mattyd

Stop reading too much into manager interviews. He now thinks there may be a signing according to the Echo yesterday. The truth is the market keeps changing. We have money as everyone else at this level does.

We are open to a good deal the manager states. This is standard talk to keep the heat off us and manage expectations among fans. I think we need to replace or add to with a attacking central midfielder. Once this is in place and we are ready to go. I don't like the way some people attack each other on this site because they feel we need more quality. Alpine has a point at times. FFP is a red herring if B'Th can offer £30 million for a player. They are small club compared with us after all.

Fonte was greedy and chased the cash. Most of us do when presented with a chance of earning more. However, he let us down in January by causing trouble and that I and many others feel disappointed over. He is part of our past, I don't feel sorry for people who show disloyalty mid season and are happy to leave us with problems pre cup final.

PA News say all loans paid in full. Why would you pay tax on the capital gain when loan repayments are tax free? No business runs like you suggest . A big 4 accountant and a top city solicitor will see to that

I am sure we will see a modest increase in the player budget. Maybe we can rival Everton and kick on a bit

The fact is that every club has hit and miss signings. At least most of our still have potential. Moreover, the Prem is challenging and only a few players excel in it. Every club has the same issues. My concern is that the lack of depth in the squad makes it hard to drop players who are not on top form. I hope one or two of the home grown players really establish themselves this season to sort this out.

I take it, that you are being sarcastic or are you really saying the 11th or 12th most watched club in England should be happy with surviving in the Prem? We have been in the top 8 long enough to think bigger than that. I said on here before, some of our fans seem to be content with being average or worse!

We can compete in the £20 million bracket as other clubs like West Ham have done. You are right about income but FFP does not bar any owner investment. Moreover, we have already sold a player for £12 million this summer, we have huge TV money and bigger crowds and income than other clubs who have spent £30 million already. Ambition is about moving forward and we are yet to do so this summer.

A team of academy graduates would get relegated. The Under 23 side contains some good prospects but only a few make the elite grade. Remember when Mr Lowe believed youth would be our saviour? The aim was always to have a 50/50 split between youth and acquired talent. With all the extra revenue coming in we should not be standing still but at least be looking at a strategic acquisition at CEB and midfield in my view. Or is ambition lining the wallets of the owner when everybody else looks to kick on?

I raised this subject a couple of months ago. We have a split fanbase. Some fans think we can buck the trend and just bring youth through and others think we need to invest in the market. Ambition is about improvement and growing. A youth system cannot do this alone as only a very few players make the grade at Premier level. No side thrives without transfer spending and we are no exception. We finished 8th but only a few points more than 16th and we sacked the manager. In my view therefore, there is plenty of room for external talent to join and help us grow. Wanting mediocrity after tasting 6th is a lack of ambition and some of our fans prefer this. Without investment we struggle as we did the year we went down. Pure and simple!

I agree with this post. The final of the EFL was great but the league is what matters. The EFL Cup defeat in a competition many teams don't take very seriously is an achievement but the points and silverware are the measure of success. I think our season has been disappointing and in the summer we need to see where we need to improve and not become complacent

45 points with a win on Saturday

He has done really well but the lesson of the last few seasons needs to be that we need a choice in every position to keep the team fresh and players hungry to play. I see Stevens as being the first choice rotation player next season. That way he gets games in the League Cup and when a player needs rotating/ or is injured, but still has time to develop. An international CB from a quality team would help him develop and provide leadership at the back. Yoshida is very average in my view but is worth having around. Gardos on the other hand may well move on (I hope). VVD and until this season Fonte were asked to play too many games and at times it showed.

Yes I remember the 1sr division when it was the top flight. The goal posts have moved but not because of the younger fans but because the club, the fan base, income and sponsorship have changed. 40 years ago, even 5 years ago and today have little do do with our ambition. Like in many people's work life, the "just enough" syndrome catches up and leads to a complacency driven slide. I noticed Stoke (smaller club) and West Brom (smaller club) have bigger budgets than us. Would it be nice if we could kick on by avoiding the annual January and summer sales for once and instead kicking out dead wood like other clubs? Nobody has answered my question yet ion when we last sold to improve.

Part of me wouldn't mind you knowing that we "entitled" to our own view fans, on a fans forum went when we were in league 1. Part of me wishes people would understand that reverting to unfounded insinuations about how "proper" a fan is just cheapens their arguments! Truth is that wanting a team to strive to do better and not selling players mid season with little back up is a sensible view. You don't have to agree with it but you should respect it, or part of me thinks you shouldn't be on a fans forum. Truth is just accepting mediocrity in a competition, which the league is, may be seen as being complacent. Just an opinion but no less a valid one. Truth is real fans want success, not just home draws with Hull City!

This is exactly what I meant when I kicked the debate off yesterday! Players with long contracts shouldn't be moving on just for the fee. Fonte should have been disciplined and reminded that we won't sell without a replacement, as Les originally said, and moving backwards in a the league should not be deemed as being OK. Yes, it was bound to happen at some point but players and the management should be openly self critical and determined to do better. I get the impression some of our lot just want to bail out. Yesterday I asked when was the last time we got rid of a player because we recruited better? Anybody know? It must have been Cork. Most teams try to improve the playing staff, not just recruit to fill holes or rely on an untested yet youth players or were unconvincing in lower leagues when on loan. We could invest more within fair play rules as we make a profit every year. I suggest the fair play rules are not a concern to us at the moment.

A bit thick to speak my mind on a fans forum, really? I wouldn't speak to my staff like that, calling them thick. You are rude mind!

Free speech doesn't mean I am not a Saints fan! I have been attending since the 1980's but feel frustrated that we appear to be going backwards. By the way people who get fed up reading different opinions should stop using a forum designed to air guess what, opinions!

This season has been a let down, make no mistake. Les and his player selling, Les and his failure to invest in a striker during the summer, Les and the lack of cover at CB, an owner who wants out and has no intention of investing and a playing staff who see us as a hotel on the way to a greater destination. Add to this and you have a manager nobody wants, who is negative and lacks tactical skill and a fan base who should be vocal about going backward as a club. Instead we just keep rehashing history about administration, The Dell and for all I know the war. When was the last time we sold a first team player because we recruited better? Jack Cork maybe. We are the laughing stock of the league, the only selling club with 30K gates! I for one am excited for the right new owner to come along.

It looks like the manager may be toast if the newspapers are right. We have gone backwards and the only reason the pressure is not greater is that we have little in the way of ambition either at fan or board levels. Les will be laughing mind since he sold the best players off, did not buy a striker last summer when any idiot new we needed one and sold are only fit regular CB! I would be happier if Puel took Les with him

People miss the point. When we left the Dell few thought we would get 25,000 fans (Stoneham argument) let alone 30,000 +. Having redeveloped land around the ground encourages non matchday activity which any business person would say is critical for a building who's principle activity is less than 25 days per year. We need more revenue which bigger crowds with more "local" spending all year round and therefore become more attractive to sponsors etc. I spent Sunday in a box at White Heart lane with Saints fans who are not from Southampton. They said that they would go more often if they could get tickets easily and at late notice. Many people like a matchday experience and would enjoy having enhanced facilities etc

Have a look at the UK Reuters site. They have more detail

No not bitter, realistic. If he left in the summer for a sideways move I would say fair enough. He was our captain and set a dreadful example in terms of commitment. He has no regard for our plight as long as he is sorted

You have a club with no ambition, a money making machine with no backing and an attitude that we must try every youth player to see the possibilities. Half the fans are pleased with no ambition and I gave even heard people hark back to league 1 days. I am afraid this problem is much deeper routed than just a poor manager

No sentiment, no applause when he plays us. He let us down in January for a few more quid. Footballers earn a fortune and just lust for more.