A Question of Ambition

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In 5 years time, where will Saints be?

  • Champions League

  • Europa League

  • Mid-Table

  • Relegation Scrappers

  • Football League

Results are only viewable after voting.
Downthe36 said:
I'll probably get shot down for this, but....

I fully believe we will achieve Europa league qualification, probably sooner than 5 years. What will be interesting is what this will mean for the club. We always need to remember whether we like it or not that we are primarily an investment vehicle for the Liebherrs, if Cortese can repackage us as European qualification contenders with a shiny new youth academy and possibly a revamped stadium then it's likely we will be sold. So basically my basis for believing we will achieve European football is that we more or less have to in order to recoup the Liebherrs investment.
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So you missed the bit where Cortese said that Markus and He never bought Saints for financial reasons. It was for the vision and the challenge. Obviously, Cortese isn't going to throw money away, but don't run away with the idea that the Liebherrs want to make money from the club. They don't need the money, after all, so why not have some fun..? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/9269293.stm
 
ChilcoSaint said:
Come on you lot who think we are only going to get into the Europa League, where's your ambition?

You can put me down as a happy clapper if you feel you must, but one thing I have learnt in the last 3 and a half years is that what Nicola wants, he generally gets. I absolutely agree 100% with Joe that to get to the Champions League we will need a fairly big upgrade in our infrastructure, but we have made a big start on that already with the Staplewood development, which puts us in the "Champions League" places in terms of our training facilities and the excellence of our academy. Yes, we also need a bigger stadium to help fund the transfer fees and salaries that we will need to pay out, but the academy will come into play here as well, both in terms of feeding the best young players into the first team, and also providing some income by selling those players we don't want to hang on to. And Nicola has already dropped plenty of hints that the stadium can be expanded.

So yes, Champions League within 5 years, why not?
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I'm not saying we won't get there Chilco. I just think 5 years might be a bit too soon, especially when Nicola will undoubtedly try to do it sustainably. There's just so much to be done before we're ready to do it season after season.
 
Obviously no one knows the answer, but you mentioned the word "potential" and on that front we have as much as anyone else. It does make me wonder about Nicola's expectations for next season, it must be top half minimum. I hope we can have another good cup run one of these days, it does depend on getting some kind draws though, and having a good enough squad to cope with it. Should be fun.
 
Qwerty said:
Obviously no one knows the answer, but you mentioned the word "potential" and on that front we have as much as anyone else. It does make me wonder about Nicola's expectations for next season, it must be top half minimum. I hope we can have another good cup run one of these days, it does depend on getting some kind draws though, and having a good enough squad to cope with it. Should be fun.
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Well there is that video interview with SKY, where he talks about Europe over the next 3 or 4 seasons, but he wants to keep the key players.

http://www1.skysports.com/watch/vid...e/8445829/exclusive:-nicola-cortese-interview
 
TheSecondStain said:
So you missed the bit where Cortese said that Markus and He never bought Saints for financial reasons. It was for the vision and the challenge. Obviously, Cortese isn't going to throw money away, but don't run away with the idea that the Liebherrs want to make money from the club. They don't need the money, after all, so why not have some fun..? http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/9269293.stm
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Sadly, it was intended to provide an interest for Markus. He got some pleasure from it, but didn't live long enough to see his plan come to fruition. A lot of money has been invested, but there are easier and more certain ways of making money than football. I don't know how much interest ML's daughter has in the club, though she was at the Liverpool game. I'm sure she remembers the happiness Markus got from the Saints in what turned out to be his last year and his sheer joy at Wembley, but I doubt she will pour money into the club. We seem to have been left funds, so we are really in Nicola's capable hands in balancing the books.
 
By the way, you know what annoys me the most about that Cortese SKY video..? The bloody weather..! Jeez, it was January and there was beautiful sunshine. And I bet it wasn't that cold either. :)
 
Downthe36 said:
Like a night out at the circus!
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Are they throwing Hammers fans to the lions, then?

In five years time, the regulations concerning money, transfer fees and investment could change. This could leave a lot of club up the creek without a paddle, whereas Saints are on an even keel and can keep wheeling new superstars through their academy.
 
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