kpturner

I can honestly say that my opinions would be the same regardless of the fact that I know his dad. I have never met Adam (apart from in passing) so I have no allegiance to him other than as just another saints fan.

You are clearly irked by this transfer, but it am not sure what being team captain has got to do with anything. Are captains not allowed transfers or something? I imagine the fact that he is captain is one of the main reasons he did not hand in a request. Would you really have been happier if he had? Who are these media mates to whom you allude? As for calling a press conference - surely that's tongue in cheek? He would have been crucified for doing that - how would that have been "showing dignity"? If you ask me, he has acted with dignity by not speaking about it publicly and by not putting in a transfer request.

Oi! I've got a name you know!

Ditto. He clearly is tidy defender though, but he always flattered to deceive going forward. I am pretty sure he will improve on that as he gets older, but for me £30m is a truly outrageous sum of money. I think we would have had to be nuts to turn it down.

Sorry - didn't mean to imply that you specifically were whining. More of a general observation really. I still don't think we have downgraded our ambitions necessarily though. We will see.

It depends on your remit. If there is a clear and defined limit to the amount you can write then clearly you'll be in trouble if you exceed it. If, however, there is no limit cast in stone, or it is ambiguously worded, or you yourself wrote your own terms of employment, then you could do what you like with impunity.

I am not sure it is possible to be that categoric without seeing how the alleged war chest is spent. Personally I am prepared to wait and see rather than start whining about sales. Lambert aside, the fees we have commanded so far are in "ridiculous" category.

It might pan out to be true - we will just have to see what names replace the question marks.

You write everything as if it were a cast iron fact. Is it? Or is it just an opinion you have formed based here-say, rumour and a personal agenda?

The lunatics are taking over the asylum. I'm beginning to wish Glasgow and Barry Sanchez were back (under their original pseudonyms). Even they weren't as irritatingly negative as Richmond and Mullet.

Yep

Golden thread potential

Yes I agree that Lallana will go if the offer is right, but at the moment it's not and (obviously just an opinion) it's not ever likely to be. Doubling our money on Lovren would also be a good deal, but it think that's also unlikely. Whether he wants to go or not doesn't come into it (or shouldn't). He is under contract and that's that unless the club decide otherwise. I guess he could go on strike - ask Pierre van Hooijdonk how that can pan out.

I don't think suitable offers will come, because we can and will be demanding extremely inflated fees. I happen to think that we won't sell Lovren either, and it's also increasingly unlikely that anyone will meet our asking price for Lallana. The only players we will sell are the ones Koeman doesn't want. Shaw will go because the fee is ridiculous and will be met.

Even if he is seduced by the possibility, why would we sell? I am fairly sure that, as they have stated already, if the deal is not in our interest then it won't happen. Personally I don't believe MS is going anywhere yet,whether he wants to or not.

Way too simplistic. It's true if you don't replace them shrewdly, but plenty of teams have sold key players and improved. Off the top of my head, Athletico Madrid, Dortmund and, closer to home, a Everton and Swansea in recent years.

Or, more likely, Shaw will go and no others, and we are not in big trouble. If you think the club will sell all those players (whether they want to leave or not) then you are living in la la land.

It's purely a personal opinion. I think fat middle aged men in replica shirts look a bit sad. I doubt the give a monkeys what I think though.

Errm, not sure if that was an attempt at ironic humour or what? No smileys makes it difficult to tell. But my post was in response to a suggestion we buy Shaqiri - who plays for Bayern Munich.

Aren't all football shirts horribly uncomfortable? Like wearing paper - not that I'm an expert. Wearing football shirts is for the under 20's.

Are Bayern Munich up for selling him then? Even if they were, he is hardly likely to jump at the chance is he?

Publicly criticises players eh? Interesting to see how that pans out.

You are in la la land if you expect "loyalty". There is no such thing - especially were managers are concerned. He has already have enough different clubs to indicate that he will be no different to anyone else in that regard - and I don't want or expect him to be.

....and poorly spelt

Ashton seems to be making a big thing about Reeds statement, but at the time it was made there is nothing to suggest that it was not entirely accurate. Obviously things have changed since then, but you cannot blame Reed for that. The bottom line is that Lallana and Shaw will probably leave - for deals that will be very good for us. Lovren probably will not go. Cork and Fonte will get new deals. We will move on with a decent manager, a decent transfer budget, and no reasons not to be optimistic about another strong season.