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Smug in Boots

Smug in Boots

Well-Known Member
Jan 27, 2011
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Upper Largo Scotland
... at Sunderland.

After the way the promotion winning side was cast aside it's clear the club isn't overly concerned with misty-eyed nostalgia and loyalty in place of progress.

It seems RLB and the club are happy for established players and local lads, to leave without any problem. I hope we can continue to bring players through the academy but I'm no longer banking on it, players like Sadiki arrive relatively cheaply and 'oven ready'.

Rigg, Neil, Patterson, Mundle, etc, will have to earn their place on merit or be prepared to leave. The club have shown that their judgement is pretty keen with the sales of Stewart, Clarke, Jobe and Watson. What are they now worth compared to what we sold them for I wonder.

People will have to be careful when choosing names to be printed on their shirts in future ...

... you don't want to end up with 'Sancho Panza' <laugh>

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Oliver's Army said:
Agree fully. We all know how this game works, if a player or agent (see Maja) can wangle a deal for more coin then they will do so I don't blame the club for doing what needs to be done. Its brutal but that's the way it is these days.
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The club has to act for the club and it's clear we don't have agents pulling our pants down any more.

If Diarra, Sadiki, Alderete, etc, were sold I'd no longer be surprised.
 
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Gil T Azell said:
Our scouting network has already proved its worth. Would be up another notch if we were to better them 3 mind.
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We would be operating in a different market if we got really good money for those 3. All hypothetical at this stage of course, but if Diarra wins AFCON it's win win for us without us doing anything. If someone like City wants to offer (for arguments sake) £50m for Sadiki then maybe there is a conversation to be had.

I said on a few championship match threads last season, best not get too attached to the players. The model we are trying to implement won't involve many testimonials.
 
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Smug in Boots said:
<laugh>
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Tbf, I'd love Onien to get some sort of 'testimonial' type game. I remember his debut when he got hooked, all the stuff with his shoulder injuries and popping it back into the socket, the ****e down at Pompey away, the kissing and piggy backs of opposition players, the sliding goal celebration. Not to mention all the off the field work with the FoL.

Maybe the 10 year testamonial thing is a bit out dated these and we can recognise his contribution to where we are now.


Doubt he'd take a penny of it anyway, he'd give it straight to charities.
 
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Unfortunately I think the writing was on the wall. Whilst we do have an incredible academy and some great talent came through the ranks I do think our fans overrate some of young players.. but that’s not exclusive to us I think fans of all clubs do it.

Signing top players like Mukiele shows you the difference in quality between a player with champions league experience and some of our older players we had in the championship but when a young lad like Sadiki comes in it shows you the gulf in talent between him and some of the younger players that were going to be world beaters.

It’s a shame to see so many of the lads who got us promoted moved on but it’s the nature of the beast. Kyril has to put the clubs ambitions before the sentimental value of local/home grown players. Hopefully with more academy investment, better scouting teams and the attraction of the PL we will see not only more local lads coming through but other top prospects snaffled at youth level.
 
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Smug in Boots said:
... at Sunderland.

After the way the promotion winning side was cast aside it's clear the club isn't overly concerned with misty-eyed nostalgia and loyalty in place of progress.

It seems RLB and the club are happy for established players and local lads, to leave without any problem. I hope we can continue to bring players through the academy but I'm no longer banking on it, players like Sadiki arrive relatively cheaply and 'oven ready'.

Rigg, Neil, Patterson, Mundle, etc, will have to earn their place on merit or be prepared to leave. The club have shown that their judgement is pretty keen with the sales of Stewart, Clarke, Jobe and Watson. What are they now worth compared to what we sold them for I wonder.

People will have to be careful when choosing names to be printed on their shirts in future ...

... you don't want to end up with 'Sancho Panza' <laugh>

You must log in or register to see media
Click to expand...
They'll have to earn it, and that's the way it should be. But they'll get the chance here, I'm sure of that. It might mean getting on for half a game here and there to pick the pace of the league up, as with Rigg this season. And Eli actually. They are both very young.

Others will get a go, but you're right, the bar is rising and that's good for the club and good for the players to aim at.
 
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rowley said:
They'll have to earn it, and that's the way it should be. But they'll get the chance here, I'm sure of that. It might mean getting on for half a game here and there to pick the pace of the league up, as with Rigg this season. And Eli actually. They are both very young.

Others will get a go, but you're right, the bar is rising and that's good for the club and good for the players to aim at.
Click to expand...
Agree that if we want to become more successful we can’t afford to carry passengers, KLD , Speakman etc will sometimes be cast as heartless but we need to demand the highest standards if we want to to improve on the progress we have made in recent times . Business is business and it’s refreshing to have an owner who has recruited and built a management structure which has seen such a massive change in the clubs fortunes - he wants the best management, but also wants the BEST on the pitch and rightly so. If you want to play for SAFC you have to earn that right .
 
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Bigmackem said:
Agree that if we want to become more successful we can’t afford to carry passengers, KLD , Speakman etc will sometimes be cast as heartless but we need to demand the highest standards if we want to to improve on the progress we have made in recent times . Business is business and it’s refreshing to have an owner who has recruited and built a management structure which has seen such a massive change in the clubs fortunes - he wants the best management and also wants the BEST on the pitch and rightly so if you want to play for SAFC you have to earn that right .
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We need to remember that the wider Louis-Dreffus family/business don't mess about, they are well known globally. They dine at the top table in the business world. KLD will want exactly the same for SAFC. Wouldn't be suprised if he's hosting, setting the menu and then making Pep do the washing up at the next Premier League meeting. <laugh>
 
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