We know the business plan was the PL in five years and we are well on the way to achieving that objective, hopefully this year if we can maintain our brilliant form. Nicola is probably sat in his office knowing that he can't leave things to the last minute so what contingency plans do you think he is putting in place now knowing that we may be promoted? The academy has been developed as part of the plan but what about other important matters such as: Strengthening the squad; Improving the ground; Ticketing policy; Scouting; What would you be busy doing now in preparation for the PL if you were in Nicola's shoes?
I would be looking at some quality premier league players(alongside Adkins of course) that we should sign if we go up this season,we've got the money there so we should be spending it by improving our squad on quality players,we all know we have to buy better players to survive in the prem,namely defenders,but we're not gonna get in the premiership to struggle or make up the numbers we're gonna compete as Cortese says.
I am sure that NC and NA already have a plan for the transfer window and I am sure that they are looking for players who fit with the Southampton way of doing things and with the quality to succeed in the Premiership. As for ticketing and the stadium, NC will have a strategic view. I think we can be certain that he is already thinking in terms of increasing the number of seats once we start to sell out St Marys on a regular basis. Hark as us. I am really starting to believe.
Nigel is wearing his bus conductors outfit as we speak, with a tcket machine in one hand and a blue pen in the other. he has drawn a blue line under saturday, and is about to shout out "all aboard"
I would personally like to see us (depending our league position) make signings in January that will be able to play in the Prem. Just like we did last winter window, it allows the players to settle in during the season before the next. As has happened this season, those players can then hit the ground running. I understand that a number of the signings would occur over the summer but to make some of these in Jan would strengthen for this season and importantly the next. Of course there are issues here; attracting them, cost etc AND this is all hypothetical - IF we get to the Prem next season..! We have the money to advance projected earnings from promotion - we should do it! UTS!!
Scouting and youth are definate priorities for getting value for money and the type of players that we want. An easy trap to fall into is replacing players that have served us well in the Championship/L1 without thought. You might not think of the likes of Hammond, Chaplow, Connolly or Richardson as Premier League players, but they are key members of the team. I'm sure I'm not the only one to have gone gung-ho in the transfer market on FM when there is money to spend - we need to avoid that at all costs. Players need to come and go,but a great deal of thought needs to go in to make sure we get it right. I presume there are plans for stadium expansion as I can see there being a demand for more seats once we get established in the PL. Timing is difficult though what with the risks attatched to ground development.
Not the time to make any wholesale changes. If you were one of our players working your socks off to get into the Premier League, how would you react if 'better' players were brought in for your position. A couple of judicious purchases/loans in January which will do you in the PL but not bankrupt you in the Championship. Hope Nicola hasn't put all our funds in a 3-yr bond
wholesale changes are not the way ahead. small numbers of key signings in january will strengthen the squad for the run in to the end of the season whilst preparing us for the possibility (see feet still on the ground) of back to back promotions. This squad, with a few more players will be able to achieve in the premiership as well, not challenging for a top 6 but holding our own in the bottom half of the table. Then we consolidate and improve the squad, and who knows where we go from there?
If I remember the mission statement correctly, there was a 5 year plan to get Saints into the Premiership, and then to make us "an established Premier League side which played exciting and flowing football, or the Southampton way." We are already playing that football. Would we need to enhance the squad to improve our chances in the top league? Yes, but if the results this season, compared to even the most optimistic forecast at the end of last season, tell us anything it's that keeping the team together is vital. I would expect us to sign good players, but they would have to play for their places against the current incumbents. I have never seen a Saints team play for each other like they do now. We would need to strengthen the squad, no doubt, but with even 2 or 3 additions I believe we could do alright.
And may I add that I type so slowly, Dellboy and Fran have got in with the same point before I had finished my 3rd draft
There have been some scoundrels on the Pompey attendance thread who have suggest that I am guilty of reading others posts before deciding my own opinion. Shocking! Personally, I just think you, me and Dell are right.
Most men it would seem have only two faults, according to women; everything they say and everything they do.
Agreed with most of the above. Not too many signings, but a few key ones. As Nicola said before, we're going to be there to compete, not to be match fodder, for the big boys. The bitter sweet pill for a lot of us fans, and those players affected, is that several of the squad won't be completing the journey they started in League One. I have absolutely no doubts about Cortese, and only the most minuscule meaningless ones about Adkins, to see Saints through to the top tier, be it this season or in the future. It will happen, and Saints will stay there, and grow.
It has long been my opinion that Adam was rather foolish to open his big mouth. God was doing just great until he listened to Adam's complaint of feeling lonely and it was at that point thet God made his one blunder and created Eve. I suppose with a project of the magnitude of creating the universe we ought to forgive him for that one error. What God should have done is to have made a prototype and then asked Adam to test her out and then to modify her based on feedback. We would have had a very different model to the one we have had to put up with for the last two thousand years! PS And we would still be living in the Garden of Eden.
