In fairness, I am heading that way too. I still have my moments where I love the game but there is so much about modern football I despise. A combination of VAR, financial regulations set up to favour big clubs, ownership issues, greed (cancelling replays so big clubs can tour Korea) and disdain for actual fans (every game moved for TV) are slowly but surely stripping all the joy from football.
John Stones, Anthony Gordon along with other's previously mentioned. You're right, all said it's not a particularly good record.
Bit bored this afternoon so thought I’d look into what Southampton could do potentially in this transfer window. Money in so far with sales is around £36 million (guaranteed without the add on’s etc) and with the probable pending sales of Dibling, Fernandes, Aribo, Edozie and ABK I reckon again guaranteed will be around the £96 million mark bringing in £132 million Salaries from last season were around £54 million which has been approximately reduced down to around £30 million with sales and return of loan players from last season, and with the additional sales expected that would bring us down to £24 million approximately. If you compare this to the last time we were relegated we received round £155 million in sales and reduced the wage bill from £63 million approximately, down to £44 million in the championship season. So basically we would have quite a bit of room to make a couple of statement signings for the championship, also helped that we wasted zero money on the January transfer window, and only had a net spend of around £70 million last year in the premier league. Also I would expect the club to post profit again for last season which from a PRS point of view, would be 2 seasons in a row. Anyway, like I said, I’m bored today
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: Everton agree £28m deal for Chelsea midfielder - BBC Sport This is in the BBC article above: Everton have also been in negotiations with Southampton for winger Tyler Dibling, but are considering walking away if the valuation for the 19-year-old doesn't drop after a second bid was rejected.
If they aren't going above £35m then we'd better off keeping him. A player like him could make a big difference for promotion and if not we can always sell him for a bit less next summer
Always a risk but when the window closes he'll have the choice of stropping and risking ever getting a move or showing the world how good he is every week. If we don't sell, I think he will sign a new deal with a low release clause. He is on tiny wages (for this level) so would benefit from a year of proper pay and we would be protected from him walking away for free in a year. Something like a 1 year extension and a £20m release clause.
Yeah I've said a few times that we wouldn't actually lose that much if we keep him assuming he has a good season. There'll be more clubs interested and I expect we'd still get 25-30 million.
So we are in a better state financially, and have a squad of broadly comparable quality (without any additional signings). Feels like things are firmly in our hands......or rather Williams'.
Hopefully we'll get a few in. Just to get it into perspective on Saturday I just avoided a head-on collision with a car that just crossed over to my side of the road and he hit the driver's side after I tried to avoid him. I fractured my sternum which affected my heartbeat and was in hospital most of the weekend. My wife was badly battered but okay. The car was totalled, I'm in agonising pain all day now and she's a little better. So Saints can do what they like and I'll be okay with it.
