You may want him, Adkins may want him, even Cortese may want him...but it all comes down to the player. If he doesn't want to play for the mighty Saints, then we will shrug and move on. January should be interesting.
fwiw, I have heard he wants to join us as well, so if everybody else wants him, could be a match made in heaven lol!!!
Someone I know who works for the club mentioned that we're in for Craig Noone, no idea whether it has any substance to it or whether its just a rumour going round the training ground, but he was at Plymouth with Jack Stephens so may have come from him which could mean there's some truth in it.
All these players being mentioned are "good championship players" that would more then likely get us out of this division. But then we would have to replace them next season as the PL would be a step to far for most of them. Why not just splash the cash now and kill 2 birds? Yes, it would cost slightly more but it makes sense in the long run. I have faith in Cortese to do the right thing.
How do you know we would have to replace them?, look at Norwich as a example. They have brought in players that have little or no Prem experience. It's not also about that's spend a shed load on a prem player. There are alot of gems to be found throughout all the leagues it's about finding them. It's mainly about how they click and fit with our squad atm and how well they are managed. It's a team game after all.
Additionally, even if one splashes the cash, the player has to be willing. How many players are there out there that we can splash the cash on who are i) proven Premiership players, ii) willing to come to a Championship team, even if said team are in a position to go up, iii) don't come with a tonne of baggage, and iv) are young enough to fit into what we're doing, because splashing the cash on a 30 year old probably isn't wise at this point. There aren't many if any of those out there, and as much as I wish it were feasible for us to throw a boatload of money at a long-term, potential star-calibre player (say, Erick Torres at Chivas), those sorts of players aren't likely to sign here. If the worst that happens is that our starting striker acquisition this year becomes our capable third striker next, we're doing okay.
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/227370/Steve-Kean-s-set-on-Marvin-Sordell/ Bolton and Blackburn after Sordell. Both relegation-bound so we could certainly compete. He's a few years younger than Sharp or Maynard, so could be better in the longer term. Watford aren't loaded, so although he isn't actively for sale, it's unlikely that they would reject a good offer. Thoughts?
According to BBC Radio Solent on Twitter a source close to SFC has said we are NOT interested in Nicky Maynard!
I expect some players to be leaving too: Dickson, Forte, possibly Holmes and a few youth loans out. In Maynard from Bristol City and Charlie I'Anson from Grimsby.
Dickson and Forte are definetely going I reckon Holmes is needed as backup so a loan at most, maybe Doble & Reeves to go out on loan along with some of the U21s Martin won't go anywhere considering the CB position at the moment, he is a good backup to have