The Premier League Thread

Id expect so but he would’ve been the player I definitely would’ve thought would be off at the end of last season. He only has a year left on his deal so maybe he’ll just see if it out if we are in the Prem, no chance if we aren’t

 

Absolutely goes with our blessing, either way. He's been stellar.

 

Oh no, not mid table mediocrity. I remember a lot of people thought that was terrible, until we were regular relegation candidates.

 

...and there lies my conundrum with going up.

 

Actually the complaint about reduced ambition proved to be correct. Year after year we made a profit on transfers and year after year our scouting got worse. You do have to push the boat out for one marquee signing a season just to reassure the players we still have a desire to be more than mid table.

For us, mid table is great, but we can’t appear to be content to stagnate. That is why we got relegated.

 

There is a disjoint between the owners of football clubs, and their fans:
Owners want their club, as a business, to maximise profit, which can usually equate to being at the top table - The Premier League, even if we're just picking up crumbs dropped by the mega-rich clubs.
Fans want their club's team to beat other similar teams, and this may mean playing on a level playing field, for instance other teams in The Championship (or League One, or The Southern League, or The Hampshire League, or...)
Put simply, we want to win, and sometimes we just need to play in a league where we can win, or at least compete.
So, let's enjoy the ride, and hope we win lots, but The Premier League might just be a poisoned chalice for clubs, and fans, like ours

 

I mean it’s very hypocritical of me (or any Saints fan that prefers the Championship because we are winning). We aren’t the “biggest” team in this league, probably not even top 6 but because we have money from parachute payments/player sales from our PL squad we can dominate this league and our budget is far bigger, which is exactly why we complain about the PL.

It isn’t a level playing field in the Championship either as every year there will be minimum 3 teams with parachute payments who can easily outspend clubs who have been out of the PL for awhile but whilst we are one of those rich clubs I won’t complain. Danger is we don’t go up this season or next then we just become another ex PL team stuck in the championship because we can’t spend as much as other teams

 

I didn’t realise that McKenna, a boyhood United fan, spent five years at Old Trafford working under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, before joining Ipswich in December 2021.……If UTD want him, they will 100% get him.
But I feel he will end up at Brighton with Poch going to UTD and Tuchel back to Chelsea.

 

Just seen this. That is absolutely ****ing mental from Bayern. What on earth?!

 

Fans saying there isn't much incentive being in the PL but i'd be delighted if we regained our rightful position as the top dogs of the South Coast.

 

https://twitter.com/jacobsteinberg/status/1793721825295564940?s=46&t=f0hgNyKSvvOD5qjGLJhsXQ

 

I reiterate what I said yesterday. I just don't get it.

Maresca.
McKenna.
Kompany.

What have any of them done to deserve a big job?

 

Going up next season could be enjoyable for us if we beat Leeds. I think Leicester are screwed and if Mckenna leaves Ipswich I fear for them too.a

 

Style of football.

Every club owner wants to be the next City, have the next Pep.

 

Sack Poch, employ Maresca

 

Can hopefully add Martin to the list, Wilcox might take him to Utd with him

 

I guess with Maresca Chelsea could be looking at what Arteta has done. Maresca worked under Pep and actually has a season as a manager under his belt where he won the league he was in, that’s more than Arteta had when he got the Arsenal job.

As Brendy said everyone just trying to be City/hire people who worked closely with Pep.

****ing copycunts we were doing this 2 seasons ago

 

They need to get in a manager who suits the Wilcox philosophy. Where could they find one…?

 

I expect that is a joke but Wilcox is not taking the same level of role there. So who fits his philosophy is less relevant than it would be here. I can only assume he hopes to get the director of football job next. Unless I’ve missed something and their plans have fallen through.