Always sceptical about the PR lines someone in Ralph's position gives to the outside world. I work in finance in the corporate world and see how our board paint a biased picture to those with less intricate knowledge of the company. However, part me would like to accept what he is saying about the 'net in' of players over the past few transfer windows. Thinking back to 13/14 we did have a small squad and the contracts were 'weak'. The club were hardly going to come out over the last 3.5 seasons and say our intention is to sell our best players to fund stronger contracts and increase the size and quality of the squad overall. It would have weakened our hand in the market massively..
My only doubt to this is, had a Mane/Lallana/scheiderlin not taken to the premier league where would this have left us? Had shaw/chambers not been in the academy at the point in time, what was plan B to fund this project? It all seems to have happened almost too smoothly, and it's easy to say this was our plan after it worked. Saying that, despite the money they invested which obviously helps Chelsea and City are two extremely well run clubs throughout and football clubs are now employing more high level corporate experts given the level of money in the game..
Not a bad interview really. Although I will say that over the last few years I've grown very suspicious of the phrase "We don't need to sell players."
One of the things that is pleasing to hear is that any investors will need to let Saints continue as they are behind the scenes personnel wise and the way in which we like to do things. If that really is part of any contract any investor signs then that can only be good news in my opinion.
Now Sky Sports are reporting Ralph's words. Crikey, if this catches on, that rumour exit door might close. Or at least only be ajar, instead of wide open: http://www.skysports.com/football/n...ared-to-turn-down-60m-bid-for-virgil-van-dijk
Want to do a facelift of St Mary's. It is needed. http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/05/16/ralph-krueger-on-southampton-taking-the-next-step/
I thin the problem with the phrase "We do not need to sell players" is that fans read it (and always remember it) as "We will not sell players". Very different. Vin
Or "sometimes players can be a rampaging pain on the arse when they've had their heads turned, and it's actually of benefit to the team to get rid of them for the highest price possible at that point".
Here's a word-for-word transcript of the sit down with the Daily Echo. http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/sa...IEW__Ralph_Krueger_on_Saints__future/?ref=rss
I agree on Kruegers assessment of the squad and that in terms of depth it's the strongest it's ever been. Sadly the starting eleven is possibly at its weakest since the time under Pochettino and this team doesn't have a core of players who have played together for several seasons as an advantage. It's a shame that whatever the club says on player sales it has to be taken with a pinch of salt, but if we can keep the spine of VVD, Romeu & Gabbi then we have a side that can kick on and be more competitive in the league.
I agree, it's mostly a messaging problem. But they did the same damned thing last year, and then seemed surprised that people were upset that, after crowing that we didn't need to sell Mane, we sold him a couple weeks later. Don't proactively offer media interviews on your lack of need to sell major players unless you're pretty sure you will not have to sell major players! It's not a difficult trap to avoid!
I think the starting 12 when everyone is fit is pretty strong. We have been without an in form striker all season through injury, and right back has been a problem all season (no one to push Cedric, who has nevertheless improved). And we've played half the season with a gaping VvD shaped hole that Maya and Jack have done a good job of trying to fill, but which against the likes of Costa, Sanchez and Ibrah, left us open. With a fit Austin and Gabbi, Pied and VvD, the starting 11 is as good as we've had imo. We still need goals from midfield, but that's what we bought Boufal for. I know some of our fans have written him off already, but I doubt any reasonable person has. Tadic and Steven Davis need to spend the whole summer doing shooting practice though.