Toby signs for Spurs - official.

Look I know it's fashionable to dislike Spurs and I hate them as much as the next Saints fan, I just don't see (with the information we have at present) we can use this as a stick to beat them with. Atletico on the other hand...

 

SFCCroatia has not failed to understand your argument, he has chosen not to agree with it. SFCCroatia is disagreeing with your interpretation of what the right course of action is.

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make here. We are all aware that Saints clearly do value their principles highly, nobody is disagreeing with that. However, some of us may disagree that Saints ought to value their principles so highly. Users such as SFCCroatia are offering arguments to suggest that Saints ought not be so principled, whereas you seem to be saying "Saints do value their principles highly, therefore you are wrong". Your argument is flawed DTLW, you have offered no reasons to suggest that Saints ought to be so principled. You have only made it clear that Saints clearly are principled.


For what it's worth, I take SFCCroatia's point that regarding Toby, the stakes are very high. Toby is a top defender and we should do what we can to sign him. Yes, we may look weak by doing so. However, as it seems, Atletico will not honour our deal, so refusing to bid higher for Toby in virtue of this deal seems naive. Even if we sign Toby for £11M once Atletico make it clear that we can't have him for £6.8M, this doesn't stop us from being able to take them to court to recoup the extra millions paid, once we have ensured that Toby has signed for us.

 

"Even if we sign Toby for £11M once Atletico make it clear that we can't have him for £6.8M, this doesn't stop us from being able to take them to court, once we have ensured that Toby has signed for us."

Is this a possiblity does anyone know?

 

Well considering the ***ing things they've done to us over the years, I'll beat them with whatever stick I can lay my hands on, especially that smug faced irritating git Levy.

I'm still smarting over Martin Chivers.....

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I also apologise for the 'do yourself a favour mate' comment. On reflection it was unnecessary

I'm just getting annoyed of reading pages and pages of people doing circles n going over the same **** when really we know what we know n there aint a lot to discuss till we find out more.

 

Is there any evidence that we actually put a bid of any sort in for Toby?

 

I happen to agree with you on that we should hold our ground. But you're still exaggerating quite a bit. This is not black or white.

Remember when Rangers threatened to sue us over Davis? They didn't really have a good case. In fact, I think they were threatening suits over several players and ended up getting nothing. Except from us. So we could easily have stood our ground, but we paid them 800k. And this was even under Cortese. The sky didn't fall in. We just got a decent player at a still amazing price and without any fuss.

 

Actually I'd say a club that was prepared to let Atletico sleepwalk into losing the player over a technicality isn't all that principled. From the reaction earlier it seems I may be alone in that belief.

The really disappointing thing about this is that if we'd signed him it would have sent a little bit of a message - a player would have chosen us over Spurs. Even with all the advantages (him having spent time here on loan etc) it'd still be something of a statement. Now the agents and representatives from other clubs will be able to ramp up the whispering: "Look at Alderweireld. He'd been on loan at Southampton, liked it, worked well with the manager but he still chose Spurs over Southampton because Spurs are a much bigger club. You should move there too."

 

No problem. Here, have a beer with me.

 

Also have to have one meltdown a season on this forum. I guess it's better to get it out the way now.

 

I can't see what Spurs have done wrong at all . If we Keep Toby great , if we don't shame .

 

I'm fine this year. Whatever happens, happens. We have a world class centre back as a coach, if anyone can spot a talent to replace Toby, it would be koeman

 

Some people here need to learn how result driven businesses operate before getting on there high horses about morality! In a financially driven sector, weird contacts, clauses, rules and regulations are common place. Naivety is hardly an option in the football rat race, and Southampton are proving to be somewhat naive here.. Realistically we need to find our place amongst footballs elite if we are to have any prolonged success, and losing players to direct rivals both from within and external targets is a dangerous battle if we're going to pride ourselves on morals which it is obvious none of the others have. This summer is a new one for Southampton, as the season that follows we are expected to do as well as last year.. and if we're competing with the Romans, we gotta join 'em or be left behind with the other 'mid sized clubs'.

 

I can see both sides of the coin and I'm not sure which side I fall on. I don't think there's a right and wrong and people are generally just airing their views and opinions. I don't think theres been much of a meltdown or chaos. Going over the same points over and over yes, but only where people don't seem to want others to have their own opinions of what might be happening and what they would like to happen. One thing we all want is Toby and there will be varying levels of dissapointment if we don't.
I like a meltdown as much as the next person, but if this is one, then its the most well mannered and 'saintly' melt down I've seen.

 

I didn't say which posters were having the meltdown. It may not be as big as last seasons (I was calm back then as well). But for some they need to calm down a little.

 

If it helps in the preparation stakes, then next years meltdown is 'Big Vic' to Arsenal.

I'm there already, so no meltdown for me then.

 

Well this was always my perception of what we'd do if we were being smart. However, I don't know if that would stand up legally.

 

But are you ready for when in two years time another player leaves?

 

Corrected it for you Beef.

 

Mané will be the next cause of a meltdown I reckon.