Johannes Spors

[benjii]

I've got a crazy idea....

Let the manager decide who we sign! Within budget obviously. 

[Gloucester Saint]

7 minutes ago, Dman said:

Martyn Glover. 

Crash two major football clubs for the price of one.

The football industry is astonishing in terms of how many abject failures like him keep on getting gigs. 

[Gloucester Saint]

7 minutes ago, benjii said:

I've got a crazy idea....

Let the manager decide who we sign! Within budget obviously. 

I think thats what happened last summer though between Martin and Ankerson albeit with the latter supplying lists of players linked to the Ankerson transfer tavern where they could take a cut. Still no excuse for the McCarthy contract though and AA extension.

If the manager is Ronald Koeman, Pochettino, Alan Pardew, Strachan or peak Lawrie, absolutely agree. 

[Turkish]

47 minutes ago, Dman said:

Koeman was the pull factor, not the club. 

We’re still trying to pay 2010 transfer fee’s and wages in a crowded market. a club on decline with no ambition. Happy just to survive. 

What top player in their right mind would want to join us. 
 

 

this is the sad reality. We've been stuck in this 15m or so with the occasional disasterous c20m signing market for years buying 2-3 or in some cases more crap players for one position instead of one decent one.  Obsessed with buying cheap and resale value rather than buying players to do the job at the time. Obsessed with buying young players and letting them sink or swim. Meanwhile most premier league clubs of a similar size to us 20m+ is the norm and 30-40m is become more regular. 

Just look how much we've spunked on centre backs since Van Dijk which is probably the best example, Stephens been around since then doing Jack Stephens things when in the mean time we've spunked ridiculous amounts of Hoedt, Caleta-Carr, Lyanco, Vestergaard, Salisu, Bella-Kotchap, all of them shite. Attackers/forwards we've done the same, Adams, Armstrong, Carillo, Mara, Elyanoussi, Sulemana, Onauachu, Boufal, Archer, BBD. 100s of millons spunked stock piling average players that in some cases we've had to pay to leave.

The irony of it all is that some of our best signings in recent times have been ones where we've got a bit of proven quality. Walker-Peters, Ings and Bertrand were very good and in the same price range as the the shit ones so you dont have to spend fortunes but we seem happy to persist with this think outside the box bullshit rather than actually buy a proven player to do a job now.

Edited August 26 by Turkish

[Dman]

17 minutes ago, Turkish said:

this is the sad reality. We've been stuck in this 15m or so with the occasional disasterous c20m signing market for years buying 2-3 or in some cases more crap players for one position instead of one decent one.  Obsessed with buying cheap and resale value rather than buying players to do the job at the time. Obsessed with buying young players and letting them sink or swim. Meanwhile most premier league clubs of a similar size to us 20m+ is the norm and 30-40m is become more regular. 

Just look how much we've spunked on centre backs since Van Dijk which is probably the best example, Stephens been around since then doing Jack Stephens things when in the mean time we've spunked ridiculous amounts of Hoedt, Caleta-Carr, Lyanco, Vestergaard, Salisu, Bella-Kotchap, all of them shite. Attackers/forwards we've done the same, Adams, Armstrong, Carillo, Mara, Elyanoussi, Sulemana, Onauachu, Boufal, Archer, BBD. 100s of millons spunked stock piling average players that in some cases we've had to pay to leave.

The irony of it all is that some of our best signings in recent times have been ones where we've got a bit of proven quality. Ings and Bertrand were very good and in the same price range as the the shit ones so you dont have to spend fortunes but we seem happy to persist with this think outside the box bullshit rather than actually buy a proven player to do a job now.

Maybe I’m naive, but for me, you build a core of experienced players and then you build around them with the younger, guaranteed to improve, risks. 

Look at our squad under Koeman, Forster, Fonte, Bertrand, Clyne, Schneiderlin, Cork, Steve Davis, Shane long. All been there and done it in British football. Some not the best players, but hard working and experience gave them a 7/10 most games. 

A ‘British’ core who know the league will give you a solid foundation to let players like Mane, Tadic, Pelle etc. flourish. 

Bournemouth and Brighton have been the same over recent years. 

I genuinely believe that if Sullemana had been signed for someone like Brighton or Bournemouth, he’d have been a decent PL player now. 

[Matthew Le God]

Just now, Dman said:

Maybe I’m naive, but for me, you build a core of experienced players and then you build around them with the younger, guaranteed to improve, risks. 

Look at our squad under Koeman, Forster, Fonte, Bertrand, Clyne, Schneiderlin, Cork, Steve Davis, Shane long. All been there and done it in British football. Some not the best players, but hard working and experience gave them a 7/10 most games. 

A ‘British’ core who know the league will give you a solid foundation to let players like Mane, Tadic, Pelle etc. flourish. 

Not at the point we signed most of them they weren't.

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, Matthew Le God said:

Not at the point we signed most of them they weren't.

Bertrand and Davis were the standouts I guess

 

Edited August 26 by AlexLaw76

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, Dman said:

Maybe I’m naive, but for me, you build a core of experienced players and then you build around them with the younger, guaranteed to improve, risks. 

Look at our squad under Koeman, Forster, Fonte, Bertrand, Clyne, Schneiderlin, Cork, Steve Davis, Shane long. All been there and done it in British football. Some not the best players, but hard working and experience gave them a 7/10 most games. 

A ‘British’ core who know the league will give you a solid foundation to let players like Mane, Tadic, Pelle etc. flourish. 

Bournemouth and Brighton have been the same over recent years. 

I genuinely believe that if Sullemana had been signed for someone like Brighton or Bournemouth, he’d have been a decent PL player now. 

That isn't thinking out of the box pal.

But especially for a club like us that even in a good spell is only a couple of injuries or bad transfer windows away from a relegation battle you do exactly that. Build a good solid core, decent keeper, decent pair of centre backs and a few other good, experience, solid players and build the rest around them. Not buy a load of kids, cheap foreigners and expect them to all kick on immediately. You might unearth the odd gem, Liveramento or Lavia for example that slots in straight away and are already physically developed enough at 18/19 to cope but the reality is most aren't. 

 

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Not at the point we signed most of them they weren't.

He didn't say they were, he said it was Koemans squad

another fail

[Dman]

9 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Not at the point we signed most of them they weren't.

Well that’s total rubbish. 
 

Forster - over 100 appearances at Celtic before he came to us. 
Fonte - 80 odd appearances at Palace and a coup at the time of purchasing. 
Clyne - 122 appearances at palace. 
Jack cork - over 100 appearances at multiple clubs. 
Steve Davis - over 200 appearances in the PL and Rangers combined. 
Shane long - over 200 appearances at multiple clubs. 

Edited August 26 by Dman

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, Dman said:

Well that’s total rubbish. 
 

Forster - over 100 appearances at Celtic before he came to us. 
Fonte - 80 odd appearances at Palace and a coup at the time of purchasing. 
122 appearances at palace. 
Jack cork - over 100 appearances at multiple clubs. 
Steve Davis - over 200 appearances in the PL and Rangers combined. 
Shane long - over 200 appearances at multiple clubs. 

Bertrand in / around Chelsea, loaded to villa, Champions league winner 

[Badger]

35 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

 

If the manager is Ronald Koeman, Pochettino, Alan Pardew, Strachan or peak Lawrie, absolutely agree. 

This is also part of the problem in recent times. Whereas managers would have a greater input this is a thing of the past, if many of those you listed were in charge on Saturday they'd have been at Spors door soon after , "did you see their keeper ? He's worth another 10-15 points a season. Get him in".

If any of our recent 'head coaches'  approached the Dof's (Sports or Rasmus)  they'd get a pat on the head and be told to go and sort the bibs and cones out for training whilst they get get on with the serious business of unearthing another 20 year old no one has ever heard of. but is amazing according to a spreadsheet.

[Matthew Le God]

5 minutes ago, Dman said:

Well that’s total rubbish. 
 

Forster - over 100 appearances at Celtic before he came to us. 
Fonte - 80 odd appearances at Palace and a coup at the time of purchasing. 
Clyne - 122 appearances at palace. 
Jack cork - over 100 appearances at multiple clubs. 
Steve Davis - over 200 appearances in the PL and Rangers combined. 
Shane long - over 200 appearances at multiple clubs. 

Most weren't experienced in the Premier League at the point we signed them. Experience in the Scottish leagues and Championship isn't close to PL level experience. Most got that with us, not before. 

Edited August 26 by Matthew Le God

[Dman]

3 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Most weren't experienced in the Premier League at the point we signed them. Experience in the Scottish leagues and Championship isn't close to PL level experience. Most got that with us, not before. 

I said experienced in “British football”, not the PL. Now back in your box you weird little man.

Bad morning for you. 

Edited August 26 by Dman

[hypochondriac]

49 minutes ago, Turkish said:

this is the sad reality. We've been stuck in this 15m or so with the occasional disasterous c20m signing market for years buying 2-3 or in some cases more crap players for one position instead of one decent one.  Obsessed with buying cheap and resale value rather than buying players to do the job at the time. Obsessed with buying young players and letting them sink or swim. Meanwhile most premier league clubs of a similar size to us 20m+ is the norm and 30-40m is become more regular. 

Just look how much we've spunked on centre backs since Van Dijk which is probably the best example, Stephens been around since then doing Jack Stephens things when in the mean time we've spunked ridiculous amounts of Hoedt, Caleta-Carr, Lyanco, Vestergaard, Salisu, Bella-Kotchap, all of them shite. Attackers/forwards we've done the same, Adams, Armstrong, Carillo, Mara, Elyanoussi, Sulemana, Onauachu, Boufal, Archer, BBD. 100s of millons spunked stock piling average players that in some cases we've had to pay to leave.

The irony of it all is that some of our best signings in recent times have been ones where we've got a bit of proven quality. Walker-Peters, Ings and Bertrand were very good and in the same price range as the the shit ones so you dont have to spend fortunes but we seem happy to persist with this think outside the box bullshit rather than actually buy a proven player to do a job now.

Chris Wood was the one for me. I thought we shoild have signed him for ages yet people turned their noses up because he wasn't sexy or exciting. 

[Dman]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

Chris Wood was the one for me. I thought we shoild have signed him for ages yet people turned their noses up because he wasn't sexy or exciting. 

Imagine this place if we’d signed Welbeck at the point when Brighton did. 

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Chris Wood was the one for me. I thought we shoild have signed him for ages yet people turned their noses up because he wasn't sexy or exciting. 

yep he was another one i thought we should have gone for too. Surely when he went to Forest we were as good an option as they were? Not good enough etc was the mantra on here even though most seasons when hes started regularly he gets 10-15 goals. Now he's only 13 goals away from equaling Didier Drogbas premier league goals. 😂

[saint michael]

It has zero impact what the fans think so they will continue to do whatever they like with our club. This club is almost unrecognisable for me. 
 

look at how the fans at Rangers are reacting to Martin after just a few games. We all knew the same 

continuous promises of jam tomorrow. If Solak is so upset as we heard about on the pitch performance why is he not stepping in now because the same is happening with this new mgmt team 

Edited August 26 by saint michael

[Matthew Le God]

22 minutes ago, Dman said:

I said experienced in “British football”, not the PL. Now back in your box you weird little man.

Bad morning for you. 

Nope

You said...

"Look at our squad under Koeman, Forster, Fonte, Bertrand, Clyne, Schneiderlin, Cork, Steve Davis, Shane long. All been there and done it in British football. Some not the best players, but hard working and experience gave them a 7/10 most games. 

A ‘British’ core who know the league"

The players you listed in the Premier League squad under Koeman largely gained that experience with us, not before joining us. 

[AlexLaw76]

18 minutes ago, Turkish said:

yep he was another one i thought we should have gone for too. Surely when he went to Forest we were as good an option as they were? Not good enough etc was the mantra on here even though most seasons when hes started regularly he gets 10-15 goals. Now he's only 13 goals away from equaling Didier Drogbas premier league goals. 😂

Thing is, we are waaaaay too compliant as a fan base. Even at the fans forum, someone suggesting that we should have stuck with Martin no matter what.

at the end of the window, people will say it was a good effort and we tried, stop bed wetting and wait till the end of the season before passing judgements 

It was amazing how little attention the directors box got last season at home games 

Edited August 26 by AlexLaw76

[Toussaint]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

I think thats what happened last summer though between Martin and Ankerson albeit with the latter supplying lists of players linked to the Ankerson transfer tavern where they could take a cut. Still no excuse for the McCarthy contract though and AA extension.

If the manager is Ronald Koeman, Pochettino, Alan Pardew, Strachan or peak Lawrie, absolutely agree. 

The flaw in the manager having control plan is, we have had 6 managers since Ralph got the boot in November 2022. We are getting like Watford.

 

 

[benjii]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

I think thats what happened last summer though between Martin and Ankerson albeit with the latter supplying lists of players linked to the Ankerson transfer tavern where they could take a cut. Still no excuse for the McCarthy contract though and AA extension.

If the manager is Ronald Koeman, Pochettino, Alan Pardew, Strachan or peak Lawrie, absolutely agree. 

By far the best ever transfer window was when we allowed Koeman to sign players innit. We should just pay him a fee to do our summer windows. 

[Turkish]

18 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Nope

You said...

"Look at our squad under Koeman, Forster, Fonte, Bertrand, Clyne, Schneiderlin, Cork, Steve Davis, Shane long. All been there and done it in British football. Some not the best players, but hard working and experience gave them a 7/10 most games. 

A ‘British’ core who know the league"

The players you listed in the Premier League squad under Koeman largely gained that experience with us, not before joining us. 

FACT CHECK

Only Forster, Long and Bertrand were signed by Koeman. Bertrand was a champions league winner who had played in the premier league for Chelsea and Villa. Long had over 100 premier league appearances before joining us. The rest had all played in the Premier league with us.

Dman is factually correct, Koemans squad was a core of British players who knew the league. Where they gained that experience is irrelevant has his point was about KOEMANS squad not anyone elses or if they had experience before they joined us. Koeman added other players to an already experienced squad which was his point.

Back to potty training for you. 

[Willo of Whiteley]

A British core is absolute what Saints should be going for. Home-grown talent who understand the leagues.

It’s just common sense.

You can quickly buy players that will be totally disinterested and little understanding because they have no affiliation for the English game.

[HarvSFC]

Wherever they came from, they were all quite well rated players, coming into their peak years. Tadic and Pelle had been signed off successful seasons in Holland for reputable clubs in Twente and Feyenoord. Forster had performed well for Celtic in the Champions League, famously keeping a clean sheet against Barcelona. Mane was a young talent with a good record in Austria. Bertrand was once rated highly enough to start a Champions League final at Chelsea. He didn't breakthrough there, but was still more than good enough for us. Alderweireld was the starting Belgium international centre-back in their "golden generation", who was very good for Ajax, but couldn't quite break into the Atletico Madrid side due to their very strong defence. Either side of this window you had Wanyama, who was again very highly rated at Celtic and performed in the Champions League. Osvaldo, who was rated and good, but his mentality let him down. Pochettino managed him before, so took the risk. Then Van Dijk, who again was performing highly for Celtic domestically and in Europe, very rated across Europe.

Nowadays it seems we sign players with barely 10 senior appearances, or players that are good to have around the dressing room. We had Kelvin Davis for that back then, but he had earned it after a successful playing career here and we had moved on from him. But, we didn't seek out players because they had good jokes.

[Midfield_General]

39 minutes ago, Turkish said:

FACT CHECK

Only Forster, Long and Bertrand were signed by Koeman. Bertrand was a champions league winner who had played in the premier league for Chelsea and Villa. Long had over 100 premier league appearances before joining us. The rest had all played in the Premier league with us.

Dman is factually correct, Koemans squad was a core of British players who knew the league. Where they gained that experience is irrelevant has his point was about KOEMANS squad not anyone elses or if they had experience before they joined us. Koeman added other players to an already experienced squad which was his point.

Back to potty training for you. 

Go easy on him. He's spent the morning on another thread comprehensively proving he doesn't understand the EFL regulations either. He thought that if Bazunu got injured once the transfer window had shut that we could just go out and sign another keeper whenever we wanted 🤣 

It's not been a good morning for Mr Wrong  

 

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Go easy on him. He's spent the morning on another thread comprehensively proving he doesn't understand the EFL regulations either. He thought that if Bazunu got injured once the transfer window had shut that we could just go out and sign another keeper whenever we wanted 🤣 

It's not been a good morning for Mr Wrong  

 

not to mention the other benefits we've got from the multi club arrangement is being able to loan our players out and buy players from the other clubs in the group for well over their market value

 

[Weston Super Saint]

20 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

Correct.

I disagree with MLG on some topics but this is right.

So far it’s been underwhelming, but I’ll be more annoyed in a weeks time if there’s been little to no change.

When it's too late and all we can do is suck it up and wait for January, when we will be told to 'wait until the end of the window'. Rinse. Repeat.

[Southner]

10 hours ago, benjii said:

I've got a crazy idea....

Let the manager decide who we sign! Within budget obviously. 

You mad bastard. 

[Weston Super Saint]

10 hours ago, benjii said:

I've got a crazy idea....

Let the manager decide who we sign! Within budget obviously. 

Lol.  Imagine allowing Nathan fucking Jones that freedom!

[skintsaint]

13 hours ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Lol.  Imagine allowing Nathan fucking Jones that freedom!

I thought the Bree signing must have been his idea.

[S-Clarke]

14 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

I thought the Bree signing must have been his idea.

Don't be silly, the club were delighted to sign Bree having tracked him for many many years.

(standard spiel)

[Turkish]

So do we like him now?

[Patrick Bateman]

On 23/08/2025 at 23:08, Patrick Bateman said:

From another thread, but simple message to the recruitment team at Saints - buy some players that are instantly good enough for the first 11, PLEASE.

 

No more "might be good enough" or "potential youngster", I mean yeah, they can be great, but your track record is appalling and when it's worked, we see them for about 3 minutes in a Saints shirt (Lavia, Livramento). 

Downs might become decent, but right now, we need a striker who is a proper '9' and who will walk into the first 11 and make a difference. Get on it. Best regards.

 

Well, my post from merely 6 days ago aged really well.

Great work, I love being surprised, nice one

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, Turkish said:

So do we like him now?

He's not bad 🙂

[Farmer Saint]

Top 3 thread...

[Toadhall Saint]

Has played a blinder. 

[Matthew Le God]

A lot of premature meltdowns in this thread!

 

[Willo of Whiteley]

On 25/08/2025 at 22:13, bpsaint said:

What the actual fuck do we pay our scouting network for, all these directors with their fancy job titles, and what about that bint who is meant to be the talent acquisition guru or whatever. I reckon a group of fans could do a better job than this lot.

Bumped 😎

[miltonroad]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

So do we like him now?

Is he Turkish approved? If so, then obviously. 

[LoyalSaintSO50]

Yeah I’m starting to think that the aftermath of a Stoke City home defeat, sorrows drowning whilst watching highlights of George Long, was not the best time to evaluate Johannes 🤦‍♂️ (or Sir Spors as I now call him) 

What a difference a week makes. Full credit to all involved. Squad looks strong in all positions and plenty of positivity amongst the support leading up to the skate game 👌 

[Simo is back]

Up there with my Mane fred

[trousers]

1 hour ago, Matthew Le God said:

A lot of premature meltdowns in this thread!

 

To be fair, jumping to an early negative conclusion has often served the doom-mongers well under the Sport Republic regime. Obviously good to see the trend being bucked this time around though 👍🏻

[Dr Who?]

Let’s see how it plays out on the pitch. I am excited about the signings, but I will wait, as the top 2 is a must! 

[skintsaint]

Just now, Dr Who? said:

Let’s see how it plays out on the pitch.

that won't be on Spors 'as' much. Think we are happy with the players brought in, now for Still to mould them into a winning team.

[Dr Who?]

48 minutes ago, skintsaint said:

that won't be on Spors 'as' much. Think we are happy with the players brought in, now for Still to mould them into a winning team.

Yeah I suppose he has got the players through the door. Not bad business really. To get these players from clubs that are rivals for promotion really does send out a statement of intent!