Wurzel

Pretty sure I recall from an episode of The Price of Football podcast a couple of months back that the terms of the loan that they pumped into Burnley (£90m?) made it repayable immediately if they got relegated. If that's correct they could take years to get back again

Expect to see him parading around in the new kit tomorrow lunchtime after his €8m transfer then 🤣

A summer of intrigue and very little work getting done. HMR. Mentally searching through my old memory banks - Help Me Rhonda ??

When, or even a few games before, the season ended I wanted him gone. All I could see was a stubborn manager making the same mistakes time and time again. BUT Since the season has ended I've changed my mind. He clearly has the backing of the new owners, at least for now, and that is good enough for me . 3 transfers in already, how involved RH was in those we will probably never know but it shows faith in him. If they wanted him out they'd have got rid by now before any new signings. But more importantly, the backroom staff changes that the new owners have made. Again we'll probably never know if they were with RH's blessing, at his request, or maybe against his wishes, but some have gone, new people have arrived, and he is still here. For the first time since he's been here we look like we are getting in the players (and backroom team) we want as opposed to making do with what we've got and whoever we could get late in the window after missing on the preferred targets whilst having to sell/loan out players before we could make signings. We're not made of money, for each new one in one has to go but at least we're shopping in the right order now. There is an air of change around the club, big changes, after too many stagnant, make do years. For better or for worse he looks to be part of that change. I'll give him one last chance, slate clean, fresh start. We're not going to be UCL contenders but I'm not unreasonably expecting 20 points by (was going to habitually say Xmas) the World Cup break. Anything less and it's probably "we're calling you in for a chat" time.

Either those seats are massive or we've just signed the world's smallest CB 😳

We have to remember where he spent last season. Was he slow at starting counters? or where the outfield players slow and making the runs for him to pass to? As for always talking to his defence for me that puts him ahead of McCarthy already, regardless of any other ability. The keeper is part of the defence unit, McCarthy often gives the impression he's a stand alone last resort if and when something gets through the back 4/5.

Agree. I think the two different stripe sections look a mess close up and just red and pink from a distance. Same shirt in two plain red and white sections would look awesome, fresh, stylish and (I think but I'm probably wrong, maybe Blackburn?) unique as a home kit in English football

To be fair, nobody has played at this level before until they've played at this level. No matter how young or old you can never be sure how good they'll be until they are thrown in at the deep end. From what I've heard from my Pompey insider I have every faith in him to ge, at worst, a step up from McCarthy and Forster.

Whatever it is the "potential tramway" (now there's a vision for the future) cuts right across the corner of it. Unless it goes over or under it.

Fitting the syllables to a tune...... Gavin Bazunu = Reuben Agboola Bazunu = Phil Boyer. If you need help with the tunes please contact anyone over the age of 60 🤣

The one on one was superb. The shot stopping, well to be fair he saved them all but you'd be disappointed to let any of those in. Looked very composed once in possession of the ball (compare with Pickford's excited schoolboy act every time he holds one). But most promising of all, watching tha, t he's already use to playing behind a sh|t defence and having to do all the work himself. Straight in as #1 hopefully.

Cheers I'll have to find that one sounds interesting. You're right it's a great podcast, really good take on the "business" of football as opposed to the usual tactics/transfer gossip etc. It's my regular commute listen but I've missed a few lately. When they do at least 2 a week I never get round to catching up on the ones I miss.

Do the clubs even get much input into the design anyway? With the biggest manufacturers working with 3 or 4 templates a year for most it's more likely to be you can have X, Y or Z and fitting in the team colours in accordingly. At least Hummel seem prepared to come with designs that are a bit different (although that doesn't always turn out to be a good thing)

I only get 3 posts a day, this one is the bottom of the pile, (to be fair I shouldn't pre-juge you ot your taste in women) you can find the rest yourself 🤣

I've corrected that for you. You've clearly never googled hot girls in football shirts 😜

Seems like a lot of teams are late releasing kits this year because contracts with sponsors and/or kit manufacturers don't end until 30th June. STORY HERE However, unless there are more deals ending this year than usual surely that applies every year? And also I don't think either situation applies to us does it? Certainly same manufacturer, not heard any mention of sponsor change (although can't even remember who sleeve sponsor is - Virgin?) . Maybe we are still waiting for Gareth Bale to make his mind up. 🤣

Stoke made all sizes up to 6xl available with no sponsor with Bet365's blessing. It was so popular they had to order more https://www.stokecityfc.com/news/2020/november/Sponsor-free-shirts-back-in-stock/

And if other players do demand higher wages the response should be told " show me you are worth that much to the team and we'll review it again in 6 months time".

That is almost as naughty as whoever started the rumour at Anfield that Villa had equalised. Almost, but not quite 🤣

Not relevant to now, but back in the pre-Premier League days when a clubs income was gate receipts and whatever we got for the odd MotD appearance, how the hell did we afford to pay Keegan, Ball, Channon, Osgood, Shilton, Mills, Watson, et al , some of them whilst in Div. 2. I'm well aware wages were nothing like the level they are know but they must have been some of the top football earners in the country. Whoever was the club accountant back in those days should be first on our list of summer signings.

How many have you phoned so far? 🤣

August? Tomorrow would be good.

And the Ralph Hassenhuttl method of team selection continues for one more game .

Great result and reward for fantastic season. That's 3 women's matches I've watched in the last few weeks. No denying they are not as fast or strong as the men, but already thanks to some great coaches they seem tactically on par with all but the very top of the mens game and all 3 have been as entertaining as at least 50% of the mens games I've watched this season. I can see the women's game rising in popularity massively over the next few years.

Saints looking a totally different level than their opponents for thes first half. Said that plenty of times for the mens team these last two years .......