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Already rumours that we'll offer £90k...

Our owners can afford it, that's not the problem.

Also, Vardy is already 28/29

Personally I can't even see Chelsea or Man Utd coming in for him at all...

 

This ^ ^ ^

His value to us, is much more than any other club would be willing to pay IMO

 

Tbf I said the same when the rumours about Lambert going to Liverpool surfaced. The key difference here is that Lambert was 31(?) at the time so an insane offer was about 10m, Lambert was already being phased out at Saints to a degree and Liverpool was his boyhood club so he obviously wanted the move. Leicester would probably want about 25m for Vardy, or perhaps even more, which I can't see anyone paying. The only way it happens is if Vardy refuses to play for Leicester or something along those lines

 

Our problem was that most of our team was being chased by the big guys...any team can lose one or two players. I hope they don't lose Vardy, I hope he signs an extended contract....would be nice to see.

 

Money means nothing for a big team. I like Leicester and think it's brilliant what you are doing. But the only way you are keeping Vardy is if there is no bid. The big clubs don't care if they pay way over the top for a player.

All the FFP has done is make it easier for the bigger clubs. You offer Vardy 90k then the other players want a wage increase. But you can't give everyone 70k-90k due to FFP.

 

They do have the ability to work around FFP a little bit easier than some clubs, by virtue of the fact that both the club and primary sponsor are owned by the same guy. Not to the same extent as the likes of Man City, assuredly, but it provides a bit of flexibility.

Also, depending on how FFP adjusts to the new TV money, we could see multiple 70k-90k earners being well in reach of midtable clubs, mad though that would be.

 

My point was they can't keep everyone. Obviously they can afford a couple on that amount.

 

Our owner is a billionaire, so we didn't need to sell any players either, but they still went.
Your best hope of keeping all your best players is to finish in the top 3. Finishing 4th and having to qualify for the Champions League group phase, may not be as big a draw for a player being courted by a club guaranteed to be in the group phase.
Ditto the Europa Cup.
Hope you can keep them.

On a separate point.
If I am correct, away fans at your stadium are in a corner/side on the opposite side of the main entrance to the stadium, which means the away support has to go through the home supporters to gain access.
How does this work without trouble?
I would love to have Saints fans behind both goals at St Mary's, but the police seem to think there would be issues if we put the away fans in another area.
Would welcome your thoughts on this.

 

I think what Leicester is doing is fan, I hope they stay there, and given how the big teams are playing they have every chsnce

 

Exactly what I have been saying. I like Leicester and think it's brilliant what they are doing. I also hope they can keep their players. But when the big teams come sniffing around things change.

 

It's not going to be at the expense of us as we arn't up there fighting for position this season. Any 'smaller' club that bucks the trend and prevents the 'big' clubs of their devine right to the top positions gets my support. It would be fantastic if Leicester could finish in the Top 4. I'd probably have a celebratory pint if they somehow managed to win the league. They are in a very similar position to us last season (obviously even better in terms of league position). They have rich owners and an overperforming team. Even if they finish Top 6, they will have a lot of interest in their star players. As soon as a players head gets turned that's it, doesn't matter if you don't need to sell. Been there, done that, got the tshirts.

 

Vardy is precision-tooled for a summer Spurs raid. Sad, but almost nailed on I'd say, especially if Kane leaves Spurs. They have cooled on Berahino, and now Jay Rodriguez is injury-hampered, I can only guess they will want Vardy. At his age - which often precludes the top two or three teams - I really think that's who will be after him. Hopefully you'll snub them, but I bet they come knocking. Hopefully you guys can learn to hate Spurs as much as we do!

I'm also pro-Mahrez, as he will be the player that is competing with Sadio Mane as the pacey winger option for the big clubs. Likelihood is that both will go somewhere, though, so that's no good.

 

Affording it isn't the only problem. We can afford it too for high performers. But we have a pay structure, and are in the bottom 25% when it comes to wage levels in this league. Hence why our best players leave season in and out. It's a shame, but if you relax it too quickly, it can get out of hand massively, and you end up with flop players earning Adebayor money for sitting on their arses playing FIFA every day, with good young players in the starting 11 wanting the same money or looking elsewhere.

Will add that I love what Leicester are doing, and hope they keep it up and keep their players. Someone needs to start the precedent. Unfortunately, it's not just football players you need to change, it's human nature and millions of years of evolution, back to when the first fish shut down its gills, sprouted legs and was tempted up on to land to play as a false 9 for Manchester United.

 

Mind you Spurs haven't been that successful in getting what they want from the new breed of Premiership rivals. If Leicester finish above Spurs, I don't see him going there..

 

Hope so. This is where I feel that Leicester had an advantage with Nigel Pearson - imagine telling him you wanted to leave!

I don't remember him being even close to the nutjob that he became at Leicester while he was with us. Did the PL make him into that character, or was he like that in the Championship? I miss him - hope he gets another PL job.

 

I'm still chuckling.

Vin

 

I guess the only main difference is the manager. Ranieri seems to be enjoying himself and probably happy to settle there for a while, whereas we had a young ambitious manager who was peddling onwards and upwards (C S Lewis style!) to the players meaning that their mentality and aspirations increased dramatically.

 

The more surprise teams that come through and disrupt the better. The 'big' clubs everyone has mentioned are only big clubs because they're challenging. If ANY team can challenge then the lure of 'big' clubs becomes purely a salary thing and salaries are increasing across the board, its less of a divide so go for it Leicester, would love to see them stay there.

It will be fascinating to see whether there is an attempt to dismantle the side and even more so to see how Leicester deal with it. They will have to pay the wages but will they sell? Saints made a HUGE mistake thinking they can sell half a squad two years ago. Its just my opinion but we are largely regarded by fans, the media and other clubs as a shop window. Most crucially I think that a portion of the players think that too. That rot needs to stop this year or we will continue to slide, you cant get players in who are using it as astepping stone, not if you want to build a winning culture. If Leicester have any sense they will fight against the sales tooth and claw.

 

Agree. More clubs need to force players to see out their contacts and take a hit as they go on a free. Yes losing potential transfer fees is bad but it just seems like diminishing returns. Is 2 seasons the most you can expect from a good player these days?

 

Ralph remarked that contracts were odd and three years only meant two here. This may explain why we have given longer contracts to some new players...so we don't have to start thinking about replacing them just as they work out where their changing room pegs are.