Just to be clear I was mainly talking specifically about the era where we finished twice in the Europa League with Poch/Koeman. I understand a couple of players here and there but we were witnessing a mass exodus every season. At that time, finishing just 2 points of 4th, we should have been to convince players to stick with us and show the managers/players we would pay them or put in what we could to push on with that team, or at least the majority of that team. And instead we went for selling and just tanked after that. This was when teams like Tottenham were competing around the same level, they managed to convince Kane to stay even though vultures were circling big time. We couldn’t convince one star player to stay. I can’t recall one instance where a players head was turned and we turned them back. We saw Brentford keep their best for a while although some did fall through but they never had to completely rebuild every year. Brighton is probably the closest, they have sold here and there but nothing to the extremes we did. Most teams get their best players picked off periodically and before you end up heading into the Europa League 2 out of 3 seasons. And while we were in that prime position (a position not seen in many fans lifetimes), you’d think, to convince players that if you stick around 1 or 2 more seasons you could be a part of something huge. But instead in 3 seasons we sold Mane, Fonte, Pelle, Wanyama, Lallana, Lambert, Shaw, Clyne, Lovren, Chambers, Schneiderlin and failed to sign Alderweireld. Excluding a goal keeper that is a full starting team and a sub. My knowledge outside Saints is limited granted but I don’t quite think any team has sold a full first team starting 11 across 3 seasons when they were actually doing well. I don’t even know what my point is anymore but I just don’t trust this club to build anything. We are a selling club through and through.
Look up to the dizzy heights of 19th place and Leicester. They actually achieved something and couldn’t keep their team/squad together and then Claude Puel and a slow decline to yo-yo land.
Despite being competing with Tottenham for a couple of years in the league; we aren’t Tottenham. It would take probably a decade or more of consistently finishing above them and few deep runs in big trophies to start talking about comparing ourselves to them, and even then I’m sure many would argue that they are a much bigger club. I get your point, but there is also an argument that it hasn’t happened before or since because no team of comparable size or stature had that many players all at once who the big teams wanted. Sure we could’ve upped our wage offerings to some players, some may have stayed because of that. But then you are in a situation where you are paying a handful of players CL club money and don’t have the revenue to sustain it unless you kick on as a club and start qualifying for the CL regularly/consistent higher league finishes to get more sponsorship etc. Which is a big risk to take when you consider the teams you are competing with Our biggest mistake at that time was giving the players who were part of the good sides, but not wanted by the top teams, big extensions which hamstrung us when it came to new signings. From memory we took an approach where all first team players were being paid a similar amount which wasn’t enough to keep the top players and was too much to get rid of players who weren’t at the level we wanted (then of course, not now) Basically it is modern football where it is virtually impossible to grow a club to the very top because players will want out as soon as a big team comes along. A lot of my dads mates follow/support Bournemouth and they were all laughing at the thought of their players leaving for the likes of Everton or Wolves, but if those teams came along for say a Semenyo he would want the move and it would be very difficult for them to keep hold of him
It's funny how I knew this, but seeing it written down makes it seem like brand new information. And not in a happy way.
No movement at all, not even any rumours which is odd. I wonder if it is because the club really have just accepted relegation or whether it is the wider market. This window seems very quiet for every club, not just Saints.
Not sure how I feel about this, I think I'd rather he stayed at SW for the season playing regularly to be honest ...
I think he may go out on loan elsewhere. I believe the plan was to stay out there until the Wednesday owner opened his mouth. I wonder if Sheffield United are interested?
I highly doubt that's the case; there's no way these things happen that quickly. So you think Parsons (as an example) was sat on twitter, got annoyed at a quote he saw that might not even be true, and decided to call SW there and then to recall Charles? No chance.
It was at a fans forum that he made the comments. Someone at the club would have been listening. We could have recalled him two weeks ago so why wait until now? Downes is also fit again now so it's not to do with him. It's 100% down to the owner's comments IMO.
I'm excited to see what he can bring to the group now. Far rather use him alongside Downes or Ugo than rely on Aribo/Smallbone.
I'm not convinced, to be honest. There's no way we'd act so rashly. Our squad is huge, too big, we aren't going to add to that cos we don't like what their owner has said ...
