We must spend now

[hypochondriac]

It's not a ridiculous presumption at all. It is by far the most sensible one. Every opportunity to deliver has been taken by this regime. Every chance to strengthen has been a success.

 

The ridiculous people are the immature whingers and disgruntled former cronies.

 

We have strengthened yes but since the death of markus, have we really signed anyone like a fonte or lambert? Someone who would walk into the team?

[benjii]

We have strengthened yes but since the death of markus, have we really signed anyone like a fonte or lambert? Someone who would walk into the team?

 

We didn't need to. The squad was more or less complete. We were strong in every position bar in depth at CM but we brought in Chaplow, and later Stephens, to address that.

 

If you build a team from scratch, it's pretty simple-minded to equate a reduction in incoming players with a decrease in competitiveness in the market.

[Wes Tender]

In a division which was much easier.

 

It is futile saying that the division was much easier when Norwich went up, as the teams in that division are there for the same reasons every year. There were teams in the third division who were recently Premiership, both us and Norwich being two of them. Any teams in the second division are also there because they were not good enough for the Premiership.

[shurlock]

We have strengthened yes but since the death of markus, have we really signed anyone like a fonte or lambert? Someone who would walk into the team?

 

Comparing our first season with last season is a fruitless, apples and pears exercise. In order to rebuild the squad, we were always going to strengthen. The following second season, it was reasoned -quite reasonably- that we had a squad that was strong enough to challenge. This was inspite of Markus death - after all, we hardly splashed the cash in summer 2010 when was Markus was still alive. You know all this, so its not worth repeating.

 

Lets see what happens this window - I agree we need to strengthen - more than last season, though not as much as in the first season, so I'm not expecting or eager for a massive overhaul. As I've said above, its not as if, to date, we have misssed out on any make-or-break signings -let alone any of our targets and there are good reasons why the likes of Leicester and W Ham have acted so quickly, reasons that happily dont apply to us.

[Wes Tender]

Were you around on saintsforever? I assure you there were many bannings for simply holding a different view, not that Keith has anything to do with the site now. There are quite a few regular posters who won't entertain the idea that Cortese can do anything wrong, however small. All I want is the freedom to discuss both positive and negative rumour and its implications without being accused of having some sort of anti SFC agenda or whatever other things I and others have been accused of.

 

And with those highlighted words, you sum up the very reason why there shouldn't be so much store put on whether we ought to strenghthen the team or not. The fact is, until such times as it is clear that we will not be adding additional players to the squad, opinions are just idle speculation and conjecture.

[Professor]

Leeds, Barnsley, Ipswich, Millwall, Leicester. If the existing first team can win 3 of those games, the Complacent Few will have some grounds for satisfaction and the rest of us will admit we worried too soon. But 6 points or less and we'll be in the bottom half of the table. Adkins wasn't amongst the Complacent Few when he talked about the need to bring in some quality, so maybe the signings are just waiting to happen, but until something is announced that makes the first choice 11 stronger most fans (excluding the CF) will rightly be questioning whether the Cortese Target is still the genuine aim.

[hypochondriac]

We didn't need to. The squad was more or less complete. We were strong in every position bar in depth at CM but we brought in Chaplow, and later Stephens, to address that.

 

If you build a team from scratch, it's pretty simple-minded to equate a reduction in incoming players with a decrease in competitiveness in the market.

 

This transfer window will tell us a lot then. I hope we get quality in soon.

[S-Clarke]

This thread is born out of frustration by the way the club now runs.

 

I think everyone is dying to see some movement and you certain clubs being linked with player x, y , z etc - but we don't work like that, you hear our signings once they have put pen to paper and I have no reason to believe that will change.

 

People saying we have no money is based on nothing but frustration, we clearly do have money and you will see the proof over the next 6-8 weeks.

 

As I posted before, Leicester City fans are also asking ''where is the money?'' as they are underwhelmed by their activity. Just to put some perspective into it.

[benjii]

Leeds, Barnsley, Ipswich, Millwall, Leicester. If the existing first team can win 3 of those games, the Complacent Few will have some grounds for satisfaction and the rest of us will admit we worried too soon. But 6 points or less and we'll be in the bottom half of the table. Adkins wasn't amongst the Complacent Few when he talked about the need to bring in some quality, so maybe the signings are just waiting to happen, but until something is announced that makes the first choice 11 stronger most fans (excluding the CF) will rightly be questioning whether the Cortese Target is still the genuine aim.

 

What about 7 or 8 points? Can we be complacent or incontinent with worry?

 

FWIW I expect us to have 10 points after those games which will really get the bedwetters going when we start to slip down the table a bit.

[Professor]

This thread is born out of frustration by the way the club now runs.

I think everyone is dying to see some movement and you certain clubs being linked with player x, y , z etc - but we don't work like that, you hear our signings once they have put pen to paper and I have no reason to believe that will change.

People saying we have no money is based on nothing but frustration, we clearly do have money and you will see the proof over the next 6-8 weeks.

As I posted before, Leicester City fans are also asking ''where is the money?'' as they are underwhelmed by their activity. Just to put some perspective into it.

This is very well put. Howver, if signings are from English clubs there has usually been some advance indication simply because the fans network is so wide. It's where a player comes from abroad that we are less likely to hear anything until pen is put to paper. But an overseas player probably has more need for pre-season than the existing squad.

[shurlock]

What about 7 or 8 points? Can we be complacent or incontinent with worry?

 

FWIW I expect us to have 10 points after those games which will really get the bedwetters going when we start to slip down the table a bit.

 

10 points= f**K me, that kind of form would see us win the championship

[Gingeletiss]

I think the reality of Markus death is hitting home

 

We are clearly not spending money as before, and in the NPC players want significantly higher wages

 

I wouldn't be at all surprised, if in 12 months time we are under a different ownership

 

From what I've been told, this is a likely reality. ML loved the club, but the family want out. Before you ask, no, I can't say where I heard this from...sorry.

[OldNick]

the squad hardly crushed all that came was put in front of it last season. How can we expect RL to score 20 goals again at a level he has not played at? He is a great player for us but AL will not be such a threat also as the defenders are another grade higher.

Jaidi struggled in games and looked shot a lot of the time, he will be another year older, Seabourne was made to look slow at times and our midfield rarelty outshone the opposition.

Letrs hope the club dip into the funds and strengthen, it was hard getting up , lets not throw it away.

[Charlie Wayman]

If we are to compete... next season will be too late

 

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/10062011/58/championship-league-adopts-uefa-finance-rules.html

 

If we have any money to invest in the squad, now is the time.

This new ruling will stop us flexing our financial muscle next season.

Unless of course you think our squad is good enough to get us to the Premiership.

Next season (2012-13) the relegated Premier sides will have increased parachute payments that will give them an even bigger advantage.

 

Don't be too naive. Rules and Regulations are written for external consumption. There are always loopholes and clubs quickly find many ways of circumnavigating them. Compliance to the law is not the same as compliance to the spirit of the regulations. No matter how sincere is the intention of the regulators to level the playing field it does not mean that the subsequent regulations can or will deliver that goal. It is very difficult to write water tight rules and nigh on possible to police them.

 

For example the loan system is a clear breach of a simple regulation to restrain spending on transfers and will also have to be stopped etc, etc.

[david in sweden]

You would hope so. If we don't get anyone this week then it could become a problem for gelling as a team etc.

 

Why is it there is always this sort of "panic" thread, every time we come to the transfer window.

YES some clubs have already signed players, and one or two well-known names are among them, and one or two "targets" we might have liked to sign, but I trust both Adkins and Cortese to have sorted out who and when and expect some sort of activity to be announced AFTER July 1st.

 

After all we can't say that there are gaping holes in the squad ..or that we don't have the finance to fill them if there were, so

again I say..why the panic ? We have already seen that Nicola Cortese doesn't feel responsible to give statements on every rumour or nonsense article printed by the media, or placate fans who panic because they DON'T see us spending money.

 

I decided a while ago that he was " his own man " and answerable only to the Liebherr family. Good for him I say.

 

Patience is a virtue and I don't expect mine (or anyone else's) to be taxed too much longer, as we would expect most of the " newcomers " to be in place before the Swiss tour begins.

[alpine_saint]

I got lambasted about 2 weeks ago for lack of transfer activity, but got told not to panic until we reached July 1st without any signings.

 

3 days and counting....

[Dig Dig]

It's amazing what some people on here manage to speculate based on sweet FA. So because we haven't signed anyone yet, we have no money? Some of you are going to look very silly over the next few weeks.

[St_Tel49]

Talk Sport this morning said that the Oxo deal with Arsenal is a done deal, if this is the case perhaps NC is waiting to use the funds from that sell which is worrying because NC said we would not sell Oxo, plus it also suggest's that there are no other funds apart from those raised by selling players.

 

That's a sweeping statement to make based on the if, buts and maybes of the first part of your post

[jwakley75]

Correct me if I am wrong (I could well regret saying that!) but I seem to remember Frazer Richardson "signed" in July last year and went out to join the squad on pre season tour? Did any of us KNOW that he had signed before it was announced?

I think that's something we'll see again this season, so I don't think we need to hit the panic button just yet... I wouldn't be at all surprised to see more than one signing announced in the next week, with said player(s) joining up with the squad, for the pre-season.

[The9]

I got lambasted about 2 weeks ago for lack of transfer activity, but got told not to panic until we reached July 1st without any signings.

 

3 days and counting....

 

I think you misunderstood. What people were saying was that it was ridiculous to be worried about us not signing anyone prior to the contract breakpoint of July 1st, not that it was suddenly fine to start getting massively het up over it from July 1st.

 

July 1st is the first date when people might reasonably expect us to start announcing signings - anything before that would be a bonus. The other thing is that there are plenty of people on here who think we've got a solid top half squad already, and there might not be any players we've identified who will improve us prepared to move yet - this would especially be the case if we planned on signing some lower Prem players, who may or may not be available depending on the transfer targets of their clubs.

 

Under the assumption that we're not competing with Man City yet, there's a pecking order and we may just have to wait and see what happens in the Prem first.

 

I have to say that the signing of a few clearly superior players would assuage any doubts about funding, but that's not really the basis for sound squad-building.

[skintsaint]

just waiting for our first signing and then people will moan he isnt good enough or we don't need another striker or some other rubbish.

[S-Clarke]

just waiting for our first signing and then people will moan he isnt good enough or we don't need another striker or some other rubbish.

 

Pretty much. You've been here during pre-season before, haven't you?

[benjii]

10 points= f**K me, that kind of form would see us win the championship

 

Over a whole season, yes.

[once_bitterne]

Nick Illingsworth on the Ugly Inside is peddling a rumour from Twitter that the club is for sale and therefore little transfer activity can be expected this Summer. Make of that what you will although it might be best to hide the plastic knives from Alpine just in case.

[patred44]

Nick Illingsworth on the Ugly Inside is peddling a rumour from Twitter that the club is for sale and therefore little transfer activity can be expected this Summer. Make of that what you will although it might be best to hide the plastic knives from Alpine just in case.

 

 

that his ST gone for this season....AGAIN

[S-Clarke]

Nick Illingsworth on the Ugly Inside is peddling a rumour from Twitter that the club is for sale and therefore little transfer activity can be expected this Summer. Make of that what you will although it might be best to hide the plastic knives from Alpine just in case.

 

He has an agenda, take anything from him with a big pinch of salt.

[alpine_saint]

He has an agenda, take anything from him with a big pinch of salt.

 

Yep, he's an attention-seeking twot.

[Gemmel]

He really isn't Alipine

[Jez]

From what I've been told, this is a likely reality. ML loved the club, but the family want out. Before you ask, no, I can't say where I heard this from...sorry.

 

sigh

 

 

For example the loan system is a clear breach of a simple regulation to restrain spending on transfers and will also have to be stopped etc, etc.

 

So loans will be banned? Wow, where do you get your info from?

[aintforever]

There is still plenty of time to sign players so it is not worth worrying about anything yet, we will know by the end of the transfer window how serious the club are.

 

If I hear a rumour about the club being sold am I allowed to post it or will that make me an attention seeking twot?

[notnowcato]

We have strengthened yes but since the death of markus, have we really signed anyone like a fonte or lambert? Someone who would walk into the team?

blah

Edited 28 June, 2011 by notnowcato
forget it, point covered

[washsaint]

How many other clubs have made any signings to date? Typically, transfers start to hot up from July 1.....let's face it the players have not even reported back for pre-season training so not much point buying players until nearer that time.

[NickG]

the squad hardly crushed all that came was put in front of it last season. How can we expect RL to score 20 goals again at a level he has not played at? He is a great player for us but AL will not be such a threat also as the defenders are another grade higher.

Jaidi struggled in games and looked shot a lot of the time, he will be another year older, Seabourne was made to look slow at times and our midfield rarelty outshone the opposition.

Letrs hope the club dip into the funds and strengthen, it was hard getting up , lets not throw it away.

 

13 wins, 1 draw in last 15, scoring 32 is pretty convincing against all infront!

[S-Clarke]

13 wins, 1 draw in last 15, scoring 32 is pretty convincing against all infront!

 

No point in throwing the stats Nick, they have their minds made up. Apparentley we were supposed to win 5-0 every week.

[Saint_clark]

Nick Illingsworth on the Ugly Inside is peddling a rumour from Twitter that the club is for sale and therefore little transfer activity can be expected this Summer. Make of that what you will although it might be best to hide the plastic knives from Alpine just in case.

 

We've been for sale since before Markus passed, if certain people are to be believed. It's all b*llocks.

[Blandford saint]

Perhaps the reason we haven't signed anyone yet is because we have approached some pretty ambitious targets, and they are waiting to see if they get offers from Premiership clubs? If we wanted to sign League One players, it would probably have been done & dusted pretty quickly (eg, Bournemouth having already lost a couple of their better players) BUT, if we went for some pretty impressive players, they have plenty of time to play one club off against another and wait for the best deal.

 

You see this every year when out of contract players start having to lower their expectations. Some of the prices quoted for Championship strikers are frankly ridiculous, especially considering the level of debt most clubs are carrying.

[Chez]

I got lambasted about 2 weeks ago for lack of transfer activity, but got told not to panic until we reached July 1st without any signings.

 

3 days and counting....

 

in 3 days time feel free to panic away, by the way is that play off place place still hanging by a thread?

Edited 28 June, 2011 by Chez

[Chez]

Nick Illingsworth on the Ugly Inside is peddling a rumour from Twitter that the club is for sale and therefore little transfer activity can be expected this Summer. Make of that what you will

no signings when the owners have money often points to an impending sale. It has happened many times before. Time will tell.

[Window Cleaner]

in 3 days time feel to panic away, by the way is that play off place place still hanging by a thread?

 

 

the trouble is that until we actually start playing in the NPC we don't have much idea as to how the players we do have are going to perform.

A few might be not quite so good as we imagine and a few may surprise us.So who to replace right now is a bit of a conundrum, I'd say we can't go far wrong in signing a striker and a CB

right now but a CB doesn't seem to be much of a priority if you only listen to the rumours.

[sfc4prem]

From what I've been told, this is a likely reality. ML loved the club, but the family want out. Before you ask, no, I can't say where I heard this from...sorry.

 

Let's just hope NC was telling the truth when he said he has wealthy contacts that would be willing to take ownership in the event of the Liebherr's pulling out. To see us skint again if the Liebherr's left us in the cold would be gutting.

[Matthew Le God]

I got lambasted about 2 weeks ago for lack of transfer activity, but got told not to panic until we reached July 1st without any signings.

 

3 days and counting....

 

Talking to Alpine sometimes is like telling a child that Christmas is two weeks away and he won't get any presents until then. Then Alpine starts complaining of lack of presents on December 22nd.

 

- Players haven't started pre-season training yet

- 3 days until many contracts end and transfer window really gets going

- Over 5 weeks until season starts

- Over 8 weeks until transfer window closes (even then the loan window is still open until November)

Edited 28 June, 2011 by Matthew Le God

[slickmick]

Nick Illingsworth on the Ugly Inside is peddling a rumour from Twitter that the club is for sale and therefore little transfer activity can be expected this Summer. Make of that what you will although it might be best to hide the plastic knives from Alpine just in case.

 

If there is any truth in this rumour, then Cortese must being trying to sell it to a very select few, otherwise I'm sure someone locally could easily portray themselves as a potential buyer. Then it would be very hard to keep quite.

Anyway it can't be true, Cortese has said that we will be building/expanding to 45000 stadium.

Edited 28 June, 2011 by slickmick

[hughieslastminutegoal]

Talk Sport this morning said that the Oxo deal with Arsenal is a done deal, if this is the case perhaps NC is waiting to use the funds from that sell which is worrying because NC said we would not sell Oxo, plus it also suggest's that there are no other funds apart from those raised by selling players.

 

The financial results suggest that NC will not spend much beyond what he can finance in the shortish term. I think you are right - signings will need to be financed by additional revenue - hence significant efforts to raise charges where possible - and money from sales. But if we are to sell the O-C would our preference be Arsenal? They don't seem to like doshing out much as a first instalment. NC would I'm sure want to invite a bidding war (if the clubs rumoured to have been interested last season are still interested) if he can, and paper talk is usually the best way to encourage that rather that sofly-softly.

[slickmick]

Talking to Alpine sometimes is like telling a child that Christmas is two weeks away and he won't get any presents until then. Then Alpine starts complaining of lack of presents on December 22nd.

 

- Players haven't started pre-season training yet

- 3 days until many contracts end and transfer window really gets going

- Over 5 weeks until season starts

- Over 8 weeks until transfer window closes (even then the loan window is still open until November)

 

Rather listen to his arguments than yours, at least he gets it right sometimes.

[hughieslastminutegoal]

Let's just hope NC was telling the truth when he said he has wealthy contacts that would be willing to take ownership in the event of the Liebherr's pulling out. To see us skint again if the Liebherr's left us in the cold would be gutting.

 

Isn't the fact he said that an indication that there is a distinct possibility of it happening?

 

Cue all those who remain convinced that the family continue to love us to jump in and say any good business person makes sure he maintains his options.

 

But if I owned the Saints, had more than enough dosh to last forever and it was my intention to continue to support the club for the forseeable future I would have no need for an option to bail out.

 

They haven't spent a huge amount getting us up a division, and I think they could even now sell for a sizeable profit. And no one knows what ML promised NC in relation to this little enterprise.

[Saint_clark]

Isn't the fact he said that an indication that there is a distinct possibility of it happening?

Cue all those who remain convinced that the family continue to love us to jump in and say any good business person makes sure he maintains his options.

 

But if I owned the Saints, had more than enough dosh to last forever and it was my intention to continue to support the club for the forseeable future I would have no need for an option to bail out.

 

They haven't spent a huge amount getting us up a division, and I think they could even now sell for a sizeable profit. And no one knows what ML promised NC in relation to this little enterprise.

 

Not really. The interviewer pressed and pressed to get an answer as to what would happen if the Liebherrs wanted to sell, and Cortese eventually gave that answer. Prior to that he said that the Liebherrs were every bit as committed to Saints as Markus had been.

[skintsaint]

Isn't the fact he said that an indication that there is a distinct possibility of it happening?

 

Cue all those who remain convinced that the family continue to love us to jump in and say any good business person makes sure he maintains his options.

 

depends - I thought he said this to calm supporters down when this rumour first started after ML's death and the usual rumours started about us getting sold and going back to small time again.

[hutch]

Personally I think there's only one potential new owner on the horizon, and that's our current chairman. Just my opinion.

[Asaint4ever]

We have no money! It's simple.

[S-Clarke]

We have no money! It's simple.

 

Have you spoken to Cortese?