts of cash our way. NC just jumps on the phone and says "give another 20million will yer"..............:rolleyes:

 

didn't the last accounts show that our gate money was barely covering our wage bill?

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I want him to stay because he's one of our best players and will be key for us next season. We'll be weaker without him.

 

People said the same about Bale and Walcott but I bet you'd give your arm and leg to see them in a saints shirt now.

 

Well said. The problem is it is never as simple as that. When he was out injured I think we actually picked up more points per game than when he was playing? having said that, in my opinion we played him too often and this definitely reduced his effectiveness..........We would be weaker without him but if we keep him we must not wear him out - pacey players only have so much juice in the tank.........

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In the same way as a club sometimes need a special signing to demonstrate their worth, I think that we need a special player signing on to demostrate to the world that we are serious about being a top team again. We need somehow to demonstrate that we are no longer Lowe's club where any young player with talent was immediately sold. In some ways we got that with Adam's contract extension in January but to so many people outside Southampton, our best player is AOC and according to them we are just about to flog him to the highest bidder. If we could hold onto him, I am sure that our general standing in the football world would improve .... and in turn we would find it easier to attract better players.

 

In this day and age, I appreciate that it is sometimes difficult to hold onto a promising youngster. If they want to go, they normally go. However the wait that both Theo and Bale had between their initial leaving of Saints and their establishment in their new clubs shows that sometimes it is better to learn with Saints than go off to the bright lights.

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Let's think about this in terms of AOC's development. The kid has had one season in professional football at the age of 17, and has shined against the likes of Dag&Red and Hartlepool. Next season with Saints he has the chance, at 18, to play against teams such as West Ham, Cardiff and Birmingham week in week out. A move to the Premier league and he'll have to move away from home, most likely up north to Liverpool or Manchester, and play maybe 10 games at most in the season.

 

Staying with Saints is a natural progression for him at such an early stage of his career, and I think he should stay. Certainly at least until January.

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Selling our best young players & replacing them with some decent players to the same value never seemed to work too well in Lowe's era if I recall so why don't we as fans learn from the mistakes of the past and keep our youth for a change?

 

Oxo will not be signing a new contract with us (well not one that commits long time). So we get to keep him for another season, but he will be off unless the top teams suddenly have no interest in him. Secondly if he does show his worth next season, clubs will be prepared to match his contract conditions and there is no way anyone can stop the lad leaving. It is obvious that the club and the fans do not want to sell him, but we can only hold out for so long before it becomes a case of doing more harm than good. We can delay him from leaving but are powerless to stop the eventual happening.

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Oxo will not be signing a new contract with us (well not one that commits long time).

 

You don't know that, we have the financial clout to match what anyone else is willing to pay a 17 year old. He will eventually want to play for a big club but may think the best place to develop for the next few seasons here. Not likely but possible.

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You don't know that, we have the financial clout to match what anyone else is willing to pay a 17 year old. He will eventually want to play for a big club but may think the best place to develop for the next few seasons here. Not likely but possible.

 

how on earth do you make that...?

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how on earth do you make that...?

 

We are owned by billionares, they might think it's a wise investment.

 

If Chambo signs a 5 year deal then rips the @ss out of the Championship teams like Man U and Arsenal will start thinking serious cash (both for us and for Chambo).

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I genuinely found myself checking the date on this thread. It seems so similar to dozens we have had over the last year. I agree with those that say there is no dilema - Cortese knows there must be big investment to get back to the Premiership but the longer term objective is to run the club like a good business so it won't be an endless supply of money. More importantly we can pretty sure that

 

1 Alex is under contract so Cortese does not need to sell

2

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I find it difficult to understand the mindset of those who want to sell our brightest young assets. When did it ever pay us to do that? You just cannot replace a Channon, Shearer, Le Tissier, Walcott or Bale. The same applies to Oxo and Lallana. We should regard them as the future for our club and hang on to them as long as we possibly can. Shearer was the prime example. We sold and got Dixon and Speedie in return! We did not improve.

 

Apart from anything else I love watching Oxo in a Saints shirt. Why cash that in unless we have no choice at all. Keeping our best players will be a message of intent to other teams and to us fans.

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Selling Chamberlain would be ridiculous.

 

Everyone would shoot off about what a great deal we got from, what a good job by Cortese to get such a deal and how he's not that good anyway etc. Then in 2-3 years time he will get a hat-trick for England against one of the top teams in the world (like Theo) or score a hat-trick away against the Champions of Europe (Bale) and we will all realise again how much of a special talent we've let slip through for peanuts.

 

We've supposedly got money now, why even consider selling our best talent? Ridiculous. Even if we get silly money (8m or so) we'd be lucky to see even half of that go into transfers in the short term. Cortese won't pay over inflated prices and every club will know we've got money and ramp the prices up.

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If we had been in this situation 3-4 years ago, it would be a no brainer to sell him for £7-8m up front, because we had no money. Now we're a team on the up, with very sound financial backing and a shrewd, professional chairman. We do not need to sell. We have no reason to sell him other than if he wanted to leave. He's one of the brightest prospects in England and he can grow into a great player with us. I for one would love to see that happen.

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