Tom & Gerry

I tend to agree with this. Why should I get bitter and twisted about Alan Lallana and spoil the memory of the last 5 years. Footballers have a short career which can be ended at any time so like everyone else they are looking for the best deal they can get. We are all the same be it job, broadband, insurance or fuel. No one stays loyal to Tesco if they can get their groceries cheaper else where. Did he make a good decision ? financially probably yes, but in my opinon only Chelsea or City can win the league or in Europe, perhaps United in a few years so what will be his legacy? He may play in a few Champions league games and Liverpool might win a cup but it will only seem like a consolation prize for them. He will never be revered like Bobby Stokes or the 1976 Southampton team. For us though the reality is that he is gone, whether he and the others did things badly or not makes no difference we have a new team now and we march on. As fans we can only take one season at a time and support the team we have. Football is so fast changing that it will not be the same team next season or the season after that.It might be better or worse but don't get to love any 1 player too much because sooner or later you know he's going to leave.

The trouble with naming stands is who to leave out, and doesn't allow for future heroes. We don't quite have someone of the stature of a Bobby Moore or a Tom Finney who stands out above all others at the club, but if we did in the future which legend's stand would they take?

He's gone from Paul Moody to Peter Osgood in 1 game, can't remember a player improving so much so quickly.

I obviously don't watch enough football because I've always thought that Shane Long was a really good player, especially for Reading but also when I watched West Brom, though I probably wasn't paying much attention. I'm not sure why people are so underwhelmed by him?

A player that can run with the ball is actually quite unusual. We and in fact every team needs one. It unsettles defences and gains ground. He may need to improve his end product but then thats why he's not priced like Bale. People concentrate too much on what a player can't do. To build a team you need a mix of what players can do and be able to compensate for what they can't. We have plenty of good passers in the team.

Kreuger's position would be untenable if he goes.

Do you know who shot Jack Kennedy by any chance?

If you are the sort of person who prophesies doom and gloom with every set back for the team then the player sale has been bad. If you are the optimistic sort then there are exciting days ahead building a better more balanced side. In reality the news is neither good or bad, just the way football works. it is however extremely sad and every Saints fans will be gutted that we have lost some of our best warriors from the journey, players we had become very attached to and the club are wrong and insensitive to dress it up as anything else. The fact is that Koeman now has a clean sheet to work from (well almost). If we buy players with potential they will take time to come good and players from abroad also generally need time. It seems almost certain that not every every transfer will be a success but hopefully we can find enough gems to make the coming season a decent one and in the long term we can progress.

Like the 1976 cup winning team you mean.

What seems blatently obvious is that every time Saints put out a positive story the next day a negative one appears. If the Echo were to investigate this and tell us what is happening they would be doing a good job.

And they're both dead. But hang on David Wickes (Pat's son) left last week, you could be on to something.

We've had a few good players quite capable of missing them though. I don't think Paine's record was that great and Alan Ball always looked like he'd miss and usually did. Channon was hit or miss.Chivers probably took the worst one ever early in his career. More recently Billy Sharp missed his one and only. I go back to John Page who was ok until he missed one and was never the same which is usually the case. If Rickie and Le Tiss ever had their own penalty shoot out competition it might last days.

As long as he has the man management skills of McMenemy, the coaching ability of Hoddle and the passion of Ball I don't care who the manager is.

We've had a very bad week - next week may be a better one especialy if we reject Liverpool's final offer for Lallana, get a new Manager and start to sign some players. Your investment in football can go up as well as down.

I think the only people lacking ambition are the fans who can not embrace change. Nothing stays the same in football for long and trading players and changing manager is all part of the process of becoming a top club. Liverpool for example came second on the back of selling their best player (Torres) and and buying a cheaper alternative in Suarez amongst others. They have been known to change their manager on numerous occasions until they now seemingly have the man they want. Spurs sold their best player and it may not have worked for them last season but now they've got the manager they want it may well do in the future. The prime example is Arsenal who seem to sell at least one world class player every season and still always finish in the top 4 buy buying cheap young players and improving them. Do all these clubs lack ambition? In the past we had to sell to balance the books now if we are smart we can re invest in cheaper talent but with no less quality. We are the new Arsenal.

I wouldn't quite describe us as that. Our history, support and trophies won would put our natural position somewhere near the bottom of the Premiership/ top of the Championship. To have come from where we were to 8th in the Premier league is remarkable and teams can change their history but even if we could spend the massive amount needed to become a top 4 club on a regular basis would we want that?. I like us slaying the occasional giant not being the giant otherwise I would support Chelsea or Man U.

Both players lack consistently.

This is all perfectly normal. When we do well we worry we will lose our manager and best players and when we do badly we worry anyway. It has always been so and always will be. If you are a worrier there is unfortunately no remedy. You could try to give up supporting Saints but as we all know you are unlikely to be successful.

For me Chambers is one of those that could play anywhere. He has loads of natural ability. He could be the best of all our young players.

No St Mary's is perfect, but I don't mind people having a sense of humour. We are allowed to smile again now.

Embrace it - just don't take it too seriously.

Football isn't the real world though is it? It's a fantasy land where we all behave strangely and do illogical things. Where else would you watch a performance that you hated , depressed you and you thought was rubbish and then instead of demanding your money back you buy a ticket for the next one? How can your mood for a whole week-end at least depend on the result of guys kicking a ball around? Why do we hate fellow Hampshire men (who we get along with perfectly well at work) because they come from a town that is the home of the Royal Navy of which we should as Engishmen be proud? Other than reality tv shows staring Gareth Malone where else can grown men be critical of others not singing, not singing loud enough, singing the wrong words or the wrong songs? Why do we shout abuse at players whose laces we are not fit to tie who to get to the premier league must have had to work fantastically hard, gone through many hardships and have been the best of the best of the best at every standard to reach that level? On the other hand it perfectly accaptable in this envronment for heterosexual men to shout there undying love for other heterosexual men. How many players have we proclaimed after 1 or 2 appearances as the future of Southampton football club and yet they have sunk without trace ( Barnard, Folly , Griffit to name but a few) ? and then there are those who you don't know why they are in the side and are never going to make it but then become legends - that clumsy oaf Channon or Le Tissier shivering on the right wing almost as much a spectator as the rest of us with oh so brief glimpses of what was to come. So don't be too critical of what others do at football none of us is behaving logically.

Alan Ball would be a shoe in for this team, so much energy,always wanted the ball, great passer - definitely a Pochitino player probably for JWP. Channon is the player J Rod aspires to be. and on the basis that our defence is doing better than our attack at present Ron Davies for Rickie to give us more goals.

It really doesn't matter if any of us think Gaston is not a good enough player because Southampton Football Club clearly think he is, otherwise a) they wouldn't have bought him or b) they would have sold him in the summer. It is therefore up to not just Gaston but also the coaching staff to realize the potential they think he has. How long do you give a player in this situation with this price tag? Some do not have much patience. I imagine some Spurs fans would have wanted rid of Gareth Bale when they were losing every time he played. It took him a while. I reckon 2 seasons is probably enough. With the number of games coming up he will surely get some game time soon and who knows he may make the doubters eat their words. If not I would sell in the summer. Lets hope Uruguay do well.