I don't have a problem with the extension. He at least tries and shows some passion, something we seriously lacked last season. Would rather a team of Jacks putting up a fight or a whole bunch of mercenaries turning up for a payday and getting rolled over every week! If we do get promoted and wish to sell him, at 32 with 2 years left, we get a bit of money, honestly it's not a bad thing at all. Also if Still sees enough there and wants him to stay, then let's give him a chance, maybe he can get the best out of him!
Exactly this ^ Plus, they will have assessed his fitness and deemed it good enough for this extension
We had Jack + a whole bunch of mercenaries turning up for a pay day and getting rolled over last season. What use was he then? Where was his "leadership" with 2 utterly stupid red cards? Where was his "passion" for 99% of the games he played in last season? Give me just one example of him rolling his sleeves up, grabbing the game and/or our players by the scruff of the neck and charging on to get us the 3 points. We won our only 2 games when he was already subbed. We were totally and utterly ****e from game 1. We're rewarding our captain of the worst ever Saints team in our history instead of showing him the door. It's absolute madness. I don't give a **** how much he "loves" the club. I guarantee that I love it more and you wouldn't want me in defence either.
If you judge on last season we would be selling 20 players and signing a whole new squad. The reality is that we are in a different league this season and many of lasts seasons failures have already shown they are capable in the championship. I think a lot of fans are still thinking about planning for the PL, but ultimately, we need to focus on promotion first. He is clearly good enough for the Championship and keeping him means we don't have to spend on a replacement. He might not even start week in week out but every few million we save by keeping the likes of Stephens can go towards either keeping the likes of Fernandes or on new players in positions we need.
Not thrilled about this for same reasons as others. Can see him playing most weeks this season but, if we go up, would hope and can see him taking more of a backup role. Doesn’t Still like 3 at the back? ABK looks off, so that leaves Stephens, Edwards, Quarshie, Bednarek, THB, and possibly Sanda. So not exactly stacked in the position if we are playing 3 every game, and decent chance at least 1 of them could be leaving, possibly 2 (Bednarek and THB). If both of those leave we will likely have to sign another CB, preferably on loan to help us get promoted this season. Whether Still sees any of the full backs as options in in a back 3 I don’t know, it’s pretty common for them to move there when playing 5 at the back. As seen before Stephens is passable in a Championship team, and especially in one who hopefully won’t be defending as much as attacking. So yeah I expect him to play most weeks this season. If we get back to the PL then hopefully he takes a back seat as new players come in. If we were looking to sign someone who we think could a) get us promoted and b) play in the PL (which is exactly the signings we should be looking at on permanent deals anyway) then maybe there just wasn’t anyone we fancied. We know Stephens can do the first bit so I’m fine with him staying, but agree that 3 years seems pretty stupid at this time. Hopefully it’s starter this year, promotion, backup and starts coaching stuff next season when he will be 32 turning 33
Not thrilled about it being 3 years, would’ve much preferred a 1 year extension, so if we go up he can be a “good influence” around the club in what will be a tough season. If we don’t go up he should still have enough in the tank to be a solid option at Champ level, and if we think he is decent we can always offer him another deal then. 3 years seems ridiculous at this moment in time
Is it an additional 3 years, or just a 3 year deal. If it is a 3 year deal then it makes sense to me but yeah, if it is an additional 3 then that is probably a year too long.
I believe his contract was due to expire in 26 and now expires in 28, so 2 additional years. It is likely we will be in the Championship for at least 2 of those 3 years so maybe not as bad as I thought
I always like to see progression in a team and if something is not working you change it and Saints have not conceded less than 60 league goals in a season since 2018!. Time for a change with the GK and central defence imo (unless Ramsdale miraculously stays).
