SKD

I know it is said about 1 or 2 clubs every year, and they generally under perform, but I'm rather jealous of Everton at the moment. Showing real intent over the past 2 windows and I think klaassen is a fantastic signing, although it's yet to be seen how he will adapt to English football. They're a couple of defenders short of having a fantastic team, one that IMO could challenge the top 6 for that CL spot. I just hope the takeover stuff is sorted ASAP, as clubs are starting to make their move early, I don't want us to fall behind as the squad we currently have just isn't good enough.

Thanks for your summary, it is always good to get the point of view from those that have first hand experience of players / managers and not just because they are good on a computer game. I'm reluctant to judge him on his time at Inter as I think they are in a bit of a mess at the moment, or at least were start of last year.

:lol: Never have I seen a grown man (well I assume he's a grown man, the way he acts on this thread would suggest otherwise) act the way he does over a replica football kit. He's without a doubt one of those that wears his saints shirt over the top of a hooded jacket / coat.

Isn't this supposed to be released today? Not heard anything more about it other than the cartoon, yesterday. Usually the club make a massive fuss over the release of the kit, I thought we'd have seen more, especially if it's the kit we all suspect and want.

In reality he's got a point though. Odds will reflect what's in the media. If, lets say, Eddie Howe's odds drop majorly next week, and there has been no link to him, then that's when I would probably take note.

Personally I'd have Ake, De Vrij, Zouma and Andreas Christensen over Smalling. I'm sure the scouting team will come up trumps with whoever they pick as we've generally been very good at recruiting in that position.

I don't know to be honest. Some of the stuff he has said is similar to what I've heard, so I probably don't doubt his 'itk credentials' as much as others. As for Jose, with his ego, it wouldn't surprise me if he keeps an eye at the club, trying to turn others against the management. Of course, all this is my opinion.

Still bitter you didn't get the move to United, Jose?

Two players I'd avoid like the Plague. Nasri too big an ego and an absolute trouble maker. Smalling is not worth the fee and wage demand he would command. If he would be willing to take a significant pay cut and the fee was right, I would consider, but I think there's better out there.

IMO, if Emery became available he would be our first choice and we'd snap him up pretty quickly. Obviously at the moment he's not, so our first choice is someone else.

Agree. I could understand if they went 50/50 with Kat and/or another investor, with the view of possibly making commercial revenue from redeveloping the surrounding area. But to buy the club out right, just to make money from the surrounding area seems odd to me. Also, if they really do have 'alot' of money as someone has suggested, why are they having to borrow it to purchase us? £220m should be loose change to someone who want to buy a top 8 premier league club. The reality is that none of us really know whats going on, how much Lander have and what their intentions are, however it doesn't look good. I guess people would be sceptical whoever was taking over. As i've said all along, if they keep the same management structure and are pretty hands off, I will feel a lot more comfortable.

If you look at the amount that will be made by the Liebherr's, they would have been right. With the benefit of hindsight, most sensible investors would have jumped at the chance to take us over. Obviously it's very different now as the clubs value has increased significantly and I honestly believe it will be very difficult for any new investor to make a profit on us.

It looks to everyone that Kat has just gone with whoever has offered most. She hasn't let us down yet, but things really don't look promising. I'm sure i'm not alone in having serious concern over Lander.

Possibly, I would have thought the club are pretty confident of getting him, if this truly is the case. I would hope the club have some sort of contingency, however as I've said the list is getting ever smaller and I cannot believe Silva & Schmidt would have gone where they have if we had registered serious interested, to the point of offering a contract...

I've heard the club have taken on fans feedback about lack of enthusiasm on the touch line, and in press conferences, and Tony Adams is being seriously considered...

My biggest criticism of Redmond is that he looks at time reluctant to run at and commit defenders, this is when he is at his best. For me, he too often looks for the safe option and always passes to the side or backwards. He started to do this half way through the season, then dropped off again. I was probably unfair on him at the start of last season, so I will give him next year, under a new manager (Hopefully more attack minded), before I make complete assessment. I think he's got potential (not as a CF though), just needs to express himself a bit more, IMO.

For anyone foolish enough to want him, It looks like Ranieri is going to Nantes (assuming the deal is confirmed by the French Football Federation, as at 65 Ranieri is technically unemployable as a manager, in France. French rules stipulate you cannot appoint a manager over 65...Odd). Given that he's chosen Nantes would suggest he had little other offers, especially not from us. However, the pool of 'available' managers gets smaller which to me would suggest we have our eye on a preferred target.....

Fair play to Everton, looks like they are going to really go for it, although I suspect they are spending the Lukaku money they are going to get. £30m for Pickford is massively overpriced though, which for me is a good thing as it's only driving the price up for VVD.

First game of the season: West Brom (H) Boxing day: West Ham (A) 28th December: Stoke (H) Easter Weekend: Tottenham (A) Last game: Swansea (A) FA Cup third round: Palace (H) League Cup second round: Sunderland (A)

I'd say it depends on what us, West Ham and probably Newcastle and Leicester do over the summer. Other than that, I don't see that anyone else is good enough to challenge. Everton were way ahead of us last season, it'd have to be a pretty drastic fall for us/West Ham to over take them if we continue as we finished last year.

That 'blond bird' would be his girlfriend (or at least I hope it was, as we don't need another Charlie situation getting out ). Been together years, certainly not straight out of an MTV reality show

Still fairly sure that Puel will go this summer. I assume the delay is down to us waiting to see if any offers come in for him from France. If the club really are considering him staying, i'm starting to think they need to come out and give him the vote of confidence. All the uncertainty won't help us in the transfer market, both in and out. I think by the end of this month, we should know once and for-all. I've been one of his biggest critics however if he does stay, then he gets my full backing. Fair play to him for fronting up to the challenge, he could easily walk away.

It's not just the players that are worried, a lot of others at the club are as well. I think the general feeling is similar to us as fans in that they are concerned/bemused as to why Kat is even entertaining speaking to Lander, let alone selling us off to them. There just seems to be a lot of uncertainty around the club at the moment, on and off the pitch. As for bumping into players, I met a handful of PL players whilst on holiday just after the season finished, one of which was at Sunderland last year (I thought he'd be an absolute d*ck, but it turns out he's actually a pretty decent bloke!)... Some of the stuff he told me, Wow. They are in an absolute mess that club, I'd be very surprised if they come back up any time in the foreseeable future unless someone dramatic changes.

Glad to see Jake has been offered another deal, which came as a surprise to me, and probably to him as well if I'm being honest. A local lad who suffered a horrible injury a while back. Looks like the club see something in him and are giving him a chance. I'll be surprised if he makes it at us, but hopefully he'll have a successful career in a lower division.

1991–1997 Ajax 1997–2000 Barcelona 2000–2002 Netherlands 2002–2003 Barcelona 2005–2009 AZ 2009–2011 Bayern Munich 2012–2014 Netherlands 2014–2016 Manchester United so in your opinion, that 'experience' is overrated....