James Ward-Prowse

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, gordonToo said:

Tuesday's (non) performance clearly concentrated minds.

Fuck me, I’d have hoped they knew we had a pile of shite before Tuesday. Surely the manager & Wilcox will have watched videos of last season, seen scouting reports & watched these clowns in training. If they came away from Tuesday surprised how god damn awful most of them are, then I would be worried. 

[Sussex_saint]

Once I got over the original disappointment of Prowsey leaving, you have to think of it from his point of view. He has played here since an 8 year old. He has dedicated his entire life to serving this club. Through the highs and lows of the last few years, he has been a reliable and consistent player. Not a flashy one (apart from set prices) but does the job exceptionally well. He deserves to try and break the free kick record. He deserves the glory of playing in Europe again. He deserves the chance of representing his country. I want him to play for England again, and I want him to break the record, and I would love it to be with us, but regardless of his club he will always be saint. 

[hypochondriac]

4 hours ago, Smirking_Saint said:

The thing Im really concerned/confused at is our softening of our resolve around JWP

Was it enforced on the players end ?

Did we see more value in the sale rather than retaining him ?

Are we getting a player in return ?

Who knows 🤷‍♀️

Absolutely. You'd think that would be one player we would be driving a harder bargain for over someone like Tino or Tella due to what he represents. Maybe we did have an agreement about him leaving following relegation. 

[Fan The Flames]

7 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Absolutely. You'd think that would be one player we would be driving a harder bargain for over someone like Tino or Tella due to what he represents. Maybe we did have an agreement about him leaving following relegation. 

Tino is good money for a player that hasn't been part of the set up for a while. I would expect them to play hard ball with Tella, we don't need to sell him and he proved himself last season and I wouldn't expect to see him sulk if he doesn't get his move. But with JWP, the club were right to respect what he has given the club, how hard he's worked to make himself a prem player and his desire to remain a prem player at his age, and let him move on.

[Daft Kerplunk]

With any reported deals, that’s all it is. Reported. Apparently when we purchased Charlie Austin, we paid more than was reported because it suited us, and QPR. JWP has been a very good player for us, not to the level of others and given a bigger media role as he was the last player from a decent crop of academy players. Shame he has to go but that was inevitable once we were relegated. If the fee is £29m that’s decent for a player who is very good but not a player who is a game changer unless it’s for a free kick. 

[Miltonaggro]

16 hours ago, The Kraken said:

The madder one has got hold of the Charlie Wayman account again. Buckle in. 

Johnny Walker or Captain Morgan? 

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Smirking_Saint said:

The thing Im really concerned/confused at is our softening of our resolve around JWP

Was it enforced on the players end ?

Did we see more value in the sale rather than retaining him ?

Are we getting a player in return ?

Who knows 🤷‍♀️

I’m sure JWP will always give the answer of his love and admiration for the club but the “project at West Ham was sold to him”.

It’s the most standard answer players give nowadays.

He’s hardly going to have an interview:
”Prowsy, why are you going?”
”Have you not seen the shitshow the club has been in for the last year? Bollocks to the lot of ya”

[The Cat]

3 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

I’m sure JWP will always give the answer of his love and admiration for the club but the “project at West Ham was sold to him”.

It’s the most standard answer players give nowadays.

He’s hardly going to have an interview:
”Prowsy, why are you going?”
”Have you not seen the shitshow the club has been in for the last year? Bollocks to the lot of ya”

Surely he won't need to do that interview because you've been relentlessly banging on for the last few months about how he's staying?

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, The Cat said:

Surely he won't need to do that interview because you've been relentlessly banging on for the last few months about how he's staying?

Bore off. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I genuinely didn’t think he would. I was incorrect. 
Move on. 👍🏻

[qwertyell]

He had to go now or risk being stuck in the Championship for the rest of his career.

If he were to stay and we fail to get promoted at the first attempt (which is probably more likely than not), no-one's coming along next summer with a big cheque to sign a 30 year old from a mid table Championship club.

Good luck to him. I wasn't his biggest fan and think he's wildly overrated around these parts simply because he's a home grown player that has stuck around while his peers all left (because no-one wanted him), but in our current state we'll obviously miss him.

 

[Fan The Flames]

2 minutes ago, qwertyell said:

He had to go now or risk being stuck in the Championship for the rest of his career.

If he were to stay and we fail to get promoted at the first attempt (which is probably more likely than not), no-one's coming along next summer with a big cheque to sign a 30 year old from a mid table Championship club.

Good luck to him. I wasn't his biggest fan and think he's wildly overrated around these parts simply because he's a home grown player that has stuck around while his peers all left (because no-one wanted him), but in our current state we'll obviously miss him.

 

What he's shit but we're shittier.

I think he's better than that.

[Shance]

On 12/07/2023 at 13:47, manji said:

We don’t need to sell to spend at all. All debts cleared. Plenty of money in the bank. Clearly we need to offload some players but that’s not driving the purchases.

We are debt free? Where have you read that? As I thought we had a bit of debt. 

[Chewy]

22 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Bore off. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I genuinely didn’t think he would. I was incorrect. 
Move on. 👍🏻

As ye sow, so shall ye reap.

Almost every day, often multiple times a day. For about 4 months. 
And not once did you “bore off”.

[OldNick]

3 hours ago, Dellman said:

Ted was unique, his knowledge of players unequalled. I don't remember failed signings, there must have been some, but he made amazingly good ones -Ron Davies--at a time when we were nearly penniless. Players loved to play for him

Frank Saul?

[Disco Stu]

2 hours ago, Sussex_saint said:

regardless of his club he will always be saint. 

Once he's left he won't be a Saint, he'll be a Hammer, and in years to come he'll be referred to as the "ex Hammer".

[OldNick]

the myth that a player who has come up from the youth system is a die hard Saint is a nonsense. JWP has it seems pushed for a move, as all of a sudden we have dropped our demands. That's fine as JWP whilst a brilliant free kick taker has IMO broken up more of our attacks than the opposition defence as he too often passes the ball in a negative manner. If he does well at WHU where the fans dont have the 'he's one of our own' tag then I will be happy to say I was wrong. 

Replace him with a progressive forward thinking midfielder who breaks into the box often not now and again and we've had a great deal.

Thank you JWP but time is right for all parties

[Mosin]

37 minutes ago, OldNick said:

the myth that a player who has come up from the youth system is a die hard Saint is a nonsense. JWP has it seems pushed for a move, as all of a sudden we have dropped our demands. That's fine as JWP whilst a brilliant free kick taker has IMO broken up more of our attacks than the opposition defence as he too often passes the ball in a negative manner. If he does well at WHU where the fans dont have the 'he's one of our own' tag then I will be happy to say I was wrong. 

Replace him with a progressive forward thinking midfielder who breaks into the box often not now and again and we've had a great deal.

Thank you JWP but time is right for all parties

I'll be more than shocked if we ever get a forward thinking player who will end up top 8 for chances created in the epl for us when we eventually go back with consistency so high he manages to do that feat season, after season, after season. What he do? 74 last season 64 season before, 70 odd season before tht, another 70 odd season before that... scoring 10 goals a season....

 

 

Yeah I wont get my Hope's up to much on that.

[AlexLaw76]

should imagine his PR team have prepared a range of 'Goodbye pieces' for Instagram etc, ready for tomorrow

[gordonToo]

3 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Fuck me, I’d have hoped they knew we had a pile of shite before Tuesday. Surely the manager & Wilcox will have watched videos of last season, seen scouting reports & watched these clowns in training. If they came away from Tuesday surprised how god damn awful most of them are, then I would be worried. 

Not necessarily as they must have some talent to have been signed in the first place. Some do not suit RM's system, some are only want to play their own game and some think the Championship is too good for them. After Tuesday everyone should now know where they stand.

[hypochondriac]

10 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

should imagine his PR team have prepared a range of 'Goodbye pieces' for Instagram etc, ready for tomorrow

I don't want to see any of it. He's gone. His choice. See you later. We March on. 

[the colonel]

1 hour ago, qwertyell said:

He had to go now or risk being stuck in the Championship for the rest of his career.

If he were to stay and we fail to get promoted at the first attempt (which is probably more likely than not), no-one's coming along next summer with a big cheque to sign a 30 year old from a mid table Championship club.

Good luck to him. I wasn't his biggest fan and think he's wildly overrated around these parts simply because he's a home grown player that has stuck around while his peers all left (because no-one wanted him), but in our current state we'll obviously miss him.

 

Agree with your comments and sentiment but a shame it is West Ham. Very much a side ways move.  I can't see WH doing that well, again, in the premier league. But obviously the big clubs weren't interested.

[pimpin4rizeal]

2 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Bore off. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I genuinely didn’t think he would. I was incorrect. 
Move on. 👍🏻

Bro you are giving up to easily .. .. hope dies last right ?

[Smirking_Saint]

4 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

Absolutely. You'd think that would be one player we would be driving a harder bargain for over someone like Tino or Tella due to what he represents. Maybe we did have an agreement about him leaving following relegation. 

Completely agree, he probably isn’t ‘worth’ north of £30m in the CM market, given his age and niche skillset but ultimately he is, Id of thought, more valuable to us because despite what anyone says he was a galvanising influence 

[Smirking_Saint]

2 hours ago, Shance said:

We are debt free? Where have you read that? As I thought we had a bit of debt. 

I think, if I remember correctly, we hsve outstanding debt but it was effectively priced into the purchase and the early redemption fee is too much to bother clearing it

[CB Fry]

4 hours ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Bore off. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I genuinely didn’t think he would. I was incorrect. 
Move on. 👍🏻

You're taking it well, then.

[Dark Munster]

I’d insist on £30 m plus £1 m for each free kick he buries for them. Sounds fair to me. 

[Lord Duckhunter]

4 minutes ago, Dark Munster said:

I’d insist on £30 m plus £1 m for each free kick he buries for them. Sounds fair to me. 

£1.20p for each backward pass would net us more long term. 

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

You're taking it well, then.

I‘m not angry. I’m just disappointed 😢

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

6 hours ago, Sussex_saint said:

Once I got over the original disappointment of Prowsey leaving, you have to think of it from his point of view. He has played here since an 8 year old. He has dedicated his entire life to serving this club. Through the highs and lows of the last few years, he has been a reliable and consistent player. Not a flashy one (apart from set prices) but does the job exceptionally well. He deserves to try and break the free kick record. He deserves the glory of playing in Europe again. He deserves the chance of representing his country. I want him to play for England again, and I want him to break the record, and I would love it to be with us, but regardless of his club he will always be saint. 

And on reflection, when you consider true Saints legends - MLT who single handedly kept us in the premier league for years, RL who got us promoted and promoted - perhaps you can;t stay at Southampton forever do need to move on to clear your head!

Still think W.Ham were ripe for the taking but we don't know the details of the deal. Don't think the money up front is such a big thing but in some way the move could be linked with Downes/loan fees.

[Rut]

If Pompey had been taken over by billionaires and offered him big wages then it would be 'I've always wanted to play for my home town club'. As it is West Ham have offered him the highest salary so it'll be something like 'It's important that I play in the Prem League to increase my chances of playing for England and I've always thought West Ham fans are some of the best around.' (or whatever...).

Out of interest - are we getting any quotes from the players who are going to Saudi? Have any of them tried to bullshit at all about it NOT being for the money?

I don't blame the players for blindly moving for more money. Just don't expect me wish any of them 'good luck'.

Hopefully West Ham play him as a defensive midfielder and his first few free kicks are bad ones. Not that he'll care that much really...

 

 

[wadesmith]

2 minutes ago, Rut said:

If Pompey had been taken over by billionaires and offered him big wages then it would be 'I've always wanted to play for my home town club'. As it is West Ham have offered him the highest salary so it'll be something like 'It's important that I play in the Prem League to increase my chances of playing for England and I've always thought West Ham fans are some of the best around.' (or whatever...).

Out of interest - are we getting any quotes from the players who are going to Saudi? Have any of them tried to bullshit at all about it NOT being for the money?

I don't blame the players for blindly moving for more money. Just don't expect me wish any of them 'good luck'.

Hopefully West Ham play him as a defensive midfielder and his first few free kicks are bad ones. Not that he'll care that much really...

 

 

Is that not valid?. Is it not important for him to play in the premier league to increase his England chances?

[wadesmith]

To become an English professional football in the Premier League you have to defy the odds, you have to be insanely driven & talented.How many English players start on Saturday? Less than a hundred? If Ward-Prowse was of the mentality to stay at Southampton in the championship at 29 years old he probably would have never succeeded in the first place. 

[CB Fry]

19 minutes ago, Rut said:

If Pompey had been taken over by billionaires and offered him big wages then it would be 'I've always wanted to play for my home town club'. As it is West Ham have offered him the highest salary so it'll be something like 'It's important that I play in the Prem League to increase my chances of playing for England and I've always thought West Ham fans are some of the best around.' (or whatever...).

 

 

He would not be joining a billionaire owned Pompey just to play in League One and definitely not play in the Premier League again until he's past 30.

You need to work on your fantasy scenarios.

Edited 10 August, 2023 by CB Fry

[Osvaldorama]

13 hours ago, CB Fry said:

 

I see some people:

 

You and I must have very different definitions of “shit the bed”. 
 

The club will be absolutely fine, we have gotten over the loss of far better players than JWP. 

But I mean what I said. As soon as he leaves and puts on that West Ham shirt he can fuck off. He isn’t a saints legend or icon, just another football player that once played for us.

Basically like a slightly worse version of Dean Hammond. 
 

Edited 10 August, 2023 by Osvaldorama

[Micky]

I wish the lad all the best.  He may not be the most talented midfielder but he owes us nothing. You would rarely see him hide or not try,  he obviously has a great affinity to the club but he has to do what's right for him.  Thanks and farewell. 

[the colonel]

What does Flynn Downes bring if part of the deal, on loan?

[The Kraken]

1 hour ago, Osvaldorama said:

You and I must have very different definitions of “shit the bed”. 
 

The club will be absolutely fine, we have gotten over the loss of far better players than JWP. 

But I mean what I said. As soon as he leaves and puts on that West Ham shirt he can fuck off. He isn’t a saints legend or icon, just another football player that once played for us.

Basically like a slightly worse version of Dean Hammond. 
 

You seem to be a very angry man.

[Saint_clark]

1 hour ago, Rut said:

If Pompey had been taken over by billionaires and offered him big wages then it would be 'I've always wanted to play for my home town club'. As it is West Ham have offered him the highest salary so it'll be something like 'It's important that I play in the Prem League to increase my chances of playing for England and I've always thought West Ham fans are some of the best around.' (or whatever...).

Out of interest - are we getting any quotes from the players who are going to Saudi? Have any of them tried to bullshit at all about it NOT being for the money?

I don't blame the players for blindly moving for more money. Just don't expect me wish any of them 'good luck'.

Hopefully West Ham play him as a defensive midfielder and his first few free kicks are bad ones. Not that he'll care that much really...

 

 

It'll be interesting to see how he spins it. He can't say he's moving to win silverware.

[CB Fry]

1 hour ago, Osvaldorama said:

You and I must have very different definitions of “shit the bed”. 
 

The club will be absolutely fine, we have gotten over the loss of far better players than JWP. 

But I mean what I said. As soon as he leaves and puts on that West Ham shirt he can fuck off. He isn’t a saints legend or icon, just another football player that once played for us.

Basically like a slightly worse version of Dean Hammond. 
 

My definition of "shit the bed" is this post. 👌 

[CB Fry]

7 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

It'll be interesting to see how he spins it. He can't say he's moving to win silverware.

They literally won silverware last year.

Premier League and European football. What's to "spin"?

[Saint_clark]

2 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

They literally won silverware last year.

Premier League and European football. What's to "spin"?

Exactly, clubs that size aren't going to win regularly. If he stays on as a coach he may be with them when they win a trophy again in another 20 years. 

[CB Fry]

Just now, Saint_clark said:

Exactly, clubs that size aren't going to win regularly. If he stays on as a coach he may be with them when they win a trophy again in another 20 years. 

So what? All the players we signed for a decade of Premier League football didn't sign to win silverware either, then. What's your point?

[Smirking_Saint]

1 hour ago, the colonel said:

What does Flynn Downes bring if part of the deal, on loan?

It appears so

[Osvaldorama]

1 hour ago, The Kraken said:

You seem to be a very angry man.

Not angry at all. Just not sentimental about him now he’s gone.
Why would anyone wish a West Ham player well? I hope he does shit there. 

[Chez]

19 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

It’s not the Prem as such, just that I’m not that keen on loans…I’m not convinced they invest completely in the club, the philosophy, the style of play or indeed the supporters. 

Find a Burnley fan that says that about Tella.

I can't see West Ham wanting to loan Downes anyway. They will want to sell him or have him as part of their squad 

[Chez]

10 hours ago, Smirking_Saint said:

I think, if I remember correctly, we hsve outstanding debt but it was effectively priced into the purchase and the early redemption fee is too much to bother clearing it

Just check the last published company accounts. £70m bank loan. A further £20m debt owed on top of that. This was before we spent £130m on players. 

We are not debt free.

However, debt is not a problem as long as you can service it.

[Yorkshire Saint]

West Ham forums reporting this deal might not go through if they can get McTominlay over the line....

[Smirking_Saint]

Liverpool sealing 110m Caicedo deal surely ends their interest in Lavia ?

[Yorkshire Saint]

7 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Liverpool sealing 110m Caicedo deal surely ends their interest in Lavia 

We can hope 🙏..until Chelsea come back...

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, Yorkshire Saint said:

We can hope 🙏..until Chelsea come back...

He isn't staying. I want the money as soon as possible.