Transfer Rumours The Summer Transfer Rumour Thread 2016

Oh dear. I was taking the piss and others have had a giggle and mentioned it themselves

I'm not playing the big man and very very rarely the first to play "I'm leaving this conversation" card. If you paid any attention to what people write you would certainly know that I am usually the last to play that card. I'm usually the one who keeps going on an on about a subject like a terrier. I said it to you simply because you appeared to just not see the point being made by me and someone else. There comes a time when despite several replies, it isn't worth trying anymore. Hardly jumping in with that was I.

You have that part wrong.

Please point me to where I mention you and Lukaku? Clearly this has got to you. It's humour. A bit of a laugh. Never mind. Some people aren't good at laughing at themselves. Me, people take the pee out of me all the time. I have no problem with that. It's good humoured.

Please accept my apologies for being insensitive with my humour.

 

I would love Ron to extend his contract, but I would rather he stayed next season than not (as he has promised he will do). Most of the team will be the same and he knows them by now. Next season could be Ron's best. Not ideal when signing players, but players will still want to sign because we are Saints and we are in the EPL. We don't need the influence of a manager when signing players as much as we used to...we are not minnows any more. It's not an ideal situation, but players are used to managers leaving. I think it will be one factor to consider for any players we try to sign, but not an over riding one.

 

If Ron is not going to extend his contract, ( which I hope he does ) I would prefer him to go at the end of the season and be done with it. That at least hopefully would give the next manager a chance to bring in who he sees as an improvement and hopefully Saints will move on. Trouble is Saints usually have to do this right at the last moment giving new managers little or no chance to make his mark early.

 

Can't agree with that...this would disrupt a good side more than knowing he will leave at the end of next season. The only reason to do this would be if the board had no hope he would sign again and their ideal candidate is free and available now. Why not have another good season out of Ronald? And there would be no guarantee that the next manager would stay for a long time either.

 

I agree to a point Fran. I am not saying "If he doesn't sign, then go" however I can't share you thought that we'd have another good season if it was clear he was going (or very much looked that way). I think it would be very hard for that to happen - if we go this route, I hope I am wrong.

 

I can't help remembering what happened in Strachan's last season he kept us up and we started to progress, then he went and we struggled badly when it was guessed he was going. After he went it took a few years to get back to where we were. What I don't want is to have to go through the same scenario we had with Strachan.

Edit..... I 'm talking about getting the right replacement managers.

 

I have a million times more confidence with this board Beddy that they ca get the right man and have a good plan. My worry is, like that season you mentioned, the team performance starts to wobble. It is very plausible this could happen, despite out most positive noughts and high opinion of the players and manager.

 

http://the4thofficial.net/2016/05/w...l-winger-will-be-a-brilliant-coup-from-bilic/
Blog (quoting a local paper) suggesting that West Ham could beat United to sign Mane. Dream on...he will either stay here as he still has 2 years on his contract or he will go to a top club. Why would he leave a club he knows just to move sideways for more money....at 24, Mane has options and time.

 

I have high hopes for next season, but, even if we have a wobble, I doubt we will face relegation. Unless we have an ideal and better candidate free now and Ron wants to leave (as I can't see us booting him out), it's not much of a risk to stick with RK for his last season.

 

For me I have to agree with others n have said it before I would worry about going into the last year where we all know he's leaving. Ideally it would be nice for him to sign a new deal, although I think this comes down to our budget for this Summer. Ron has said before that it's not about money for him and that if he believes in the project and is happy then he would stay. Plus the fact he's hinted a few times about spending money throughout the year. If the board were to say "right Ron, you've got x amount for fees this Summer and we're going to increase the wage bill by x amount" then I honestly think he would sign at least a 1 year extension. But if the board say the plan over the next few years is to continue the sell high-buy low policy and to not massively increase our wage bill etc. then I think Ron might think he's taken us as far as he can.

 

Winston Churchill's wisdom in action again in this thread.

“The British nation is unique in this respect: they are the only people who like to be told how bad things are, who like to be told the worst.”

 

Ok, I understand that completing an agreed contract could lead to the possible situation where the last year could be a bit flat...but I don't understand what alternatives there are. We either have a manager quitting early (Pochettino was popular for that) or we have a manager being sacked. This is great if the club are always getting the best of the deal, but I rather doubt that is the case.
I'd like Ron to sign a decent extension and if he does, I'd like it to be because he and the club want to work together for longer, not just so that we never have a last year of contract situation.
With good planning, is it not possible to transition from an outgoing manager finishing his contract to an incoming manager starting a new one, like in any other business?

 

My view on the positives or negatives of Ron leaving would be hugely influenced by the identity of his replacement. There's a whole category of people who would make me want Ron to stay as long as possible even if we know he's going. But if we attract someone of quality, then i'd want the swap to happen ASAP.
That said, my first preference is certainly for Ron to sign up. For ever.
As an aside, and as someone who exclusively played rugby for 30 years, I have no real opinion of Ron's footballing expertise. The results are my biggest guide. BUT, the thing that I love most is how he conducts himself - no gum chewing, cliche-ridden nonsense, no blind spots to player shortcomings, no defense of the indefensible. In short, he personifies what I want my football team to be all about, and I dread having a manager about whom I feel less strongly...

 

Do we have a sell high, buy low policy? I prefer to think of it as a stitch them up/bargain hard policy We've cleared a large sum of money and then bought more players, but without too much of a down grade. We are still top half. I'd have liked the stability of keeping some players, because we keep having to break new players in. I think we have reached the stage where we have more depth and will buy to supplement rather than just build a team.

The board will have given Ron a positive view of our future plans, but with stability in view. Katharina is not going to do an Abramovich, but she will also not asset strip us. We have limits, but I'm sure the board are ambitious...in Ron's court now.

 

Whilst I think this is the correct way to run a club our size, I think that there will be certain situations where we have to choose player over money.

I, for one, would rather let mane run down his contract and force him to stay for another season, even if we lose millions. He is just so good on his day, he's worth the loss.

 

I really dont like that rumour. West Ham will be very attractive for players, with the money and potential the club now have due to the leg up they've been handed by the legacy commission (along with less contentiously being in London and the - albeit long awaited - attractive football).

It would be utterly galling for us to lose Mane, to such a doped up competitor, and former peer. But they will be castings their eyes around for players of that profile.

 

Yep, we better be ready to bunk the price up to scare the porn mongers away. That stadium bullshit, its going to cause problems for clubs like us.

 

I agree...we should try and keep Mane....even if we have to insist as we did with Morgan. It won't hurt him as he will have more chances in the future and he will still command a good price with 1 year left on his contract. I don't see him causing trouble....unlike Wanyama who we may have to let go (though it would be good if he decided to sign another contract....not holding my breath). I feel the same about Pelle IF we struggle to replace him....losing his sell on fee could be worth it if he plays in a large part of next season. However, I think we may be too small a town for him and he may prefer more exotic climes...he was recently said by a teammate to be the most likely to fail in I'm A Celebrity because he couldn't survive without good restaurants.

 

or, we are having a sensible conversation discussing what MAY happen, not what will happen.

Blimey, I have spent a few years getting crap for being a happy clapper and now when I try and have a sensible discussion on what MAY happen, I get more crap. Great isn't it.

PS. For all those out there, we may also go on and win the league under the circumstances I have mentioned. I am not saying WILL on either, just considering plausible outcomes.

 

Yes it is.