Saints Stuff

The stupid thing is that there seem to be people out there who blame Ralph / Sport Republic for this. When this is clearly a far more relatable case of someone doing a job and being head hunted with a massive pay rise. This example is used all the time with players and people scoff because it can be the discussion of the difference between 80k a week and a 100k a week.

In this case it is probably the difference between 100k and 200k - a year (or whatever the numbers - but still a noticeable difference)

 

We aren't going to have had anyone on our list who is immediately good enough to start for Chelsea who they would be prepared to take that chance on. Sure you could argue that Lavia and ABK have shown that they might be able to get into that side - after being given 4 or 5 games that they wouldn't necessarily get under Chelsea (even under Potter)

I'd expect the Venn diagram of targets is small.

 

Pretty harsh on Bazunu, id say he is class especially for his age. Edozie also looks good from the little we have seen.

Even if it was just ABK, Lavia and Baz, signing 1/4 of your first team all really young and will improve is bloody impressive.

 

Previously you are absolutely right, look at them offering £50m for Lavia for example. But I am assuming the fact they are hiring Shields is in order to change their way of doing business and bring in the Lavias of this world.

 

But they already do that. Presumably looking to step it up. I guess our hope was that we would be able to get there first which is a fair point.

But look at how they hoovered up people from the south coast area - Mount, Anjorn and Colwill for example. It wasn't an area they were lacking - it was the pathway for them that has been.

I'd suggest he is more what we need than what they need.

 

Seems like the club are doing all we can. Just one of those things

 

So he’s basically here til the end of the season anyway with the notice period.

Will have to find someone in that time to replace him, someone with knowledge of the Championship

 

It’s tough being Southampton isn’t it

 

Or in other words, Shields...

 

**** off then.

 

That was quick!

 

Really can't say that I'm fussed at the news.

I'll be interested to see how he gets on at Chelsea though.

 

He must be going to Chelsea to do a similar job he was doing at City? Why would Chelsea sign potential players for £10-£15 million, where the reason they come to a club like Saints, is to play 1st team football straight away, not go from an occasional City bench appearance, to do the same at Chelsea. Plus would City sell these potential gems to Chelsea??

 

Not the end of the world, as he’s barely stepped through the door.

But equally it seemed like he was supposed to be a big part of our plans. Not ideal timing

 

I expect he’ll be closely shadowed and the fulfilment of his contract treated as a punishment. And of course, Chelsea may not be prepared to wait 6 months so he would have made himself unemployed. In any other occupation (politics excepted of course ) he’d be a pariah, but some other football club will give him a job.

 

Interesting to see if any of the signings only joined because of him and now might look to leave

#positivity

 

You know what, the minute he started responding to fans on Instagram when he joined us saying “hope I don’t get sacked too soon lolz” type thing, I did think he sounded like a bit of an unprofessional prick…

…and guess what?

 

How does that make sense? He is the recruitment guy. Once they sign on he probably has no more regular contact with them. It’s not like he is a coach or manager

 

Yep, luckily by all accounts they don’t speak to Ralph so they can’t fall out with him

 

I read this as he would be going to Chelsea as their main recruitment guy. Not the youth one like he was at city. Which generally means not much overlap in targets but they would still want promising youngsters for their academy - but they already get all the best of those in the south / our area anyway