Sport Republic

[CanadaSaint]

To “Yankee Doodle”:

Sports Republic came to town with a lot of money
Trouble is they brought a clown who’s not remotely funny

The Rasmus plan was “pass the ball” - even when it’s crazy
Right to left and left to right until our vision’s hazy

Coaches came and coaches went - each one a disaster
Doesn’t matter what we spend if we won’t move it faster

Dragan’s money’s going fast, crowds are headed down
His only choice is grow some balls and ditch that fucking clown

[Willo of Whiteley]

The sale of Ronnie Edward’s signals another classic Sport Republic signing.

How many have joined and left the club (or have been loaned out) since SR took over?

Onuachu, Edwards, Orsic, Ramsdale, Bree, Sulemana, Edozie, Downs, Bazunu, Lavia, Larios….

There is some wasted money there.

[Willo of Whiteley]

Lots of chants against them today 👀

[Mboto Gorge]

1 hour ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Lots of chants against them today 👀

These need to continue and be ramped up now during matches. They’re stinking the club out in a big way and things are only going to get worse the longer they’re here. Irreparable damage is looming if they’re in charge for a few more years 

Edited Saturday at 19:21 by Mboto Gorge

[Willo of Whiteley]

Stumbled across this.

How times have changed.

[Sheaf Saint]

Just saw this in the Doncaster match thread. 

That's it. I'm done. Whatever tiny amount of goodwill I still had left towards Dragan and co is gone now after this. I'm not spending another penny on Saints until they have sold up and fucked off.

Absolute cunts.

Edited yesterday at 12:10 by Sheaf Saint

[Willo of Whiteley]

Sport Republic took over in January 2022 and as soon as they took over results started going backwards. Cracking start. It started going wrong very early on.

It was the summer after where they decided to chuck together a management team and hope it works.

I wonder how much meddling was going on behind the scenes.

From what I hear from a couple of people nowadays - they're are horrendous to work for.

Edited yesterday at 13:10 by Willo of Whiteley

[Turkish]

29 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Sport Republic took over in January 2022 and as soon as they took over results started going backwards. Cracking start. It started going wrong very early on.

It was the summer after where they decided to chuck together a management team and hope it works.

I wonder how much meddling was going on behind the scenes.

From what I hear from a couple of people nowadays - they're are horrendous to work for.

In what way are they horrendous to work for?

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

1 hour ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Just saw this in the Doncaster match thread. 

That's it. I'm done. Whatever tiny amount of goodwill I still had left towards Dragan and co is gone now after this. I'm not spending another penny on Saints until they have sold up and fucked off.

Absolute cunts.

Yes, saw Leo come over to some kid and talk to him. Wondered what that was all about. What's he going to do, get it washed and use it for the next game?

Meanwhile the keepers' pre-match shirts looked like they'd rolled around in the mud. If it was to encourage them to dive, it didn't work for their second goal!

[saintant]

39 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Sport Republic took over in January 2022 and as soon as they took over results started going backwards. Cracking start. It started going wrong very early on.

It was the summer after where they decided to chuck together a management team and hope it works.

I wonder how much meddling was going on behind the scenes.

From what I hear from a couple of people nowadays - they're are horrendous to work for.

Somehow and for whatever reason that unexpected 4-0 defeat to Villa seemed to be the catalyst for our swift demise. Never got my head round why that result proved so pivotal.

[Sheaf Saint]

20 minutes ago, saintant said:

Somehow and for whatever reason that unexpected 4-0 defeat to Villa seemed to be the catalyst for our swift demise. Never got my head round why that result proved so pivotal.

I remember that. Something within the club 'unclicked' prior to that game. We went there fairly confident of being able to get a result, having recently drawn at OT and won at Spurs. But suddenly we looked like a completely different team and Villa carved us open with ease. We then capitulated for the rest of the season.

Whatever it was that happened, we've never recovered from it. Up until that point we were looking on course for a steady mid-table finish. The two wins prior to it against Everton and Norwich were probably the last time we ever looked like a competitive PL team - less than two months into the SR era.

[Willo of Whiteley]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

In what way are they horrendous to work for?

Dynamics and ways of working have changed.

Rasmus can put it best “if it ain’t broke, consider breaking it”.
The way the business operated changed drastically.

[Gloucester Saint]

Wilcox not Mr Popular at Man U https://www.redcafe.net/threads/jason-wilcox-director-of-football.482067/page-62

[Badger]

6 hours ago, saintant said:

Somehow and for whatever reason that unexpected 4-0 defeat to Villa seemed to be the catalyst for our swift demise. Never got my head round why that result proved so pivotal.

Definitely seemed a turning point.

Didnt it coincide with an interview with Ralph talking about his retirement in 18months also ? Perhaps pure coincidence, but certainly by the end of the season Ralph appeared to have had enough. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Wilcox not Mr Popular at Man U https://www.redcafe.net/threads/jason-wilcox-director-of-football.482067/page-62

If he considers himself to really be a manager, he should be given the interim job. Anything less than CL qualifying form, and he can resign. Those are the standards he'd expected from the managers, while he faffs about blame free.

[HarvSFC]

West Brom seem to have similar owners who are allergic to an experienced manager. Eric Ramsay appointed. Himself, Tom Cleverley and Rohl were the three most heavily linked before Still got the job. See if Ramsay is another dud like Cleverley and Still.

[Badger]

1 minute ago, HarvSFC said:

West Brom seem to have similar owners who are allergic to an experienced manager. Eric Ramsay appointed. Himself, Tom Cleverley and Rohl were the three most heavily linked before Still got the job. See if Ramsay is another dud like Cleverley and Still.

Good. At least it takes him out of reach of Rasmus. 

[AlexLaw76]

Class of 2022. What a time to be alive 

 

[Osvaldorama]

5 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Class of 2022. What a time to be alive 

 

1/8 ain’t bad. And even he’s always injured. 
 

Top scouting. 

[Turkish]

11 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Class of 2022. What a time to be alive 

 

But we made a profit over all so as a player trading company it was a huge success 

[Toussaint]

19 hours ago, saintant said:

Somehow and for whatever reason that unexpected 4-0 defeat to Villa seemed to be the catalyst for our swift demise. Never got my head round why that result proved so pivotal.

Why so pivotal? My belief is that is that was the point Ralph ball had really been worked out by the premier league, The narrow 4 2 2 2, with little or no protection for the full backs, which resulted in them being over run and centre backs being pulled out of position. Ralph had no answers and was eventually sacked, we all no what happened then, and so far it hasn't got any better in the managerial appointments. 

[Turkish]

13 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Class of 2022. What a time to be alive 

 

Joe Shields just like Wilcox has fallen up, also he looks scarily like the Oppenheim Bothers from Selling Sunsets, who are also both a pair of bellends 

[Willo of Whiteley]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

But we made a profit over all so as a player trading company it was a huge success 

Cheers, MLG.

Also, Juan went on to sign for Goztepe so the multi-club model is also a HUGE SUCCESS!

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Toussaint said:

Why so pivotal? My belief is that is that was the point Ralph ball had really been worked out by the premier league, The narrow 4 2 2 2, with little or no protection for the full backs, which resulted in them being over run and centre backs being pulled out of position. Ralph had no answers and was eventually sacked, we all no what happened then, and so far it hasn't got any better in the managerial appointments. 

Although we won, Norwich had sussed out how to beat our system. They simply weren't good enough on the day to execute it. They were trying the things Villa ended up doing. There was an opponent just before that too, that were also starting to counter us.

As all our no plan B managers have found, it's really hard to adapt when other teams counter your only tactic. Ralph had come back from a previous slump. But SR were in for the second one, enforcing tactical tweaks through Selles. SR love a single revolutionary tactic, never wondering to ask what happens when it's countered.

[Turkish]

29 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Cheers, MLG.

Also, Juan went on to sign for Goztepe so the multi-club model is also a HUGE SUCCESS!

And we signed a 5m 18 year old defender from our French 3rd tier cousins! The multi-club benefits just keep coming.

[trousers]

20 hours ago, Sheaf Saint said:

I remember that. Something within the club 'unclicked' prior to that game. We went there fairly confident of being able to get a result, having recently drawn at OT and won at Spurs. But suddenly we looked like a completely different team and Villa carved us open with ease. We then capitulated for the rest of the season.

Whatever it was that happened, we've never recovered from it. Up until that point we were looking on course for a steady mid-table finish. The two wins prior to it against Everton and Norwich were probably the last time we ever looked like a competitive PL team - less than two months into the SR era.

Anyone know the expiry date on Ralph's NDA? There must be a behind-the-scenes horror story to tell from that time, given the stark and rapid transformation from 'stable PL side' to 'relegation fodder' a mere 2 months after SR took over... 

[Toussaint]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Although we won, Norwich had sussed out how to beat our system. They simply weren't good enough on the day to execute it. They were trying the things Villa ended up doing. There was an opponent just before that too, that were also starting to counter us.

As all our no plan B managers have found, it's really hard to adapt when other teams counter your only tactic. Ralph had come back from a previous slump. But SR were in for the second one, enforcing tactical tweaks through Selles. SR love a single revolutionary tactic, never wondering to ask what happens when it's countered.

I nearly mentioned Norwich, as I agree that’s where it really seemed to start although the result masked our shortcomings. 

[saintant]

17 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Wilcox not Mr Popular at Man U https://www.redcafe.net/threads/jason-wilcox-director-of-football.482067/page-62

Said before, another charlatan who talks a good game and thereby makes a very good living by doing not very much.

[FredVaFC59100]

  3 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Cheers, MLG.

Also, Juan went on to sign for Goztepe so the multi-club model is also a HUGE SUCCESS!

2 hours ago, Turkish said:

And we signed a 5m 18 year old defender from our French 3rd tier cousins! The multi-club benefits just keep coming.

Hail to SR!

SR is the gift that keeps on giving!...to clubs other than Saints 🙃

[spyinthesky]

On 09/01/2026 at 23:44, Willo of Whiteley said:

The sale of Ronnie Edward’s signals another classic Sport Republic signing.

How many have joined and left the club (or have been loaned out) since SR took over?

Onuachu, Edwards, Orsic, Ramsdale, Bree, Sulemana, Edozie, Downs, Bazunu, Lavia, Larios….

There is some wasted money there.

Dont see Ramsdale and Lavia as wasted money.

Understand we have received a decent loan fee for Ramsdale and the club should get his transfer fee back when he is sold at the end of the season.
Lavia went for a good price when sold to Chelsea and the same with Livramento.

The real disasters have been the money paid for failed (or injured) attackers and the absence of physicality in midfield and forward players.

[Willo of Whiteley]

I didn’t say wasted money, but generally you buy players to help the team for years to come.

The list above is players we’ve bought and sold under SR, and then loaned out or sold not long later. (Signifying the failings of the recruitment at this club).

The fact that there is so many says it all.

Armel Bella-Kotchap - there’s another. How could I forget!

[spyinthesky]

I'm am going against the grain here as it is appreciated that I am very much in the minority in not so much sticking up for Sports Republic but wondering what the situation would be if the owners decided they had enough and either sold up to someone else (if they could find a buyer to meet their valuation) or decide to keep the wallet closed, sold off any player with value and bring in lower League replacements on much lower wages)

I am sure that if we all had the time to cast our collective eyes around the Premiership, Championship and a few 'bigger' clubs in League one plus Celtic and Rangers in Scotland, quite a few clubs will have owners under pressure from their fans.

For example  Prem.... Man Utd, Wolves, West Ham (possibly undercurrents from Liverpool, Forest Chelsea and Newcastle)
Championship...........Pompey, Blackburn, Leicester, WBA, Sheff Weds (now resolved to some extent), Norwich, Swansea, Hull (until their recent decent run of form).
League One..............Cardiff, Plymouth, Reading
Scotland...................Rangers (now less of an issue since Russ has departed) Celtic (who's fans have replaced Rangers as Scotland's most disaffected)
                                   btw , as an aside, I notice one of our old players Paul Tisdale has been sacked from a senior management position at Celtic.

I am sure there are more.
I think our major problem is threefold.
1. We have all suffered two ignominious relegations from the Premiership.
2. The club started off in the Championship with what seemed to be a decent squad buoyed by revenue from the sale of Dibling (hoorah as things have turned out) and Fernandes (a good player but hasnt set the world alight at the Govt funded stadium in East London) plus a decent parachute payment.
    The first few games provided little to cheer about then many of us received a surge of excitement when a decent amount of money was spent on a few new players.
3. The transfer window upped the level of anticipation and co-incided with a new Manager and a run of good results which promised a rosier future.
    Since then the balloon of optimism has been well and truly burst and a squad which stand on the club's books at over £150m has probably depreciated to around 25% of this.
Of course Sports Republic cant avoid criticism as they are responsible for running the company and ensuring the right people are appointed both on and off the field.
Bournemouth, Brighton, Brentford, Fulham, Palace, all teams we historically have considered 'below us' are all doing well from a lower base point.
We dont seem to have recovered from the days of Koeman and the players the club were able to attract.
The way things are going  the club is headed for mid table Championship mediocrity and even if we did sneak into the Prem via the play offs, would the current set up be able to acquire the class of player to avoid yet another relegation?
Whilst the successful recruitment of players and managers ultimately determines the success of owners (and Sports Republic have, by and large failed on this), I have to give credit to them off the field.
The opportunity of having a standing end and moving the away supporters was looked upon as a positive by many supporters. 
As it happens it has not been a great success but no doubt due to the poor on field performance.
The increase of bars and food outlets around the ground was a good move, in my opinion.
The remodelling of the hospitality areas also seems to have gone OK.
I am quite close to some of the The Saints Foundation charity events and these have done a great deal to help Communities around the city.
These are not fully recognised by most fans, which is understandable but a lot of underprivileged people do benefit .
My reflection on Sports Republic, as owners of the club I have supported for many, many years, through occasional Highs and quite a few more lows, takes me back to Markus Liebherr.
He is rightly revered by all Saints fans for what he did for the club in parlous times. Unfortunately he wasnt able to continue his work but would he have been able to, without incurring complaints from supporters when things went wrong.
I am aware that these are a few ramblings from an old fella who is cheesed off with the current situation but reflect back to my early days of watching Saints play in the old Third Division South, having to queue for an hour to get in to claim a favourite spot on an open terrace, with no expectation of ever seeing the team at Wembley or play in the top Division.
As a consequence I am rather more pragmatic than many on here.
That said, if I was a young lad, I would probably be joining  planned protests as I would have been brought up to expect more.