SaintRobbie

I wish he wouldn't do interviews. I just read the Telegraph. I just can't help it, but I don't believe a word he says. Regardless of his attempts at positivity, the reason our players are leaving (not left in the past tense) is partly down to appalling Boardroom management, of which Krueger was a part. If he just shut up and delivered the goods and the money to Koeman to spend on transfers I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. But the blokes a liability. And saying KL is not going to invest another penny is suicidal.... for both of them. I so want him to prove me wrong. I so want him to deliver on his promises. But all I hear are Lowe-isms.

Never thought I'd say this... but I'm with Dalek.

Survival in the Premier League. Thing about betting firms is that they only lower their odds when they know its likely something will happen.... from 15/1 to 5/1 (and less) in 3 weeks... not looking good. lets hope we spend on some quality soon and move to 10/1. I just want to stay in the Premier League. Thats all... its like the old days again!

And I can't argue with that either! Brilliant!!

Yes I think we did. But unless we spend the treasure its irrelevant. Personally, Id rather we had all of our players, Cortese and we were buying 2 more this summer to try and kick on, because before this board took the reigns thats where we were heading this summer.

Its hard to call anyone a liar in management without knowing the full facts and decision-making process the inner team are involved in. But, we have been told by him that every penny will be reinvested from sales... and I am being consistent here, I will judge him on whether he is a liar on 1 Sep. I think he sounds like Lowe did when we started to fail... and thats what worries me more than anything. I'd hate to go through Lowe's spin and the collapse of something good again. Koeman is all we have in my opinion. Everything we do must be to support him, I fear noone else will.

Guilty as charged - so far he's demonstrated very little integrity and been part of a major player exodus and a Boardroom of mismanagement. We're in the plea in mitigation stage now Minty. I think as a manager - based on his performance to date - I would have absolutely no redress if I sacked him. Genuinely. But, you're right, there may be something else going on behind the scenes for the owner.... e.g. he's trying to sell the club for her.

Minty. My heart bleeds for him. My head says get rid of this Canadian idiot and go and raid whoever is running Liverpool behind the scenes - because they are ruthless and ambitious. AND know what they're doing.

Yep.

No I mean the majority. When the evidence is there for us all to see how much money has been reinvested and how much better the team is, then 'we' will make an informed decision. But I can't abide spin doctor and managers who lose the customers faith - I remove them. Its basic leadership.

Yep. Gonna take a long time before we believe anything he says again. If I was KL I would sack him. I'm sorry, but there is nothing wrong with what he is trying to say tonight... but he's lost the fan base. Blokes an idiot. No faith in what he has to say. Sack him.

Can't argue with any of that.

So - basically a little bit crap? Not a replacement for any of our losses, merely someone to work on?

So were Lovrens

Too much hope being placed in one man - Pelle. We need another striker and fast!

Sadly I agree.

Centre backs come in pairs. Dijk and Vlaar arguably are a ready made pairing. Fonte and Lovren are finished. I think we need x2 CBs. I am not convinced Fonte is good enough to lead a back four, he's a great deputy, but no leader. He could step up with another leader, but I can't help but think we need x2.

Unless they are the only quality players you have left as you've kept all your weak players and been unable to clear them out and off your wage bill due to a mass exodus of talent the summer before(?)

Thats a very good point. We needed a cull of the weak not a desertion of the strong.

I agree. Helpful in opinion forming, but assuming that it is better to invest in a years time is risky - when transfer prices will go up again. This has not been factored in enough for me. I agree that having the right to buy on loanees helps, it becomes more of a year long trial then, but you can lose just as much as you gain from tinkering with loan players. You have nothing left at the end of the year if the player wants out. And, none are ever likely to stay if you've dropped a Division. Loan players have less loyalty than Lallanas.

Yep - he's Claus L to Michael Svensson. Similarities are shudderingly similar. I expect he'll fall apart without a rock next to him, just as Claus did when Killer's knee went.... and then we relegated. Key position. Losing Lovren will be high on the post season discussion forum if we go down.

I would feel quite happy if Vlaar and Djik arrived together. But... I note Vlaar is likely to stay at Villa (if you believe Lambert) and we seem no closer of Djik.

SRL was slow at the end of last season. Can't deny it. But, you can't judge him on one game. He has 10 goals in him this season for Liverpool. Thats worth every penny of a £4m transfer fee. Not sure we'll replace him with a 10 goal guaranteed striker. Pelle is Osvaldos replacement as far as I'm concerned.

MLT - another good point, well made. We need a Saints fan who can take an objective look at finances and give us a feel for how much is in the pot for transfers - to inform opinion on whether Krueger and Reed should be exposed on 1 Sep for not spending every available penny of the transfer kitty - fans need to make an objective assessment on the leadership of our club and whether they believe it is time to voice their opinions from the terraces on the continued employment of untrustworthy failures in the Boardroom and/or whether we prefer a new owner. Loanees are not investments, they are short term fixes that don't count; I can't think of a loanee that ever worked, they usually come as damaged goods (unfit, unused, unwanted, uncertain, lacking confidence) and rarely put in 100%. I sense 1 Sep brings protest I'm afraid - if Koeman has not been reinforced. Before I join the protests, after paying for x3 STs this season towards a club I love, I would like to make an objective assessment on my Owner and Boardroom's integrity and intent. I suspect others are in the same boat. BUT, I hope by 1 Sep Koeman has spent his promised treasure and our owner and boardroom have nothing to be held accountable for... just its not happening.....yet.

Its a very good point Dan, well made. But it is difficult to work out exactly how much spending money there is. Reports from some posters indicate capital gains tax will smash the earnings from player sales, infrastructure we know is around £30m, player wages have been speculated by some posters to be as high as £50m, apparently we owe £25m in player fees. Last years premier league money is rumored to be in the region of £50m It's tricky to work out exactly how much Koeman has to spend. Add the uncertainly of KLs motives - there is no evidence, yet, that she intends to stay and invest, the indicators seem to still be weighed in favour of her selling players, selling the club and running away with as much cash as she can take with her. There are several other truisms - if the transfer money from player sales (£92m and rising?) is subject to so much tax, then our Board have been even more incompetent in allowing players to leave so easily. i.e. whats left couldn't replace our talent like for like, despite inflated fees. Secondly, we must hold Krueger and Reed to account for their statements that 'every penny from transfers' (whatever that figure is) will be spent by Koeman - no one else will hold them to account except the fans. If not, like Pearce at Nottingham Forest today, a good manager may up sticks and walk away because of the lack of integrity of his Boardroom above him - and for me the only asset we have in any senior leadership position in the Club is Koeman.