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Schad said:
I think it's more that they came to the conclusion that the marginal benefit of someone like Ben Brereton Diaz over our current strikers was fairly limited, and did not justify the expense, but a Ramos or Gakpo (even at double the price) represented significant upgrades that would be worth it.

I'm inclined to agree. Here are all the strikers to transfer for between 12-25m (per Transfermarkt) in this past window, and what they have done:

Maupay - 1 goal in 10 PL appearances.
PEA (who wouldn't have been available owing to wages anyway) - 1 goal in 6 appearances.
Awoniyi - 3 goals in 13 appearances.
Dennis - 1 goal in 9 appearances.
Kalajdzic - 0 goals in 1 appearance (crocked).
Hwang - 0 goals in 11 appearances.

And while we're at it, those that fit the bill from the year previous:

Weghorst - 2 goals in 20 appearances (since loaned out).
Edouard - 9 goals in 41 appearances.
Alvarez - 3 goals in 12 appearances.
Ronaldo - lol.

And the year before that:

Augustin - 0 goals in 3 appearances totaling 49 minutes (he has imploded so badly in recent years that I completely forgot that Leeds bought him, for £20m assuming they keep losing court cases, until making this list).
Callum Wilson - 26 goals in 55 appearances.
Brewster - 0 goals in 27 appearances.
Karlan Grant, a player whose first name I'm including because there's a 0% chance anyone would remember him if I just wrote 'Grant', myself included - 1 goal in 21 appearances.


I count 11 strikers that moved during the past three years in that middle ground that would have been potentially available for Saints. Of those, 1 has been a success: Callum Wilson. 1 has been okayish: Edouard. Jury's still out on a couple of the signings this year, and there are at least five that have been utter calamities. The team in recent years that has done the best job of acquiring such strikers? Probably us, the more I look at it. Ings was good, and Che's decent. They're in the upper tier in terms of production.

Given that success rate, it's not damning at all to suggest that our scouting team might be unable to find a striker that is i) good, ii) in their prime years, iii) moderately-priced, and iv) wants to join Saints. Those players are exceptionally difficult to find, and more money is wasted in the pursuit of such a unicorn than just about any type of player. There are a couple names on that list -- Odd Edward and Dennis -- that I wanted at the time, but I can't say that their absence is keenly felt after seeing them in action.

If we want good strikers, history suggests that we either need to i) buy young and develop them, ii) spend a shedload of cash (still no guarantee), or iii) win the striker lottery. A lot of teams gamble on the latter, and most lose big. I can see why we weren't that interested in spinning the wheel ourselves.
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Great post. I didn’t realise 20+ strikers are like unicorns. The exist in your head but don’t feature in a saints shirt. Even if we found one it would be a donkey in fancy dress. Just have to keep looking. Glad it’s not my job.
 
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Osvaldorama said:
Anyone know any details on this? Line up etc.? Can’t find anything about it
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You know that the Club doesn't give away secret information like this, we can't keep a secret!
It's one of my gripes about the Club, there is information trickling out on twitter e.t.c about Under 15's players, i.e. Alejandro Gomes, scoring five in an England friendly, and Jack Topley scoring 7 in an 8 - 2 friendly win against Aldershot but we don't get a peep out of the Club. Google searches reveal virtually no information on the Academy youngsters at any level. Very frustrating!
 
SAINTOSPREY said:
You know that the Club doesn't give away secret information like this, we can't keep a secret!
It's one of my gripes about the Club, there is information trickling out on twitter e.t.c about Under 15's players, i.e. Alejandro Gomes, scoring five in an England friendly, and Jack Topley scoring 7 in an 8 - 2 friendly win against Aldershot but we don't get a peep out of the Club. Google searches reveal virtually no information on the Academy youngsters at any level. Very frustrating!
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At that level I’d argue that is reasonable. These are still children. The pressure already starts when a player gets a good run at U21/18s level. Is it really necessary to encourage that level of scrutiny at 15, 14 years old? It isn’t going to get them in the first team any faster. Who does that level of examination serve?
 
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SaintInKuwait said:
At that level I’d argue that is reasonable. These are still children. The pressure already starts when a player gets a good run at U21/18s level. Is it really necessary to encourage that level of scrutiny at 15, 14 years old? It isn’t going to get them in the first team any faster. Who does that level of examination serve?
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I guess that we are carefull because as soon as a kid starts doing well the vultures circle and grab them. The Dibling saga proves that it doesn't always work.
 
There was a program on channel 4 recently called “The Academy” which followed Crystal Palace’s academy for a season or so. It covered all age groups from u8s up to the u18s.

The reason I bring it up was they did a segment on one player in the u13s I think and how he was on the brink of being released, not good enough, not Palace material. He was basically on his final chance to prove it and they would decide whether or not to renew his youth contract at the end of the season. When they showed the conversation where they were talking with the player and his dad and reviewing his season it showed his stats. He had scored something like 50 goals in 22 games and they were considering releasing him. Goals at that age aren’t the be all and end all.
 
Saints have been found to have illegally poached a player from another clubs academy. Saints are adamant rules were follow but have accepted to result rather than fight it.

Been fined £10k and are not allowed to sign players from other academies for 6 months.
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Ronnie Hotdog (MLsfc) said:
Saints have been found to have illegally poached a player from another clubs academy. Saints are adamant rules were follow but have accepted to result rather than fight it.

Been fined £10k and are not allowed to sign players from other academies for 6 months.
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Is the Joe Shields saga related to this? Jayden Meghoma has been mentioned from Spurs?
 
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