saintjay77

What time is lunchtime in skatesmouth? As time is numbers will they be saying lunchtime is actually 20% of the time they actually mean? Someething else amused me this morning. @mattslaterbbc on twitter posted this earlier: "@mattslaterbbc: Hearn says he once suggested 2-league demotion penalty for going into administration, only Pompey agreed. That, Alanis, is ironic"

Think he is basing his maths on how much has been spent since Markus took over. Of course we havent made any money at all in that time so everything is coming straight out of the owners funds. Season tickets are free and we paid Arsenal for Oxo to leave us. In all honestly we are probably still indebted to Markus and his family but I would of thought that if they sold us now for £50 mil they would definitley see a proffit out of that. However, if they see us in the prem by the end of next season they will be looking at what is reported to be a £60 mil promotion I think. That will in its self return the investment that has been put in and also raise the value of the club should they wish to sell then.

Peter Reid is an odd one. He should be able to do a good job somewhere with all the experience but has been a little tainted by lack of involvment for large spells and taking on a few impossible tasks which have dented his cv. He is in a position where if he wants to get back into management the offers available will be of struggling teams but he probably needs to go somewhere that has got past most of its struggles and are looking in the right direction. I expect Stuart Gray to take over in the short term unless Clots wants to take him to NFFC? Could Lampit be next in line to be caretaker? There is hardly an abundance of backroom staff down there as with such a small squad they need fewer coaches. So Lampits name could seriously be on the radar for the short term. Now that would be amusing.

So basically they call us Scummers due to a strike that never took place that had Southampton folk breach a picket line that was never there? And now the portsmouth elite even get inked up with pictures explaining this non event to somehow make it all seem more real? LOL'age me thinks

If Clots leaves then it will give the russians another chance to show their intent. Get a half decent manager in and even if they continue with the building (very) slowly approach it will show they are at least taking it seriously. If some no-body gets the job it will be like a copy cat of Rupes taking on the dutch duo! I know which one I am hoping for.

Didnt this game get moved to Sunday cause its on the BBC? It will always be an early kick off but the days usually only change due to cup runs or TV. There maybe a chance Sky take it on for TV but its not going to be on ahead of a prem fixture so would be Friday, Early Sat or Monday for Sky. (Thats basing it on a normal weekend) Bank holiday weekend might make it different days but same logic applys I think?

haha less buns in the oven in certain area's of the country is the answer!

Ah fair enough. I knew the £20m went in as a loan but presumed it was after the purchase. So they basically bought the club for naff all then loaned the club the money and made a deal with the creditors to wipe the debt's? I didn't check on how much we spent rebuilding the team but I guess it was still out of the initial loan as ther has been no mention of any extra loans or payments into the club. I wonder how the training ground developments are being funded?

Wife says she only watches it to see her cousin but I know she is hooked. It makes me angry to see so many people enjoying life and having money to burn, now given a bit of fame which will set them up for a number of years of freebies and perks, yet they are all as thick as 2 short planks and are a great advert for the UK to introduce selective breeding. GB wants to increase business with other countries who get to see some of our so called future on tv week in week out debating vagazzles!

I have been told that Markus loaned the club £20 mil after purchace which is what funded us re-building the team. It was mentioned that by loaning the club the money there were certain tax advantages and so on and that there are ways to later wright off the loan but unfortunatly we lost Markus before we could find out if that route would be taken. How that now works out with his family I dont know but I think thats the money Corpse is refering too. If I had the kind of money that the family had and was left with a business that is doing well and growing rapidly within touching distance of the prem riches I dont think I would be too concerned about the loan that was initially setup to set the wheels in motion. If I were to want it back I would be looking at taking it when the business is maximising proffits and self sufficiant. But I am lucky to have 20 quid in the bank so what do I know? Anyone buying a struggling business will be doing so believing that they can turn it around. Any sensible business person will only buy a struggling business that they know that they can turn around. Money will only be of no object if the proffits will definately exceed the outlay. That might give an indication on where the 2 clubs owners see the businesses thay have bought. 1 has a large investment and plans that would require much more investment, the other is still on a bare bones squad and can look forward to hot water in the lady's lavs and a new clock.. This thread has much more legs than the odd skate might think.

Wasnt his reply to pfc123? I thought it fit quite well

You could be right. We dont know the details on all the people we have been interested in so we could well of been trying to build for the prem already. We all acknowledge that we built a championship team while in league 1. is one season enough time to build a prem team while in the Championship though?

Yeah I can see these transfers being pushed for in Jan. They may be enough to build a promotion team but the names mentioned so far still dont look like a team that can hold its own in the prem IMO. If the original plan is for Promotion next season then these improvments followed by further next summer and the following Jan make perfect sense. If we are still serious contenders in Jan does NC just make these improvments or look to also bring in those needed to build a prem team that can compete? Its worth doing the business in Jan so they have had time to settle in but making that many changes in one go could dent the rest of our season and trash a promotion push. So should January continue with plan a and strengthen as planned and worry about a prem team should we get promoted? Or show our intentions and really go for it?

Who said anyone was thinking differently? Beginning of the season I would of thought the plan was to aim for top 6 and if we get promoted out of it? Bonus! Deal with that if and when it should happen. If not then the following season is all about aiming for the top 2 by which time we have had 2 transfer windows to build a team that can not only win the Championship but also hold its own in the prem. Right now we are IMO exceeding expectations and come January if we are still in the same position we will be requiring a re-think on transfer activity to prepare for the prem straight away or continue with plan a and deal with getting a prem team at the end of the season. As both options are rushed and involve extra spend early I just find it interesting to see what happens. NC wont want to load up with expensive mercs and will want our development squad to produce 1st team players. The rushed approach will mean there is a gap between getting to the prem and the development squad producing the players needed. How will NC deal with it? hopefully we will get to find out.

Does anyone have any info on how the forensic thingy is going? How far through or an expected end date or anything? I accept that there will be no inside info going on as its not AA's company chucking random figures in the air and that it is a proper company running it. But some idea of how much work has gone into it maybe available to someone? Does our CS have any idea?

I agree with you completly. What are the ambitions this season though? Is NC seriously expecting promotion to the prem this season? If so then Jan is the time to buy so we are part built ready for the prem. Does NC want to buy for the prem though? Or produce a few prem players from the youth system? If its the latter then we are still a season or so from being close enough to give it a try IMO. If the plan was push for play-offs this season with the current squad then next season push for promotion bringing in the best from the development squad only adding a few players here and there from external, then promotion this year would require a massive re-think. I am not sure I can see NC spending huge in Jan when he wants the development squad to be given the chance to bolster the ranks. But I cant see him risking promotion by using players that are not ready either. Its a great problem to have though. No options involve hanging about in the Championship for long and all possible scenario's can be seen as positive moves in one way or another. It will be interesting to see what happens in Jan if we are still in touching distance of the top spots. Add to the team in a plan for the prem or let the current team finish the job?

They are dealing with the skates. If anyone knows how to do business without having the money it's the skates so surely it's just a minor hurdle?

I read it as its other teams cup final? As in we are the team that every team wants to beat due to us being top of the league. This could make it harder for us as other teams raise their game to try and beat us. Could be wrong though. ???

Fonte looked great in league 1, looks good in championship but could you see him being a 1st teamer in any of the current prem teams? I agree he could do a job but its still a step up for him that may or may not work. The championship is probably stronger now than it ever has been yet the difference between a pretty good championship defence and a just about good enough prem defence is huge. Should the club worry about a prem defence starting January? Or worry about that at the end of the season when we have a good idea what division we will be looking at? The next months games might give us an idea on what we realisticaly should be aiming for, which may have a barring on possible transfers in January but I think we have plenty of room to adjust should things not go so well and still come out of the season pretty pleased with the results.

Yes and no imo. Without Jaidi back yet and the problems with DS we look a little week but I expect the club may be looking at getting Jos in more long term or for a replacement for when he is gone. Martin has done well and is good enough to do a job covering any injurys and suspensions. If we get DS and Jaidi back this season then the CB problem has been stregnthend enough for this league. If we are starinng at promotion come the end of it then I would worry about all the CB's in the prem.

I think our current squad so far has shown its good enough for this league so in theory and not allowing for injury's there is not really any need for big changes in Jan. Maybe keep hold of Jos or get a replacement but what else? If we are for sure looking at promotion to the prem then I would of thought there will be a few more changes but I cant see too many happening even then.

Like others have said, I dont think its make or break but it should be a good indication of where we are headed. If we are still in the top 2 heading towards Janurary thoughts may turn to what we might need to compete in the prem. But anywhere in the top 6 has to be considered a good effort this season so we have given ourselves a good bit of breathing space and less pressure. That could in its self help us to promotion better than say next season when NC will be expecting us to go up if we dont make it this season.

Read a few posts up. I explained what I meant. Norwich this season are a Prem team, blackpool last season were a Prem team. Both teams are/were essentially using their championship team's like we are using our league 1 team. It's not having a pop or trying to degrade our team. Just thoughts on where we are right now and how well we are doing. I kind of agree that wining monthly gongs means sod all and would take promotion over every monthly, weekly or daily recognition going.

England seem to be the only national team that seems to get worse when it gets to major tourny's. The further they go into them the worse they get! Everyone else steps up there game while England manage to mess basic passing up! Anyway, Any sign of the forensic report on all things failing for the blew few? Im sure that will cheer me up no end!

Laying in bed waiting for the England v France rugby match. Wife sound asleep till I read this and let out a big LOL. Now I'm in the dog house! Thanks.