Exactly (again!) Fran. Our rise from League One to the Premier League has been built on "Together as one". I've said it before on these forums, and I'll repeat it again what a wise man once said: "Hard work beats talent, if talent doesn't work hard" This is what has got us here. Yep technically we're a weaker side for Ossie going, but we are stronger as a unit.
I can't be too disappointed with the window. I won't repeat the good and valid points already made about the moves made. I would only add that January is a bad time to buy players unless as a desperate measure. The Southampton Way is all about: 1.Playing an attractive, fast-passing style of football 2. Developing young talent through the Academy and incorporating them into the first squad to produce a largely home grown squad. 3. To play at the highest level and for the club to run in a sustainable business manner. Our rise up the leagues to the Premiership has been so rapid, we have had to buy some players to bolster our position, and yes we will always have to buy in quality where we are short, but to have a spine of players who have played together for since they were teenagers would be unique, really exciting and it's happening before our eyes. In this context, selling Shaw in the summer (unless he requests it himself) makes no sense. It's obvious from the Osvaldo situation that any players we bring in must fit into our "family". One of the reasons that I was disappointed in him was he seemed too selfish a player, always having a speculative shot when other players had got into good positions. They don't tolerate divas at Saints! All that leaves me wondering what will happen in the summer. I guess it depends how inpatient the club is. We have a very young side which will get better and better. If the Academy lads step up we may find that we don't do as much business as some on here think.
Think our needs in the summer will be the same as last summer: GK, CB, LB and striker. Midfield can handwrestle for positions.
Great summary Channon and I agree with Dan that you can't turn round and say this has been a good window, but other than the departure of Osvaldo nothing has happened which we couldn't of predicted 2 or 3 months ago. The next stage for us is to secure the future of Pochettino in the long term. To attract the right players in the summer it's essential that we at least Publicly display that Pochettino is here to stay. A nice pay raise will see him sign on the dotted line. Then it's bring those new players in as quickly as possible so they'll have a good pre-season and settling in period. 4 or 5 quality arrivals should do the trick
I only hope that the lack of signings wasn't a case of MP not being too worried to bring anyone in, thinking he won't be here anyway....conspiracy theories rock
Paranoid. Mauricio is a person who would never sit back whatever his future plans were...he would always do the best he could. He seems happy with what KL has told him and is under contract for another season anyway. He will obviously want reassurances before committing himself any further, but he is an honourable man who will continue to do his best whilst here.
Mildly disappointed but we all know Jan transfers are for patch ups and panic buys. Concerned- yes. Is this a sign of things to come? If the signing of lovren wany and cockwomble were a 'statement of intent', what kind of statement will our next window show?
Generally, conspiracy theories suck rather than rock, but you know you may have a point. If MP knows that Moyes is out in the summer, leaving the door open for Jose to go there and MP then takes the Chelsea job on Jose's recommendation, and then takes all his staff and Luke Shaw and possibly Lallana and he also knows that Roman is going to buy Southampton FC, close them down but run it as a nursery and meanwhile ... .... Bloody hell, mate. This paranoia stuff is catching ..............
It was a fantastic transfer window. We offloaded several drains on the wage bill probably with a view to spend substantially in the summer. Fact of the matter is, we are midtable. We won't get relegated, nor will we qualify for Europe; and we have a squad that has the capability to establish a bit of a decent cup run. Now is the perfect opportunity to give the likes of Sam Gallagher a good run off premier league matches. There is no point spending the stupid amounts in January when the club can most certainly afford to wait until the summer to strengthen ahead of next season. Gallagher has impressed enough in such little game time that I am more than confident in our front line's ability to see this season through.
Agree 100%. There was an outside chance we could have finished in the top 6 before we were hit by injuries but there is only a mathematical chance now. Nor are we in danger of heading down the table very far. That being the case, consolidation, experimentation, and winning the FA Cup, preferably getting revenge for 2003 against Arsenal in the final, is the order of the day.
Adam Blackmore saying as a rough estimate, the January deals have taken about £175k p/w off of the wage bill. He says it will now enable SFC to bolster contracts of senior players and key men ahead of summer, and make a couple of top signings.
Was thinking this. Tadanari was on £25k p/w but got a bonus then, I think? So... (largely estimates) Osvaldo - £60k p/w Fox - £28k p/w Puncheon - £28k p/w Sharp - £26k p/w Lee - £25k p/w Barnard - £14k p/w Martin - £10k p/w That would be £191k p/w, so I guess it's a realistic figure from Blackmore.
He might be including the players that we allowed to leave. Assuming that Martin and Barnard were on 25k combined, Sharp, Lee and Fox another 60k, Puncheon on 25k, that'd leave Osvaldo at 65k. But as we've probably paid off/partially covered the wages of Barnard, Martin and Lee, and Puncheon's wages were already being paid by Palace, it's a somewhat questionable assessment. Edit: DTLW did the math while I was watching QPR/Burnley, heh.
