Dan Johnson

I wonder how much we can take from that squad as to who will be his starting 11 this season? McQueen in at LB presumably because Bertrand isn't ready to play yet, I know Targett went off in his last game. Martina at RB because Pied\Cedric not ready to play Yoshida because Fonte not ready to play and Gardos still injuryed. Fully fit squad GK Forster LB Bertrand CB Fonte CB Van Dijk RB Cedric M Claise M JWP M Romeu M Tadic ST Long ST Redmond I saw a quote from Claude saying he thinks Redmond can play as a striker (link below) "Puel note Nathan Redmond’s potential as a centre-forward. "He played always wide but I think he is a very good striker"" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/08/02/eden-hazard-alexandre-lacazette-and-thierry-henry-show-claude-pu/

That was especially the case with VVD, his wages were so high we forced him to sign a 6 year contract on lower wages just 8 months after he signed...

We'd also never progress, replacing like with like.

A million for every premier league goal he's ever scored. 4 goals last season, would bite their hand off if I was WBA

Mane was Lallanas replacement, we didn't sign Mane until September the 1st 2014

We just need to continue what we are doing, it's a gradual transition. I think we are a progressive club, I fully believe in the boardroom. 2-3 years ago I don't think the likes of vvd, Bertrand, Foster etc would have signed contract extensions, I don't think we go from a selling club to a club that doesn't sell its best players over 1-2 seasons, it'll take 5-6 seasons at least. If we do well more will probably leave next summer, rather than an exedous it'll be calculated, so we can re-invest.

fantastic news, football clubs aren't just about the players on the pitch. Being groomed to be our manager some time in the future!

I'd say we are looking to have 2 quality players in all positions. Martina was very much a Koeman signing, I suspect it's Martinas replacement. We have Targett & Bertrand at left back, we will have Cedric & "new bloke" at right back. Martina will be 3rd choice cover for all those positions. We are guaranteed 46 games next year, with a cup run we could be looking at 50+ games.

The sun are reporting he is on £260k a week! https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/1426249/graziano-pelle-to-shandong-luneng-13m-italian-becomes-latest-european-star-to-join-chinese-super-league/

Here here!

Sammy Lee was off to Brighton just before we approached him to join our coaching staff, Erwin was at RKC Waalwijk. It's not as though our previous coaching staff turned down huge jobs to work for Saints...

I'd say villa were relegated because of continued lack of investment over a very long period. a management combination of Ferguson, Mourinho, Ramsey & Clough wouldn't have kept them up.

Was Pards the manager here when Puncheon fell out of favour? or was that after?

He was unplayable at times for Newcastle, 2013 he was being linked with Barcelona etc and was scoring some stunners!! He was one of their top performers when Newcastle finished 5th in the 2011-2012 season

Mane is a game changer but there are games where he is completely anonymous. £36 million is a massive fee, considering he didn't really excel on expectations last season. His pace is his best asset, as he doesn't have the best touch and he also isn't the most composed, I'll miss him for the 5-7 games a season where he flips games on their head, the £36 million will make me feel a bit better about the whole situation

Yep "Work with a management team who share both the club’s and our supporters’ values and ambitions"

Agreed, the other issue being, if they want to be classed as a big top 4 club then they'll need to be shopping in the same market as Liverpool, man Utd, Chelsea, man city etc who are all rebuilding and who are all a bigger draw. So they'll either have to pay much higher wages for better players to stand a chance of attracting them. as you've already highlighted, players like Barkley etc and other players who are decent prem players but not top draw will see the money floating around and be looking for 100k+

For me personally, Koemans own numerous public admissions that he wasn't interested in moving to Everton & his insistence on seeing out his contract were enough to show him in a bad light after he made the U-Turn, I didn't need a video to highlight that. There's a meme doing the rounds at the moment with a screenshot of a quote I remember quiet well, which I found quiet endearing and why I feel somewhat betrayed by his U turn. "One thing that I notice about modern day football is the lack of loyalty nowadays. players and managers alike are switching clubs much more easily, mainly just for more money. I'd hate to ever become that kind of manager, only focused on short term gains" Nothing surprises me in football these days, but I did think we had found a manager who would keep his word, he seemed to valued his integrity, unfortunately not though.

THIS! I don't think that many fans would be too disappointed if he left either, which is even more astonishing! Says allot about Saints rise (and a bit about the decline in the Italian national team!) I do rate Pelle, he gets allot of stick because he's not very flamboyant but he's a solid player and i'd be sad to see him go.

Also, de bore has a reputation with working with young players so makes him a better fit by the sounds of it

In Holland for work at the moment, general concencious over here is that De Boer is the better manager, talk in this mornings Dutch press that the delay maybe because Lazio are also talking with Koeman. They said Clasie is rubbish, always injured, vilenha (spelling?!) is regarded as the new Edgar David's although he will probably follow Koeman to his next club now.

We've just had 3 big players sign long new contracts! Offers on the table to other players and the manager himself, id say that's something we are doing at the moment

Shame that Rafa has just signed a 3 year deal at Newcastle

If Italy have a good euros with Pelle starting every game (looking like first choice striker at the moment) the big Italian clubs will surely be in for him, as a marquee signing for them too! Shows how far we've come that our players could potentially be marquee signings for by likes of juventus!!

Those were the days were every Norwegian was the next big thing! Erik Nevland Tommy Svindal Larssen Stig Johannsson Martin Knudsen Bjørn Heidenstrøm At least Bakayoko actually scored a few for Everton!!