Transfer Rumours Saints January Transfer Window Rumour Thread

Interesting Os. We lost three key players: Vic, Pelle and Mane. Out of those three I'd say Mane is the only one with any flair. We've brought in Boufal for flair and sadly he came injured so missed pre-season (see Lalanna season one at Scousehampton) and wasn't even available until into October, so he probably has loads more to offer. I really think Puel has just gone with a pragmatic/conservative approach while Hennessy himself in and while we had to manage he squad though those fixtures. Hopefully a new striker coming in he'll be able to find a way over the rest of this season and over pre-season ready to kick in again next year. I also bet we get written off in the summer and catch a few by surprise.

 

They can both be true. The model is a response to the reality in which we find ourselves. We can't pay what the top 6 pay, so our best players will always want away. So we make the best of that situation by buying low and selling high. Of course it's a gamble, but it's a calculated one, and in my opinion it has more chance of paying off in the long term than spending money we don't have in pursuit of short term success that may never come.

 

Agreed, although we may actually have the money. I still agree with your explanation.

 

I should perhaps have made it clear that I was talking about wages rather than transfer fees when I said we can't pay what the big clubs pay. It's the wages bill that'll bankrupt a club. Or any business.

 

Now that quite obviously is true, and if you read on you will see I was in no way having a go at the model we use and I think it's served us well. I just think we don't try all that hard to keep players as it's in our interests not to, in line with with the model we use.

Therefore it's simply not true to say there's NOTHING that can be done to try harder to keep them, if we don't try 100% to keep them then by definition we're not doing everything we can to keep them, surely? It may require a change in business model though, which I'm not suggesting at all.

 

Well yeah, it would be nice if we could find a way to hold on to our best players. A big test will be Virgil this summer I suppose...

 

Hang on. You are assuming we don't try too hard to keep them. I have assumed that we try really hard to keep them and when we realise that's not going to happen we try and optimise their value. It is not about a change in business model, that's not needed.

Here's my point on "nothing we can do".... player X is on a contract with Y numbers of years left. Top club want him and he and his agent know this. We turn down offers. Player says he wants to leave. We say no. We offer new contract. He says no. We offer improved new contract. He still says no. What can we do next? Gamble right til the end of his contract when his value disappears?

That's where i mean we can't do anything. We have a time scale on his value as an asset that eventually becomes zero.

 

And here's the kicker.... what is that way? Win trophies? Qualify for Champs league? Pay top 4 wages?

Well guess what, it's a bit of a catch 22 or a vicious circle. We need one to do the other.

 

The other thing about our model: if we want to be a shop window, we need to play more aesthetically pleasing football again. We aren't the greatest showcase at the moment.

 

I don't believe we'll ever do the third of those things. The first is acheivable though. The second too maybe, but will take time.

 

This is our cunning plan to keep players.

 

Which is why I defend the club so much. I think some fans are often being unrealistic.

 

I agree that in that situation, there's not a great deal we can do, and yes I am assuming that we don't try too hard, but I don't believe it's too big a leap to come to that conclusion to be honest. I think that's where we are disagreeing.

Let's try another way ( ), if our business model is to buy low, and sell players when their stock is high (which we all agree on yes?), then surely it's partly in the boards interests for players to be sold when their stock is high, as one Virgil (for example) can sign 2/3 players in other positions which helps us grow etc. So in that sense, then no, I don't believe we try 'really hard' to keep him.

When someone enquires for one of our players, then I believe our response is normally along the lines of 'it will take this much' rather than 'not for sale'.



Enjoying this btw

 

I hope that isn't referring to me (I don't think it is), you know my general views on the board and way we're run and they're pretty similar

 

I think the club are also pragmatic with contract negotiations. Now obviously this isn't based on fact, but I'd be shocked if we didin't tell VvD he could leave if we got an offer of £Xmil before he signed his latest contract. It works for both sides, VvD gets a new deal and the assurance he can leave, saints get to ask for a huge fee due to the length of contract. I don't really have a problem with this, but if it is whats going on then it's a little bit disingenous if the club pretend that no ones for sale etc etc.

 

Oh, I was fishing! I don't think we suck. We are just underwhelming in most departments...

 

Well you hooked me either way, you cheeky beggar

 

No that was a general statement.

 

I find it frustrating when we constantly lose our best players, however if we were not willing to sell I wonder if we would have been able to sign some of our better recruits.