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This just seems a bit unfair on Curacao. Nice as the story is, match ups like this make a mockery of the World Cup.

Note to self: La Liga or the Simpsons to see Sideshow Bob and his whining, not the PL or the Simpsons.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx2xp7gv09lo ‘Hi Marc, Jack Stephens here. Before you fly out to Madrid, could I drive up to London and have one last pull of your hair, just for old time’s sake?’

We do the same to other clubs. Its a merry go round snapping up talented young players. Hoping this spygate bollocks won’t set the club back as outsiders think we are poison now.

Good point, not much better that we did it with Blackstock, McGoldrick etc although at least left it to 16 or 17.

Only Rodriguez who went to Lyon really. Rest are lower leagues at best (Doyle, Morgan) and most out of the game altogether. I can see the temptation if they’re a parent that’s not had any sort of decent career themselves of hitting the jackpot but the tiny odds of making it professionally diminish to 0.00001% at the likes of City and Chelsea so you’re selling your son in essence. At very, very, very best you might end up in Champ or L1 at Pompey (John Swift) or Reading and even that’s a very long shot, sub-5%.

That's a shame. I heard he was a really kifted player. There's only so many that City and Chelsea will ever bring through. So, we could focus attention on those who are about to be released/escape from their children farms. Ideally on frees, rather than on Baz money. On the other side of that, I take it we're happy to nab players from other academies where we can?

Not just him, or one promising 14 year old either, Charlton have had 4 alone and Everton had one as well https://www.instagram.com/thetalenthunter/p/DZimV_kOAfM/ Greedy parents are the problem. Top 6 and specifically a couple of those clubs trying to get around the compensation system (they won’t be able to thankfully). Each situation will have nuances but parents are so greedy now they’ll want Chelsea or City to put a nice wedge of cash their way, not for their kids. Sod what’s best for their lad’s development.

Understand the comment, and it’s jam today for the kid and his family, with a signing on fee and good earnings, but………I cannot think of any youth we’ve lost in the last five years who has forged a career elsewhere. There have been several big name departures, but has any of them proved successful?

https://www.saintsweb.co.uk/topic/60961-rupert-lowe/

Woodward was blanked by Harry , so any modern techniques didn't happen. Of course it showed those at the top probably should of mentioned to Harry before it happened unless someone is telling porkies 😁

Who is the fat greasy oaf presenting on ITV Sport (now) with some "film guy" I have never seen before either? Talking absolute crap.

Signing a short central midfielder is a big risk, as it's against modern football principles. If playing with a two-man midfield, the average height of both midfielders should be 1.85 meters, with the short midfielder being at least 1.81 meters, or higher if the others start at 1.89 meters.

Daily Mail treats him with the utmost suspicion, like he's some sort of conservative party secret agent trying to undermine Farage. They're right in a way, if only about the last bit, but the situation exemplifies why Lyndon B Johnson said, “Better to have your enemies inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in.” It doesn't help that Lowe is an abrasive, pompous and charmless bastard which probably was his real undoing, both with us and within Reform. Digging far back enough there are posts on here about his intimidatory behaviour towards Mary Corbett, so it wasn't too much of a surprise when Reform booted him out over similar accusations. And he does love to meddle with social media - it was his antics on Saintsforever which introduced me to the modern meaning of astroturf. A bit like how Stevie Gibson loves a lawyer, maybe we'd have done better if we spent more on quality players rather than PR companies. On the other hand, he didn't sign our death warrant. Those who let the Wilde bunch in did that. At least it wasn't SISU but it goes to show we must be careful what we wish for... He delivered the new stadium (does anyone really rue that we missed out on Stoneham?), upgraded Staplewood, rejuvenated the academy (Just think, all those who came through the ranks in the Liebherr/Gao eras would have joined the club under Lowe / Georges Prost... possibly until Smallbone, which I find quite remarkable considering our financial issues), made us one of the first clubs to sign ProZone, wanted to bring back Hoddle before it was popular for clubs to go back to old managers (despite thinking otherwise at the time, in hindsight the right choice over Redknapp). Also the Clive Woodward/Simon Clifford appointments were actually quite far-sighted and seemingly only failed here because Redknapp's ego couldn't handle it. My only real beef with Lowe in his time with us (apart from letting Nigel Pearson go) is despite the above which I do give him credit for, he kept banging on about trying to secure investment, and absolutely nothing ever materialised. I can only conclude that he wasn't trying very hard, or those who were interested initially must have found him repulsive enough that they moved onto other targets. Either way, he had a vested interest in remaining as one of the top-paid football chairmen in the county.

Talking about the ladies the Utilita bowl looked about 10% full for the World cup game yesterday (NZ vs WI). Pretty disappointing especially as it had an exciting finish.

Looks like George Kift (14 year old turning out for the u18s) has been poached from the academy. Don't know why we bother with academies anymore. Any kid showing the slightest promise gets hoovered up by City or Chelsea.

From this week’s letters to The Economist.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2026/06/13/russell-martin-appointed-manager-of-leicester-city/ Three year deal, according to the Telegraph. Hope they’ve got some good ball-playing centre halves.

I seem to remember his mate, Clive Woodward coming to Saints. Someone on here will know more but I don't think it went too well. What could you expect from a bloke who played with an odd shaped ball?

Imposter

I thought they were mandated by player welfare. I should have been suspicious when I saw Infantino on the touchline charging them for buying Gatorade.

Any alternative would likely be even worse.

And Sulemana (although not sure he scored any goals, just a rapid sprint).

I thought more of a Charles replacement on reading it.

Woodward...Redknapp..too many transfers to fit on a normal page of Rothmans...radio station...the Poortvliet/ Wotte revolution...catering...we'll storm the league with the kids...waiting for Skacel to sign...