"I went to 38 games to home and away, I dedicate all my time to this team. Some of the performances have been quite spineless...I sometimes leave games thinking that they haven't put in 100%. How are we going to ensure that these big results stop falling against us. When is that going to change?" Semmens - "I also go to 38 games. We get it. I don't think it's a lack of effort. If you're 5% off you get ripped apart. In reality we'll have days where it doesn't go our way. We're there with you, we feel your pain" Ralph - "I'm with you when you speak about wanting to see this effort every game. It's not easy at some moments to be a Saints fan, it's not easy sometimes to be a Saints manager. But you know, even more I enjoy when we take 13 points against top 6 teams last season. I hated losing against Brentford 3-0 away, when we were REALLY ****. Sorry."
"I'm the guy who's responsible when I stand down there. For the good performances, and when we don't do what we're meant to do. As long as I am here, I will take responsibility for this team. It makes me more hungry, more hard working, more wanting this club to see success"
Gone from on the fence back to I Love Ralph. He may be pulling the wool over us, but he is a really good bloke that seems to care.
"We know safe standing is what fans want, so we're looking at it and will communicate it when we have more concrete plans"
I know I am probably being quite negative again! Good side: We are getting solid, detailed and honest answers. Ralph is fielding these questions well especially. Bad side: I don't feel we are hearing anything around how we are trying to stop getting pumped by ridiculous margins, it is all either a defence (mostly reasonable like the response to the Perraud question) or frank admissions of poor performance like Brentford, but what are we actually doing to fix a very blatant and reoccurring problem? Maybe it is down to the questions being asked.
Blackmore did sort of ask Semmens this at the beginning I think and he was slightly evasive, as managers and execs tend to be re transfers.
"When are the club planning to give JWP his testimonial year?" FFS... Semmens - "It's an easy answer. If you spoke to him about a testimonial he'd punch you in the face, he wants to go on for the next ten years. If he's still here then we'll do whatever he wants".
"This is the first time I've been excited in a transfer window....what's the long term ambition for the club. Are we going to have a goal again of playing European football" Semmens - "we don't talk about staying in the league. We have a strategy to be a top ten club. The league has just got harder though. We are very appreciative and respectful of staying in the hardest league in the world, but we never talk about relegation and staying here. We talk about being in the top ten"
Phew. "are you still active in the market" "Of course. Unfortunately they don't shut the window on the first day of the season which they should. But yes, there will be players out and in"
For someone who doesn't talk about staying in the league, he has definitely talked a lot about staying in the league!
That was legitimately really good. Very impressed. Wasn’t just positive spin. They genuinely answered some difficult questions. No doubt Ralph genuinely does care about the club. I just hope we get some performances
