Fitzhugh Fella

Adam Leitch has not quite got his facts right (has he misplaced the Echo copy of ALL THE SAINTS?). Sammy Lee came to us on a free transfer not a loan.

Cheers a fool I must be then. I know it is what his agent is saying (yes I know it's his agent) and for me it adds up. Why would he be seeking a move after just one season then? I honestly believe this time last year the players collectively bought into the "this club is going somewhere" scenario. Morale and team spirit was high and it got higher. Then the rug was pulled and once one player decided to go it was like a house of cards.

Yes you are right (although perhaps add Wanyama) but things changed and Cortese's vision that they could attain CL while at SMS raised expectations that have since been dashed. Cue the dash for a top 4 squad place.

Of course I don't, like most of us I am trying to make some sort of sense of what is happening with some joined up thinking. I remember thinking when I heard of ML's death that it was a bad day for Southampton Fc, because it was his dream. I think NC then picked up the baton, raised the bar and for a while KL was happy to sign the cheques because she wanted to carry on what her father had started. NC then stepped out of his lane, spent (and wasted) too much money, made promises he shouldn't and she finally had enough. This is all conjecture, as are most things on this forum, but I do base it on a knowledge of the past and talking to people better placed than me.

There is a post elsewhere that says Lovren had better offers but chose us because of the "plan". I genuinely think the players definitely believed we could make a stab at attaining CL football after listening to NC, but once he went it dawned on them to get it they would have to go to "a top 4 squad"you mention. I do genuinely think up until NC went they were onside and would have stayed. This is not an attack on the present board as you know I am pleased NC left.

It must strike everyone a bit bizarre that all of a sudden all our players want to leave. I think they all bought into the NC plan but when he "departed" they all realised it was not going to happen. Alpine says it all started going wrong when ML died but I disagree, his passing gave NC a free hand and unchecked his ambitions widened. The only problem was the cash wasn't his and the dream he sold to the players was never authorised by Katharina Liebherr.

To be fair, this all adds up. It must strike everyone a bit bizarre that all of a sudden all our players want to leave. I think they all bought into the NC plan but when he "departed" they all realised it was not going to happen. Alpine says it all started going wrong when ML died but I disagree, his passing gave NC a free hand and unchecked his ambitions widened. The only problem was the cash wasn't his and the dream he sold to the players was never authorised by Katharina Liebherr.

Osvaldo and Billy up front at Anfield, what could go possibly wrong?

I dig (deliberate pun) the description as the most "organic" club in the country - do they give silverware for it?

I hope he doesn't take pens like that for us - give me heart failure

Your post is one massive contradiction. You slag the "bed wetters" (a term you use in virtually every post) and yet your first sentence is classic bed wetting

Spot on

When Morgan goes (he will) at least Rogers can's big up the academy.

I was actually attempting a stab at black humour - guess it didn't quite work, my fault.

He looked pretty good to me in the FA cup-tie at SMS, but is the premiership a step too far. Worth a punt but don't expect him to hit the ground running. I can see Sharp and Osvaldo starting at Anfield:?

I really don't believe loyalty exists any more. Sometimes a player will stay for whatever reason ie no one elsewhere will pay them more and then dress it up as loyalty but money talks and even the uber loyal MLT signed for Spurs before his wife pulled the plug.

OK I recognise there have been some valid points raised against my view, but I guess it comes down to how important it is to put trophies in cabinets. (sorry the JPT can't count when the country's top teams don't even enter it). For me I like to watch good attractive football (last year was something to be proud of) but I prefer to win (I think). And, given the choice, I would like to see my club actually lift a trophy once in a while (not once in over a century). I know we can never compete with the really big clubs but just recently we have had access to funds (thank you the Liebherr family - we are always going to be grateful) but also we have built on the good work of McMenemy, Lowe, Prost etc etc to have a world acclaimed academy. All this is well and good but we need to have something to tangible show for it all other than a healthy bank balance otherwise just what is the point? West Ham (the last club to build such a reputation for bringing through the youth) at least won a few more trophies than us and were successful in Europe.

A very valid post

Yes Benjii but I am talking about the last 20 years. Yes we won promotions but not recognised silverware. It's now 38 years since we won anything recognisably significant and yet we have had the best academy going back to LM's days. Surely we are either under achieving or failing to capitalise on the youth we uncover.

that was a great day but a club of our standing shouldn't really be shouting from the roof tops about the JPT.

Should the club who has long dined out on the fact it has the best academy in the land, have won some silverware by now? Sorry to be slightly critical here but can't see the point of continually feeding other clubs so they can win trophies if we don't get to at least win one ourselves, even if it is the FA Youth Cup. Maybe last season was our best chance which should have been taken. No doubt many on here will take my post as being deeply sacrilegious but flame away anyway.

Absolutely spot on

Minty I accept the potential wisdom of waiting until the window is closed before we criticise the close season as a whole, but along the way, we surely are free to vent our spleen at being patronised by Gareth Rogers on a day when we sell our two England WC stars. I am pretty sure all the kids who lashed out on Shaw and Lallana shirts last season are absolutely delighted our academy is doing so well financially. Come the end of the window no doubt you will be saying "but wait until Xmas until you judge" and then "wait until the end of the season". Me I prefer to judge each action the club is involved with on the day. I may get it wrong (Pochettino) or right (Steve Wigley) but at least I am not living in the future never never land you seem to expect us to wait for before commenting.

The trouble is even with money in the bank it is not easy to replace players with the calibre of the ones departing. If it was, L'pool and United would have circumnavigated us and bought the ones we presumably are eyeing up?

But Minty you are just as extreme the other way ie never ever criticise. Always looking for a silver lining may well be an attractive trait in a personality but as far as raw passion goes you come over a bit sterile and sanctimoniously unemotional in some of your posts. You have to surely concede fans have the right to be disappointed by the fact a team that finished 8th in the Premiership can't hold onto an 18 year old for just a bit longer. I also think Rogers statement to be a bit crass, we really do not need to be reminded that our academy is just a production line to feed bigger fatter clubs who are too idol or rich to nurture their own youngsters. Yes we may have loadsa money in the bank but if that was all I was bothered about I would get a season ticket at the LSE.