I don't know that we're desperate to sell him but he's an almost 31 year old striker who's reached double figures in the Premier League once in his career, hasn't scored a goal since February (I think?) and is probably on reasonably high wages. Assuming we're signing another forward he's the obvious player to move on. He seems like a guy who wants to play games too so a move probably suits him as well.
Could just imagine us selling Shane to Brighton for £5M, and him going on a hot streak scoring four goals including one against us that leads to riots!
My instinct is that Saints will give Pellegrino the next 2 games, and then decide whether he should be backed in the window. We have United away on Saturday where we need to show some fight, organisation and resolve more than anything - it seems we won’t change a manager 2 days before that now. Then we have the big game vs Palace at St Marys next Tuesday - that is his last chance saloon: if we don’t win that, he will go. If we get humiliated at United, it might spring the board into action quicker, but I don’t think they would want to make a change ahead of the Palace game, knowing how important it could be for us. That said, I would have binned him already - don’t think he is up to it.
We will be signing players in the next 7-10 days so I don't think it's a case of deciding whether or not to back Pellegrino. I think he could still go, regardless. All depends on the next couple of games and the dressing room balance. Even if we spend £25m on the first player, it's still attractive to another manager... Scenario: "Hey, we need a manager to turn the tide. We know we have problems scoring goals but we just signed this guy for £25m - and you can spend another £50m on another couple of players you want to bring in too."
Plus, if we don't already have a replacement lined up, then the 11 day PL break after the Palace game would come in handy in terms of finding a replacement.
My lad just sent me this - not sure it’s been posted already but some very surprising & disappointing stats: Pochettino left saints in May 2014. 13/14 - saints finished 8th / spurs finished 6th. Since then. Saints have spent- £237 million Saints have sold - £247 million worth of players Spurs have spent- £235 million Spurs have sold- £218 million pounds worth of players Saints have had 3 managers Spurs have had one Saints average attendance 31000 Spurs average attendance 31800 No major differences. Except we sold our best players. They sold the dead wood. They invested in a manager who was ours let him keep the best players where as we have just asset stripped our best players..replaced with players not as good. 3 years later we are facing relegation with a team of players who do not want to play for the team and a manager not good enough ...
Look to the Academy for the bench, there are young strikers scoring goals and even hatricks, something poor Shane can only dream of. I think the hapless MP has forgotten about the Academy
The only thing I’d point out, is that we didn’t sell a single player we didn’t want to before Pochettino left (rumours were rife that they were going, but also Rumours he’d told them he was off and tried to take a couple with him). You may have just proven it was all his fault!!
Said it before, but the trigger was Cortese going - Poch felt loyalty towards NC first off and went as a result of his ‘sponsor’ being given the boot. I don’t have a problem with that (in fact I quite admire it).
Have you heard anything yourself, or has there been any ITKs talking, about how the board see the manager situation? I think at any other PL club he'd have been sacked by now. But then who is there to come in? Eddie Howe potentially is an option in the summer if Bournemouth go down. The club have been said to be keen on him but I can't see him leaving mid-season, especially to us. Also on Giroud, I'd expect Everton would be favourites if he moves to a PL team.
It amazes me so many want to blame one particular player for our woes. Long is not scoring it is true........nor is 85% of the rest of the team!!!
