Different Ownership and Managment, same old summer

[hypochondriac]

I read this after Alpine has posted it. I cannot believe this wind up has reached 4 pages. Fair play to the lad though, he is very talented at it.

[Clifford Nelson]

Maybe Alps is on to something, after all. When there is a huge vacuum opening up where we all hope there will be news, it's inevitable that that vacuum is filled with whatever else is out there: Exasperation, frustration, hopes, wishes, and rumours. But because every single rumour eventually dies a death because nothing is happening, even the rumours are looking tatty.

 

In order to keep the fans from moaning about the owner/manager/director or whoever else is there to be shot at, maybe the club could manage the PR machine during the summer a bit better. Even statements like: "We are discussing various options at the moment but there is nothing yet to report." might be better than us believing that there is nothing going on at all.

 

I was delighted when the new regime was coming in, in a small part so that the OS could be managed properly to become the first place to look for news. The old regime was leaking like the proverbial sieve, so that the whole world already knew what was going on before it came up on OS. Maybe we've just gotten a little bit to far the other way?

 

Alps, not for the first time personifies the frustration, but just look around and you'll see that there are plenty of Alps around.

[Saint Fan CaM]

Well having read one page of retort's to Alpine's post, I think I can risk not reading the remainder of the thread to say simply - NAH.

[Chez]

Nothing but rumours, no solid transfer activity, gaps in the team to fill as usual (this case RB and CM).

 

Pre-season around the corner, and "gelling" until October ensuring no automatic promotion.

 

We need to start this season on our feet and already running, and the same old b*ll*cks is occuring.

 

potential Dickson and Calderon transfers right out in the open, and now a strong link to Bailey, what more you want by June 6th?

 

Pardew has no excuses this season, so you know he will be working like his job depended on it to bring the right players in.

[madruss]

Where will these new players go, between now and the start of pre-season?!?

 

Will they just hang around St. Mary's or staplewood, getting acclimatised to the Saintly atmosphere?

 

This thread might as well have started with "I can't believe we lost the first 4 games of the season. The defence is shocking, we can't score and the manager's tactically inept....everyone OUT FFS"

 

Still pretty entertaining watching folk get annoyed by it though...he may be a troll but he's a bloody good one!

[sadoldgit]

Rubbish. I posted this because I am exasperated already.

 

We knew with about 5 games to go the play-offs werent going to happen. I want to know why transfers were not identified then and signed after the window started.

 

To be honest Alps, it takes very liitle to get you exasperated and I could have put money on you posting this in early June.

 

How do you know that transfers have not been identified? Why sign people now and pay wages they are not going to earn for some weeks?

 

You show consistently that you know nothing about running a football club. Given you total support for Mr Cortese are you saying now that he doesn't know what he is doing

 

Do you really believe that we wil start the season without the players that Pardew feels he needs?

[eurosaint]

Great thread, Alpine 3 - Rest of the world 149 !

Shock, horror, probe !

WUM in progress !

[SaintRobbie]

Its a better summer than last and even better than the one before. Last summer there was a little uncertainty then euphoria, but the summer before was a nightmare. Lowe's return with a plan to bring some cloggies who were going to turn kids into super talented total football stars just in time to face the most physical league in the world. I was depressed.

 

This summer I sit waiting for news of quality signings and the lastest betting odds to win the league. This summer I have an owner with ambition and desire. This summer I have a decent manager. This summer I have a football club to support and not a public limited company making stupid managerial and board decisions. This summer we have a world cup to provide a temporary footballing fix. This summer we prepare to promote with style.

 

I'm content.

 

[tttdcs]

If your not on a windup that is a mad comment Alps!

 

Alpine Saint more like .......... Gosport Skate

[St BATman]

So hang on; you're assuming the rumours that Schneiderlin will be sold are true, yet the rumours that Lines/Stock etc have been identified to replace him are incorrect?

 

Up front; do we not have Barnard? He seemed to score a few goals last season, I recall.

 

CB; Seabourne played quite a few games last season in place of Jaidi; Aaron Martin also started the last 2 games with some very good reviews of his performances.

 

So at the moment we need a right back. That's it.

 

Then again, I do note that you like to create ill-informed threads full of reactionary assumptions. I remember too well your campaign throughout the start of last season to inform everyone that Schneiderlin and Lallana weren't up to the job and should be replaced; how did that one work out?

 

Sorry but we do need another CM (maybe even 2?), who plays if Morgan or Hammond are out? We need 2 RB, another striker as back up to Lambert and Barnard. We could probably do with a wide player too given that Antonio and Waigo have returned to their parent clubs... As for the OP it is too early, but the sentiment of having a nearly complete squad for pre-season isn't ridiculous, just a little unrealistic if we are looking at the higher calibre of player required for next seasons CCC campaign. We will sign the right players and they will be sooner than last year. Everyone calm down and enjoy the World Cup (just don't expect England to get far beyong R2!)

[Capel Saint]

To be honest Alps, it takes very liitle to get you exasperated and I could have put money on you posting this in early June.

 

How do you know that transfers have not been identified? Why sign people now and pay wages they are not going to earn for some weeks?

 

You show consistently that you know nothing about running a football club. Given you total support for Mr Cortese are you saying now that he doesn't know what he is doing

 

Do you really believe that we wil start the season without the players that Pardew feels he needs?

 

That's along the lines of the questions I asked Alps on page 2 but he decided not to bother answering them.

[chrisobee]

That's along the lines of the questions I asked Alps on page 2 but he decided not to bother answering them.

 

No, he's too busy posting his latest BS thread

[alpine_saint]

That's along the lines of the questions I asked Alps on page 2 but he decided not to bother answering them.

 

I answered that question several times, actually. Signing identified targets now prevents other clubs coming in and gazumping us.

[alpine_saint]

No, he's too busy posting his latest BS thread

 

My other thread was about a greater trend of club slow activity and non-communication, the transfer activity only being a small part of that.

[trousers]

[NickG]

Alpine

 

We finished the season at just about the best team in the league.

 

Pardew has released numerous players, including 4 RBs. This surely suggests that he has a plan in mind of signing players - he could have kept them on but has said he wants a CCC standard team.

 

We do not need many players, although you should always improve if you can.

 

A starting 11 of

KD

new RB

Fonte

Seaborne or Jaidi

Harding

Puncheon

Hammond

Schneiderlin

Lallana

Barnard

Lambert

 

is pretty much as good as you will get to play in league 1.

 

I think we need more back up at CF and CM.

 

We have been strongly linked with good fullbacks, and 3 good CMs.

 

look at any other teams activity:

 

http://www.skysports.com/football/transfer_clockwatch/0,23710,14896,00.html?reloaded

 

Do you still think we are acting slowly?

[BARCELONASAINT]

Another day and the same old drama queens are up and at their keyboards spouting the same things over and over and over and over..........

[Pilchards]

 

You found Corp Ho at last.

 

 

I'm having a guess on what Alpines new thread is going to be titled on Wednesday.

 

 

'Lallana is the weak link.'

'Lambert has not scored for 3 weeks now.'

'Forget the league let's focus on the paint trophy.'

'Kelvin Davis should be playing for England.'

'Rupert should head the new saints supporters trust.'

[dubai_phil]

You know I think Alp's is right with this and the other thread and the other and the other.

 

Clearly NC is not keeping us informed. What a crying shame that LLS didn't win control of the club while we were in admin. he was the great communicator, in fact he told the Echo something new everyday. Lynham was almost as good. Now what did they tell us everyday, I forget.

 

Now, before that did we have regular commuincations? Oh yeah of course we did, we had good old Mike Wilde being rolled out every few days, before that we had Leon and his weekly Churchillian speeches and the of course we had old Ruddy Cheeks picking the team himself.

 

So yes, obviously NC forgot to employ a damned good marketing communications director, I'm sure he would have planned for one in his business plan, perhaps he decided to invest the cost in Rickie's wages instead.

 

Tell you what, having had about 15 years of being kept informed by various chairmen and wannbees.....

 

Oh and if you are bored just join the rest of us trolling the Lounge or that other weird thing we find in the summer called The Web. We get it, at this moment you are nailed on to win the Right to be Worried & Told You so posts of the year and if that happens we'll be at the Ceremony applauding you.

[Matthew Le God]

I answered that question several times, actually. Signing identified targets now prevents other clubs coming in and gazumping us.

 

My other thread was about a greater trend of club slow activity and non-communication, the transfer activity only being a small part of that.

 

So you want the club to tell you what it is doing in the transfer market and you don't want other clubs gazumping Saints?

 

You can't have both.

 

How do you know the club hasn't signed a host of players on free transfers(Calderon, Dickson etc) that will join on 1st July when there contracts run out on 30th June?

[suewhistle]

Oh, my goodness! Another one of the self-content uber complacent. This sort of attitude, that next season's signings shouldn't be signed this season, is the reason why England haven't won the World Cup since '66 and explains why Saints always, and I mean always, prepare terribly for the next season.

 

Personally, I think Alpine has been rather conservative in his well-judged and eminently justifiable criticism. If anything we should be making our 2011-2012 signings now. Why wait until after the 2010-2011 season? Are you happy just writing off another season without having all the players we are going to sign during the following season? Well, if you are, let me tell you this; it is the path to ruin.

 

And another thing, I bet we sign some players that are so rubbish any idiot will be able to tell they are rubbish without even watching them. That's another thing we always, and I mean always, get wrong.

 

Don't _you_ start! Not even in fun!

 

As somebody else said there are far too many assumptions being made by Alps. We know we need to strengthen in certain positions but the idea that nothing is going on is laughable.

[toofarnorth]

Right out of interest i've just been round a few other League clubs website to see how well they are communicating what is going on at the club to their fans. Nearly all of them have either meaningless articles about the mascot or just the regular pre-world cup non club related build up stuff.

 

Saints are no differenet to nearly every other club in that this is just a time of year when not a lot happens.

[Robsk II]

No offence particularly intended, but Alpine, you're a bloody idiot. Why do you persist with this drivel? What is your agenda? You seem, no matter what, you be entirely anti-club stability in all and any given instance.

[Wiltshire Saint]

"THEY CAME FIRST for the Communists,

and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

 

THEN THEY CAME for the trade unionists,

and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

 

THEN THEY CAME for the Jews,

and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

 

THEN THEY CAME for me

and by that time no one was left to speak up."

 

I think that sums up quite a lot.

[NickG]

alpine's a left wing jewish communist?

[The Kraken]

Sorry but we do need another CM (maybe even 2?), who plays if Morgan or Hammond are out? We need 2 RB, another striker as back up to Lambert and Barnard. We could probably do with a wide player too given that Antonio and Waigo have returned to their parent clubs... As for the OP it is too early, but the sentiment of having a nearly complete squad for pre-season isn't ridiculous, just a little unrealistic if we are looking at the higher calibre of player required for next seasons CCC campaign. We will sign the right players and they will be sooner than last year. Everyone calm down and enjoy the World Cup (just don't expect England to get far beyong R2!)

 

I'm not saying new transfers wouldn't improve the team; of course they would. However the OP suggested that there were 3 or 4 gaps in the team to fill, which IMO is simply wrong. There is currently 1 "gap" to fill, and that is at RB. The rest is all about increasing and improving the squad size.

 

As for wide players, we have Puncheon and Lallana, two of the top performing players from the division last year (1 got in the team of the year, one scored 20 goals). So no "gap". CM we are short in depth but in Hammond and Morgan have two first class starting CMs, again no gap.

 

I agree with your points completely about an additional midfielder, and backup in the other areas of the pitch. In fact, I think pretty much everyone agrees that we need to strengthen the depth in these areas to give us a stronger squad than last season and put us in a better position to achieve automatic promotion.

 

That said, I don't agree with the knee-jerk reactionary nonsense from the OP. This team, from October 1st onwards, had a points to game ratio that over the whole season would have given us the same tally as champions Norwich. And we will certainly add a number of players to the squad to improve it. Therefore the hysterical notion that we will be much weaker than last term unless we sign 3 or 4 players by yesterday is, IMO, very misguided.

Edited 8 June, 2010 by The Kraken

[The9]

 

There should be some sort of label on the front to warn people.

 

"WARNING - contains Alpine".

[Clifford Nelson]

Oh and if you are bored just join the rest of us trolling the Lounge or that other weird thing we find in the summer called The Web. We get it, at this moment you are nailed on to win the Right to be Worried & Told You so posts of the year and if that happens we'll be at the Ceremony applauding you.

 

I think you might be a bit quick to dismiss all the visible anxiety there is out there. Dismissing or ignoring it won't make it go away. Ignoring your customers has never been a good strategy for any business, and customers of football clubs are especially volatile. A bit of management of the communications could change all this negativity, and it wouldn't cost a fortune either.

[benjii]

Right out of interest i've just been round a few other League clubs website to see how well they are communicating what is going on at the club to their fans. Nearly all of them have either meaningless articles about the mascot or just the regular pre-world cup non club related build up stuff.

 

Saints are no differenet to nearly every other club in that this is just a time of year when not a lot happens.

 

Oldham had an article about their cleaners' vacuums being serviced the other day

[benjii]

I think you might be a bit quick to dismiss all the visible anxiety there is out there. Dismissing or ignoring it won't make it go away. Ignoring your customers has never been a good strategy for any business, and customers of football clubs are especially volatile. A bit of management of the communications could change all this negativity, and it wouldn't cost a fortune either.

 

It's only a few internet weirdos and Echo rent-a-quotes who feel the need to be "communicated" too constantly like a small baby though.

 

99% of Saints' "customers" I expect are perfectly happy and looking forward to next season. "all this negativity" really doesn't exist outside the odd minds of a small number.

[NickG]

It's only a few internet weirdos and Echo rent-a-quotes who feel the need to be "communicated" too constantly like a small baby though.

 

99% of Saints' "customers" I expect are perfectly happy and looking forward to next season. "all this negativity" really doesn't exist outside the odd minds of a small number.

 

totally agree, this is what I put on another thread - I reckon virtual all saints fans are very happy with the club and looking forward to the new season.

 

Alpine is just having a laugh in his own strange way hence not dealing with any of the footballing replies

 

not so much worse, just the information frenzy of the internet.

 

was at a BBQ at the weekend with some season ticket holders who not seen for years but who don't live on here.

 

all talking about how much they enjoyed last season and its the most they have looked forward to a season in 20 odd years.

 

no moans.

 

passing comment by one of installment plan.

 

heard a couple of transfer rumours but not much.

 

Think they are more typical than us forum freaks on here!

[John B]

I read this after Alpine has posted it. I cannot believe this wind up has reached 4 pages. Fair play to the lad though, he is very talented at it.

 

It does say on this WEB Page being Grumpy is good for you

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8339647.stm

[70's Mike]

No offence particularly intended, but Alpine, you're a bloody idiot. Why do you persist with this drivel? What is your agenda? You seem, no matter what, you be entirely anti-club stability in all and any given instance.

 

the big question still unanswered

[RobM]

Alpine is a genius.

 

If we start the season badly, he can say I told you so and have an excuse to continue making these threads. And any time somebody shouts him down, he can remind them that he was right.

 

If we start the season really well and continue to have great success, Alpine can shout down anybody who reminds him of this as not being a true fan and being more interested in shouting at him, than the club.

 

It's genius.

[S-Clarke]

Alpine is a genius.

 

 

If we start the season really well and continue to have great success, Alpine can shout down anybody who reminds him of this as not being a true fan and being more interested in shouting at him, than the club.

 

 

tbf you won't hear from him, he'll mysteriously disappear if we do well.

[alpine_saint]

tbf you won't hear from him, he'll mysteriously disappear if we do well.

 

Yeah, right, of course I will. Pathetic statement.

 

I especially love Dav's comment (after the insult, of course...) about how "this team" got such a high points average from October last year onwards. He conveniently forgets that two key members of that team (Antonio and Papa) have gone...

[alpine_saint]

Alpine is a genius.

 

If we start the season badly, he can say I told you so and have an excuse to continue making these threads. And any time somebody shouts him down, he can remind them that he was right.

 

If we start the season really well and continue to have great success, Alpine can shout down anybody who reminds him of this as not being a true fan and being more interested in shouting at him, than the club.

 

It's genius.

 

Whereas, of course, this post is entirely without motive. I meant you really arent trying to pre-empt any chance that I might be right by turning both possibilities into an insult, are you ?

[saintwarwick]

Right out of interest i've just been round a few other League clubs website to see how well they are communicating what is going on at the club to their fans. Nearly all of them have either meaningless articles about the mascot or just the regular pre-world cup non club related build up stuff.

 

Saints are no differenet to nearly every other club in that this is just a time of year when not a lot happens.

 

Do these other clubs have an 'alpine_saint'? If not feel free to transfer this one out PLEASE.

[CB Saint]

In a strange way I quite admire Alps.

 

He plants his flag in the sand and defends his position ferociously against all comers.

 

Mind you I think he's a little bit premature this time. Had this thread been posted at the start of August I would probably agree with him.

[saintwarwick]

Yeah, right, of course I will. Pathetic statement.

 

I especially love Dav's comment (after the insult, of course...) about how "this team" got such a high points average from October last year onwards. He conveniently forgets that two key members of that team (Antonio and Papa) have gone...

 

Are you suggesting that we only won games with Antonio and Papa? Stick to your armchair mister negative.

[alpine_saint]

Are you suggesting that we only won games with Antonio and Papa?

 

I havent said that at all and you know it.

 

Jeeez, the standard of understanding of the English language on here is quite bizarre sometimes....

[Gingeletiss]

I havent said that at all and you know it.

 

Jeeez, the standard of understanding of the English language on here is quite bizarre sometimes....

 

Exactly;)

[The Kraken]

Yeah, right, of course I will. Pathetic statement.

 

I especially love Dav's comment (after the insult, of course...) about how "this team" got such a high points average from October last year onwards. He conveniently forgets that two key members of that team (Antonio and Papa) have gone...

 

I'm glad that you love hearing about how successful this team was last year. I certainly think its something we can hang our hat on as a benchmark of expectation.

 

And of course I haven't forgotten that Antonio and Papa have gone; hence my original statement to you "AP has said that he intends on improving the side from last year, clearly we need a right back to plug that hole but any other signings will be improvements on what we already have."

 

If you can't infer from that that I'm expecting AP to bring players in to replace the key players that have already gone, then I'm happy to explain it further. And I'd go so far as to suggest that the signing of Puncheon in January already was as a replacement for Antonio/Waigo, as their first team chances were very limited after his arrival.

 

Personally speaking, while Waigo had a good effect on the team last year I wouldn't be surprised (or disappointed) not to see him back here, as I think there are better, less maverick style players available. And as far as I know, discussions with Reading about Antonio haven't ended yet (unless I've missed it), and I'd hope to keep him as he's a good impact player. That said, if they both go I'm ultra confident that AP will bring in someone else equally as good.

 

So, all that aside, I'm at a loss to work out what was quite so ridiculous about the points average issue I raised.

[Stu Man Do]

FFS, it is not a wind up !

 

Rumours are short on the ground at the moment, but everyone is accompanied by "Club X is also tracking" or "Club X is also interested".

 

Do we want to lose our targets to Club X because they were willing to fork out a few weeks earlier ?

 

1 point and 1 point only in this pointless discussion! How many rumours did you hear last year about Harding, Hammond or half a dozen other players before we finally signed them as far as I can remember the rumour was Barnard had signed for Leeds and look where he ended up! Still ... enjoy your wind up!

[saintwarwick]

I havent said that at all and you know it.

 

Jeeez, the standard of understanding of the English language on here is quite bizarre sometimes....

 

Yip and your understanding of how football works has obviously failed you as well, still if you don't watch it you won't know

[Chez]

I answered that question several times, actually. Signing identified targets now prevents other clubs coming in and gazumping us.

 

which is exactly what we are trying to do with Calderon and Dickson. I imagine several other enquiries have been made, maybe offers and opening negotiations as well, but we won't hear about them until they are done. We only heard about Calderon and Dickson because their old clubs had nothing to lose by speaking to the press.

[RobM]

Whereas, of course, this post is entirely without motive. I meant you really arent trying to pre-empt any chance that I might be right by turning both possibilities into an insult, are you ?

 

No, no... That's exactly what I was doing. I thought that was obvious?

[eurosaint]

No offence particularly intended, but Alpine, you're a bloody idiot. Why do you persist with this drivel? What is your agenda? You seem, no matter what, you be entirely anti-club stability in all and any given instance.

 

The way Alpine is going on this thread, that is almost a compliment !!

[Daren W]

which is exactly what we are trying to do with Calderon and Dickson. I imagine several other enquiries have been made, maybe offers and opening negotiations as well, but we won't hear about them until they are done. We only heard about Calderon and Dickson because their old clubs had nothing to lose by speaking to the press.

 

I disagree, if I was a high flying executive the first place I'd announce my intended players would be an internet forum....

[St BATman]

I'm not saying new transfers wouldn't improve the team; of course they would. However the OP suggested that there were 3 or 4 gaps in the team to fill, which IMO is simply wrong. There is currently 1 "gap" to fill, and that is at RB. The rest is all about increasing and improving the squad size.

 

As for wide players, we have Puncheon and Lallana, two of the top performing players from the division last year (1 got in the team of the year, one scored 20 goals). So no "gap". CM we are short in depth but in Hammond and Morgan have two first class starting CMs, again no gap.

 

I agree with your points completely about an additional midfielder, and backup in the other areas of the pitch. In fact, I think pretty much everyone agrees that we need to strengthen the depth in these areas to give us a stronger squad than last season and put us in a better position to achieve automatic promotion.

 

That said, I don't agree with the knee-jerk reactionary nonsense from the OP. This team, from October 1st onwards, had a points to game ratio that over the whole season would have given us the same tally as champions Norwich. And we will certainly add a number of players to the squad to improve it. Therefore the hysterical notion that we will be much weaker than last term unless we sign 3 or 4 players by yesterday is, IMO, very misguided.

 

Fair points, for gaps in team I read gaps in squad and I think that's what the OP was trying to imply - FWIW I don't agree with knee jerk reactions and as back up in league 1 think the likes of McNish, Oxlade.... and Gobern can do a job for us - however these would not make for a CCC squad as has been eluded to be Pardew several times now. Can't wait to see who we bring in (and am happy to wait for the right people to be brought in) as I have full faith in Pardew's transfer policy based on his mainly excellent signings so far!!!!