Don't agree...you need two good players in every position competing for places. Chambers is young enough to be told to put up and shut up. Clyne could do his ligaments tomorrow for all we know. McCarthy could be the bees knees, but too big a risk to take. I want to know how happy Ron is with all this. Fine, if he was part of the decision process, but worried if he is having talent sold for under him. It looks like we are trying to rebuild into a different style in order to recoup some money...again, fine if it is necessary and Ron knew this when he came in. He may have been excited at the opportunity to rebuild a team in his own image...but this wasn't what he said when he arrived. He said that he knew of the sales of Shaw, SRL and TB, but no one else was going. Won't get it, but I would like to be reassured that he is happy. In an interview on Sky at the Bournemouth game, he was asked about Lovren and Chambers. He looked uncomfortable and actually said he didn't know but this was Southampton.
I would be surprised, stranger things have happened, but I don't think so. We don't know what he has been told, and who we might get in. I think it is harder for us to attract the better players in that bracket under the top 5 targets. Imagine, manager leaves before a ball is kicked!! Please no..............
that old chestnut of repeating what I said. "Shove your comment up your arse" - of course, not personal at all.
Ron also mentioned that Morgan was back in training soon and they would have a conversation...hope it's better than hello and goodbye.
Good point. If Clyne is first choice, the odds are we would lose either McCarthy or chambers. One will go for a development fee whilst the other will get £16m. I know what my preference is.
Very few clubs outside the top lot will have cover in all positions. Look at spurs, no cover for the full backs for the last few seasons and they were fighting in Europe. 16 million is difficult to turn down for a player who will rotate with Clyne at best. Football has become a business, it's a sad fact. We need signings, at least 5 more. I'm not going to worry just yet. I will be a wreck when it comes to November and we are bottom of the pile, though.
Yes, we can manage without him and it's a fanatastic price (although Bales' price was good too and look what he got sold for!). But that isn't the point here. Are we developing players to play for us and be the backbone of the team or are we simply doing so to make a quick buck? Either would be OK but we were promised it was the former and we all got over-exited by the prospect. Now we have become like every other team. Foget our 'model', good coaching etc, it's now about who spends the most. Last season everyone was praising the way we do things and how every club should be trying to emulate us. Now, the 'Saints' way seems to have gone and we are doing it the Premier League way. I can't believe Chambers would have 'forced' a move, like Lovren, so it means that the board are more than happy to cash in on him. It's all just a bit sad.
Not being able to attract the right players easily is the very reason we should keep what we have. We had a great side created relatively cheaply (for the PL)...a couple of sales to enable us to bring in 4 or 5 is what we needed. Have no problem with that...I don't expect Katharina to be an Abramovich...books need balancing. But selling anyone who asks to go is worrying. Does make you wonder what financial position Nicola left us in! I hope this is just a belt tightening time which leads to a period of stability (there's the old Fran peaking through ), but it is worrying. Obviously KL is seriously rich, but she had to sort out her father's businesses and closed a few. Maybe his empire was not as stable as it appeared...so often things begin to fold when a big man dies, especially if he was propping up unprofitable businesses. Although we have potential, we had to be supported initially....let's hope this is just the period when things need stabilising (after being in the hands of our own megalomanic mad man).
That's more like it......I think I've got so used to so many recent disappointments I've become a bit numb! Like you say, hopefully there is some method behind this madness.
I imagine it's very irritating getting cherry picked but every player has a price that's way above what they are really worth and if that's reached you simply have to sell Shaw and Chambers for £46million is mad money for 2 fullbacks who I'm sure you could replace perfectly adequately and have £30million spare Lovren at £20 is probably his price and Lallana a little overpriced but both are much harder to replace and keep as competitive. All the money in from transfers will be a total waste if you end up slipping back into the championship though so hope you can reinvest it wisely
Who cares about money at this point? We've got more money than we know what to do with, and we're not going to spend it all, so it's pointless just building up the cash stacks.
Guys, think how much money we can make if we sell every player! Forget the football bit, think of the bank balance!
I no longer support Southampton Football Club. Forget Sports, I'm now a business fanatic. Southampton Football Club Finances til I die! What an amazing offseason this has been!
Just seen his interview on Sky Sports after last nights game fielding questions about Lovren and Schneiderlin......he did not look a happy bunny.
