Don't know how we can complain about players being lured away by higher wages...I bet we do that as well. Lots of clubs abroad probably can't compete with us. It's life.
Saints have to find a way of competing with the big boys. They have to build for the future and I am not just talking about young players. If the Chelsea and Spurs of this world can attract the best players and afford them on crowds of around 45000. Then that is the way to compete by building up our following. It is a chicken or egg situation we have to have the ground capacity before we stand any chance. We managed to get decent players when we were at the Dell although then like now we could not hang on to them because of the money situation. Since I was a boy following Saints the situation hasn't changed. The one opportunity we had of stepping up with the big boys was lost when they did not take up the offer made by the speedway track owner in the sixties. (Nearly opposite the dell) he wanted to build a 40000 capacity stadium with room for expansion where the speedway track was. Our average crowd in those days was around 20/22000. When the cup matches were on then records were broken crowds up to 33000 odd. There is truth in the saying you have to speculate to accumulate had we done that then who knows, but I personally am convinced we would have been considered a large club by now or at worst one definitely the equal of the affor mentioned clubs.
Should introduce a draft system ala the NFL. Would be hard to get to work.... but would be fun. It would require youth players to stay at centre of excellences until a certain age, say 18 before they could sign to a club.
Only having a chat about Charlie Knotts today with a bloke who I hadn't seen in donkey's years. He was a year of two older than me, and went to the Bannister Court stadium quite a few times to watch the superstars. What I didn't know was that he built the ice rink down there as well. We needed him to own SFC, rather than having to deal with people who's weekly peak was getting together for a drink on Saturday, which was about all the Saints board did at the time. That, and bet on the gee-gees a lot. You're right about requiring the excess capacity before you get the crowds in. I mentioned very much the same only a few weeks back. There's no way you're going to improve attendances with a few hundred spare seats kicking around on a chance every match. It's got to be dead easy to get in.
Spare seats give you the chance to offer deals or even free seats to the next generation of fans. However, it is incredibly expensive, so am quite happy with the club if they take their time and build up our finances, especially the commercial side. The way to do that is success and we're doing okay there...remember that the cost of the Emirates held back Arsenal. Don't run before you can walk. We all agree about the need for extension eventually...timing is the issue.
That may suit little clubs...certainly wouldn't suits Saints...we are on the verge of building something here. It also smacks of slavery...why shouldn't players decide where they play. And of course, unlike the NFL (which only covers Canada and the USA), football involves countries all round the world.
I meant their lack of title/cup achievements...of course I'd be very happy with 14 CL years for Saints
These clubs especially Chelsea have bee bankrolled to the hilt, the amount Abramovich has spent getting these best players and establishing them as a top club with global plastic support is nuts. Their crowd size (like in an extreme case, Monaco's when they were a force) is almost irrelevant. Star players and high league positions appeal to viewers, and a fair sized, compact full stadium is enough on TV, to create the big club look.
I remember something on talkSport about Everton's wage structure. They pay decent premiership level wages to keep their players away from the big boys and that is why they do not spend much in the transfer market because they spend the balk of their income on top wages They don't buy many but also don't loose many either
Koeman says Reed in in charge of contract discussions, but yes he wants to keep Clyne beyond his contract and he expects/anticipates talks are underway.
Says a lot about sport you mean? Athletes forget about national pride and represent other countries for more money. It is the same all through sport. Says a lot about our league? Every league, every sport. What happened to the Spanish Champions and CL runners up this summer? Why do players sign for QPR? MONEY
Everton are paying more than us for their stars albeit only by a little however they struggle to hold on to their quality. Barkley will go if a big team actually wants to pay what Everton want. Baines the same. The problem being that those 2 are not worth the price on their heads. Lallana was £25m and showed last year he is probably in that price range. Barkley has never shown he is worth £50m and Baines is too old to be worth £20m. They couldn't hold on to Fellaini when a big club came calling, Pienaar was off like a shot when Tottenham cam calling and if a big club had wanted Lukaku for £28m he wouldn't have gone there. How many players have Everton got that big clubs would want as starters? I don't think any of their players would get into the Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd or Arsenal first 11 (yes you could say they might now because of injuries.) Barkley would be a reserve for those 4 similar to Oxlade Chamberlin. Lukaku obviously wasn't wanted by any of them especially at the price. Baines might get into the starting 11 but only if the price comes down massively. The reality is that Everton in the PL era have always been a team that picks up others' left overs, finds the odd gem and punches above their weight whilst paying significant wages. The reality is that they are only holding onto the players that the big clubs aren't prepared to spend money on.
