We have been officially linked to a number of players in the last year or so. Certainly since Nigel Adkins has joined us. Usually we do not get to know about them, unless someone spills the beans. By that I do not necessary mean the media. There is obviously a lot more that we do not hear about, well not officially anyway. I understand some have failed a fitness test, so you can understand our reluctance to sign them. Our recent history of long lay offs through injury, Lee Holmes and David Connolly, spring to mind, although prior to them there was quite a few, would suggest we have been unlucky not to have theirs and others services. More recently we have been linked to some very good players, even NA has been excited by some possible signings although not mentioning them by name. Even at one stage actually saying we would have a couple of players by the next weekend. That was before the season had started, to date those players have not yet turned up! I would agree we have signed some very good players too. Cork for me stands out along with De Ridder. Both in my view will take this league by storm and are excellent. What has happened to the others though? Is it because they are spoilt for choice? Take the saga of Fontaine and Gorkss. If we new about the recent history of Fontaine's ankle history and his long lay off and the breakdown on his return, how on earth did Saints appear not to know?? Why are they even considering such players? Surely Saints own recent history of long lay off injury's should have made them more cautious. Enough for us to stay well clear of someone coming back from a long lay off especially. So the more experienced the more talented (In my opinion) player we lost to another competitor. Is it because Cortese is trying to do things on the cheap? Is it his lack of experience at getting the right players in? After all he seems to have had limited success in getting the bigger named ones in. So why is it they appear on one hand to get excellent players in and then fail to get the others they target, after all other Championship clubs are taking them in. It can't simply be wages if other championship clubs are prepared to sign them, these clubs have similar if not a smaller fan base than us. So what the heck is it......anyone got any bright idea's?
I've often pondered that over the last few weeks. Cortese is obviously a very shrewd businessman with tremendous commercial acumen, yet I can't help but feel that he is perhaps a little insensitive to other's needs and demands and tends to 'steamroller' over others. He is very exacting and precise in his methods and things have to be done on his terms or conditions, or it's the highway. Such a hard-headed approach is indicative of tremendous drive, vision and ambition (and more often than not great achievement and success) but will not always endear you to other people. I am not questioning his credentials, merely stating that he perhaps needs to be a little more accommodating and show a little 'give'.
I reckon if the players we're trying to get in are not quite right and don't fit the required criteria, we don't sign them. Maybe Cortese has put some sort of detailed quota in place and every player must fill it in order to play for us - if they're not quite right, they don't sign/play.
De ridder was one of those signings he talked about, and i think jemal was the other but turned us down due to cortese not letting him know the transfer fee. I think cortese is our marmite, you either love his ambition, and detemination and strict way of doing things his way or no way, Or you think hes a complete tosser lol
I think I should put the record straight.........I am not questioning Corteses ambition or commitment. I am just trying to get my head around some of his decisions and the way they seem to effect Saints.
While i welcome all that has been done for our club in recent times, i do feel that NC may still be learning in terms of handling players/agents etc. I admit i was relieved that the Fontaine deal collapsed. I think we have other irons in the fire but the players with bigger reps come with a lot of red tape/baggage which needs to be handled tactfully. I'm not sure if NC has mastered this yet. There's a way of doing things in football and "the Adkins leaving Scunny scenario" springs to mind (how not to). There are no short cuts. If we want quality, we have to pay for it!!
Jemel didn't sign because of failure to disclose fee paid..I would suggest that was more to do with selling club than us. Saints must have had initial info that Fontaine was over his problems which subsequently proved incorrect. So some problems can just be unfortunate. The main problem is that we want players that others want. We seem to make good offers so it may be either the player doesn't want to come, perhaps because of terms, the perception we are not a 'big club', or simply on geographical grounds. It's possible that NC is at fault (await lightning strike), but we have probably not finished yet and will get a couple of buy/loans in before windows close.
Don't care. Only when a player signs on the dotted line is it of interest to me. None of us know what really goes on with deals that fall through, so I can't see much point in speculating about it. "CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES" as a certain Lord Nigel of Adkins would say.
This must be very wearing on Nigel. He must really want to get his whole team together and work on them.
I don't think there is a problem. I think they have identified targets and valued those players. If the fee goes too high above the NA and NC value, they pull out. I believe people like Gorkss weren't even a target but QPR thre him in as a curve ball. I think they have a profile of player they have set to include: Age Fitness Ability to continue to improve Premiership quality (or potential to grow to that) Value/fee We pull out when these prove not to be met. I'm happy that who we have signed meet this. Jayrod and Maynard are example where they meet all criteria except fee gone higher than value and so NC/NA perhaps in sure now.
We just have to wait until they are on the bus, in the building... at the moment there are a few waiting at the bus stop and hoping to get on the bus. Its as simple as that!
At last I disagree with you Fran! I don't think we've lost a player who chose to go elsewhere yet; well not one we really wanted and the fee was acceptable.
Agree with all this but think there's something else too which nobody has mentioned yet. I think the players are being "interviewed" too. Even if they tick all of these boxes, if their face doesn't fit, we won't want them. Gorkss / Maynard etc may have had an attitude that didn't match our requirements. The whole squad is currently very self-effacing and bringing in a potential big time Charlie, regardless of ability, won't help.
Tell me that they don't have to do those tick-box psychiatric assessments. Most of us would be locked up based on those.
