We must spend now

[Lord Duckhunter]

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

 

I agree..............

[hughieslastminutegoal]

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.

 

Just because he had to be pressed for an answer doesn't mean he hadn't been thinking about it.

I don't believe they are in it for the long haul. I think NC's in it for a promised profit share. The question is how long it will it take to get him enough profit, but I can't see an Italian banker wanting to hang around English football for too long.

[Asaint4ever]

Have you spoken to Cortese?

 

Maybe

[NickG]

best summer signing in last two or three years? Rickie Lambert?

 

Signed 10 August - you may have weeks until you know if we are signing a big player!

[OldNick]

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

we have stepped up another level. The clubs in our new league already have the players who are used to the level , add to that the clubs like WHU willing to spend to go up and I believe we should be rightly concerned about our progress.

As for winning 5-0 every week, i can only recall us winning 1 game by a margin of that kind. If you went to many of the games the results in the main were ground out, not by superb flowing football.

The arrogance of our supporters, in the foolish belief, that the all conquering team who after a long struggle eventually finished 2nd are now ready to make a challenge ,seems a tad optimistic.

There is not a fan on here who does not want us to do well, but I do believe there are a lot who do worry that we do not have the resources to hand to really go for it.

For your information , i also have heard we are for sale. it may be a load of bull but as the time goes by and no new faces, it will make the rumours get worse.

I feel that the club may well un-veil a couple of signings just as the S/T's are released. It would seem good marketing to do so.

As Pompey get more and more useful players to bulk up their squad i'm sure the frustrations will get worse on here.

[S-Clarke]

we have stepped up another level. The clubs in our new league already have the players who are used to the level , add to that the clubs like WHU willing to spend to go up and I believe we should be rightly concerned about our progress.

As for winning 5-0 every week, i can only recall us winning 1 game by a margin of that kind. If you went to many of the games the results in the main were ground out, not by superb flowing football.

The arrogance of our supporters, in the foolish belief, that the all conquering team who after a long struggle eventually finished 2nd are now ready to make a challenge ,seems a tad optimistic.

There is not a fan on here who does not want us to do well, but I do believe there are a lot who do worry that we do not have the resources to hand to really go for it.

For your information , i also have heard we are for sale. it may be a load of bull but as the time goes by and no new faces, it will make the rumours get worse.

I feel that the club may well un-veil a couple of signings just as the S/T's are released. It would seem good marketing to do so.

As Pompey get more and more useful players to bulk up their squad i'm sure the frustrations will get worse on here.

 

I went pretty much every week, and the performances were solid in the whole. We did a professional job on most of the teams we played, even if we only won 1-0 we didn't get caused too many issues in alot of games and most of the time we came out with the higher possesion stats.

 

I appreciated the run we had at the end of the season, it was a promotion winning run of form. Winning games from all sorts of positions, being 2-0 down, winning at the death, winning a game confortably 3-0 etc....

 

We also have Lallana, Morgan, Fonte, Davis, Jaidi, Butterfield, Richardson (probably a few more I can't think of) that have played regularly at championship level.

 

If we can add 2 or 3 more quality players to that group, we'll be fine. We're not coming into this level with a lower league squad, we already have a pretty decent championship basis for a squad.

 

Just chill.

[jam]

Just because he had to be pressed for an answer doesn't mean he hadn't been thinking about it.

I don't believe they are in it for the long haul. I think NC's in it for a promised profit share. The question is how long it will it take to get him enough profit, but I can't see an Italian banker wanting to hang around English football for too long.

 

The family might be looking to sell, as you suspect, but even if they are not NC has a responsibility to them and the club to investigate options in that respect. I'd be amazed if he wasn't.

 

It does seem strange that an Italian banker wants to be involved in English football but if we take what he says in good faith then he sees Saints as a route into the Premierthingy and plenty of bigger fish than NC want to be involved in that...

[Window Cleaner]

I

 

We also have Lallana, Morgan, Fonte, Davis, Jaidi, Butterfield, Richardson (probably a few more I can't think of) that have played regularly at championship level.

 

If we can add 2 or 3 more quality players to that group, we'll be fine. We're not coming into this level with a lower league squad, we already have a pretty decent championship basis for a squad.

 

Just chill.

 

 

In fact very few of our players haven't played at Championship level,of those who have I suppose Morgan and Adam have played the least games at that level. The big,big question mark for me is our attack,3 neophytes (although Guly has played in Serie A so I guess that's at least equivalent) and then there's the question of Ox.

[shurlock]

Seriously just copy and paste last summer's thread. and do the same next summer. it's wasted effort posting the same rubbish every year. even alpine hasn't bothered to alter his 'i'm right i'm right i'm right' comments.

 

when did july 1st become a deadline for judging anything? so if we sign someone july 2nd it's too late? if we spend on july 15th we clearly didn't have money?

 

what the fck are you talking about?

 

if there's money I'm sure we'll spend some. if targets will sign early, they'll come early. if they're delayed, they're delayed. I'm sure we have contingency targets too. if there's no money, we'll just have to get on with it and support our team.

 

bunch of tedious old women.

 

Even better - why not post the thread from two seasons ago and our very own game of 'on this day...' and 'through the keyhole' with micky fialka. Talk about having no money and a pot to p i$$ in. Some people on here have to man up, FFS.

Edited 28 June, 2011 by shurlock
FFS

[Dig Dig]

Seriously just copy and paste last summer's thread. and do the same next summer. it's wasted effort posting the same rubbish every year. even alpine hasn't bothered to alter his 'i'm right i'm right i'm right' comments.

 

when did july 1st become a deadline for judging anything? so if we sign someone july 2nd it's too late? if we spend on july 15th we clearly didn't have money?

 

what the fck are you talking about?

 

if there's money I'm sure we'll spend some. if targets will sign early, they'll come early. if they're delayed, they're delayed. I'm sure we have contingency targets too. if there's no money, we'll just have to get on with it and support our team.

 

bunch of tedious old women.

 

This. How people are coming up with the notion that we don't have money, I don't understand.

 

Maybe we do, maybe we don't but some of the rationale applied as to why we don't have money has been pretty retarded.

[Saint_Ash]

Jesus!

 

"We haven't bought anyone yet before the players have returned to pre season training, must mean the club is being sold!"

 

What a load of wet blankets.

[S-Clarke]

In fact very few of our players haven't played at Championship level,of those who have I suppose Morgan and Adam have played the least games at that level. The big,big question mark for me is our attack,3 neophytes (although Guly has played in Serie A so I guess that's at least equivalent) and then there's the question of Ox.

 

Ox will be fine. He'll tear the championship a new one if we keep him. Arsenal aren't just interested in a good L1 player, they're after one of the hottest talents in english football.

[Dig Dig]

Jesus!

 

"We haven't bought anyone yet before the players have returned to pre season training, must mean the club is being sold!"

 

What a load of wet blankets.

 

And don't forget the club are apparently doing a DIY drainage job on the new training ground which also means we are broke/being sold

[S-Clarke]

And don't forget the club are apparently doing a DIY drainage job on the new training ground which also means we are broke/being sold

 

Close season is fantastic...!

[aintforever]

Every single player brought in since Leibherr bought the club have been with the Championship in mind, I think they can all probably "cut it" at this level. Problem is to get promoted, cutting it is not good enough, you need to be better than most of the others.

 

There is no need to panic, we are probably 3 or 4 players away from a good Championship squad. I expect any players brought in now will be with the Premier league in mind, that's probably why it's slow moving - any player of that standard will be holding out for any Prem interest.

[Dalek2003]

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....

 

ditto !

[PaulGilchrist_76]

We will probably get 1) a midfielder from Serie B that no-one has heard of. 2) An ancient centre half from somewhere Oop North.

[saint1977]

Every single player brought in since Leibherr bought the club have been with the Championship in mind, I think they can all probably "cut it" at this level. Problem is to get promoted, cutting it is not good enough, you need to be better than most of the others.

 

There is no need to panic, we are probably 3 or 4 players away from a good Championship squad. I expect any players brought in now will be with the Premier league in mind, that's probably why it's slow moving - any player of that standard will be holding out for any Prem interest.

 

Sensible perspective and nearer the truth I suspect. To get the likes of Jack Cork and Nicky Maynard to join us - assuming they are NA and NC targets - isn't an instant thing with a number of NPC clubs who can match our financial muscle. The club don't want any more short term fixes and with all the squad players we have retained on one year deals we only want players who will pretty much be first team starters and those are probably desirable players in the £2-5m bracket who could also attract Premier League sides. The only available player so far I think we missed a trick on was Will Buckley to Brighton from Watford, £1.5m was a bargain.

 

Some of the posters on here also shouldn't forget that Puncheon is still our player despite allegedly being for sale for £1m and being linked to several different NPC and PL clubs. He clearly won't be at Saints in August but it shows you that even a player out in the cold and wanted by other clubs still doesn't equate to an instant transfer.

[Crazy Diamond]

But be warned, 0 signings or 10 signings, the Leeds game will be a draw.

 

Hmm. Interesting.

[John B]

best summer signing in last two or three years? Rickie Lambert?

 

Signed 10 August - you may have weeks until you know if we are signing a big player!

 

I dont see the relevance of this post because in 2009 Markus only bought the club in early July and Pardew was only appointed 17 July

 

But now we have a five year plan to get to the PL and I would have thought that planning to bring in new players for this season should have been done sometime ago.

 

Of course I expect we will hear some transfer news in the next few days but if we dont then perhaps the plan is to consolidate in the league this season which has been suggested by a number of posters

[NickG]

relevance is we signed the best forward in the league, our player of the season, on 10 August. - when a lot of good players move, not June.

 

Our best signing this season could easily be that sort of time again.

 

'must spend now' is idiotic.

[doddisalegend]

I know many will disagree, but I really believe we have many who'll do very well in this league. Lallana, Chamberlain, Fonte and Guly obviously, although I think Guly will just get better on this stage and surprise people. But beyond that, I think Schneiderlin will continue his improvement, and his calmness on the ball and passing will be as asset at any level.

 

Maybe some of Harding, Davis, Martin, Butterfield, Hammond and Barnard will cut it at this level too. Who knows, stranger things have happened. Signings will help them and provide depth, but let's not panic when we have a promoted side eager to prove itself at this level. Right now I'd fancy our chances at home against any Championship side, and that's without signings. I'd have fancied our chances last season too, because we were a very good side. That's why we beat Blackpool and gave Man Utd a game.

 

But be warned, 0 signings or 10 signings, the Leeds game will be a draw.

 

Surely those three already have cut it at championship level? Deano has played two seasons at championship level for Brighton. My only slight concern is our two main strikers are unproven at this level.

[patred44]

relevance is we signed the best forward in the league, our player of the season, on 10 August. - when a lot of good players move, not June.

 

Our best signing this season could easily be that sort of time again.

 

'must spend now' is idiotic.

I understand what you are saying, but you are ignoring the whole point of this thread.

The reason we must sign players now, if we are to sign them, is because of the new ruling that will be in place next year.

Other clubs, with equal ambitions as us realise this and have stole a march on us.

[NickG]

I also get your point, but there does seem to be some almost child like impatience on this thread / forum that we haven't signed anyone yet. Most transfers are not done until several weeks away, certainly most good players - as they and their clubs know they are in demand and wait for the best deal.

 

If we can sign the best player in the division and biggest signing of our summer on 10 August it shows all best players are not gone.

 

Appreciate your point though.

[benjii]

I understand what you are saying, but you are ignoring the whole point of this thread.

The reason we must sign players now, if we are to sign them, is because of the new ruling that will be in place next year.

Other clubs, with equal ambitions as us realise this and have stole a march on us.

 

When is "next year"?

[alpine_saint]

I dont see the relevance of this post because in 2009 Markus only bought the club in early July and Pardew was only appointed 17 July

 

But now we have a five year plan to get to the PL and I would have thought that planning to bring in new players for this season should have been done sometime ago.

 

Of course I expect we will hear some transfer news in the next few days but if we dont then perhaps the plan is to consolidate in the league this season which has been suggested by a number of posters

 

Yep, you would have thought a 5-year plan includes preparation for the next step every time a milestone has been reached...

[NickG]

do you think they will ignore this window?

 

do you think they are probably in discussion with several clubs / agents?

 

are most good signings made towards the end of the window?

 

do we really need many players?

 

if it is only adding two or three (as I suspect) the gelling issue is not the same - the Lambert example I gave above signed on 10 August, scored for us on 11th and had a great season

 

our squad is quite young and many player should still be some way from their peak and should develop as we move up Morgan, Dickson, Forte, Barnard, Lallana, Holmes, Chamberlain and Chaplow are all likely to have yet to reach their peak.

 

The retained list gave some insight into the manager's plans clearly sees those players as having a role to play.

[Cabrone]

I think it's far too early to be concerned. Cortese will be currently looking at good quality championship\premiership players and being as these are decent players they will probably have several irons in the fire. Duds are easy to buy, we should know - we've bought enough of them down the years.

 

Nothing happens overnight, everyone is dancing around looking for the best deal and this will continue right up to the end of the window. Besides, being as we have a squad that is good enough to perform solidly in the champ I'm not sure why there is so much panic.

 

One thing I do want to see us improve on is our pre-season preparation and our usual rubbish start. It's high time we started a season with a few wins.

[Glasgow_Saint]

I think we will be disappointed with the signings.

[CanadaSaint]

Looking at the expectations out there (transfer fee & wages), the constant leaks, the inflated egos of many of the targets, the competition for players that interest us, and the fact that most of them aren't a major improvement over what we already have, I would be strongly inclined to do most of my shopping outside the country.

 

And I'm not even an Italian former banker who detests leaks, inflated egos and paying too much for things.

[Professor]

relevance is we signed the best forward in the league, our player of the season, on 10 August. - when a lot of good players move, not June.

Our best signing this season could easily be that sort of time again.

'must spend now' is idiotic.

 

This jibe at someone else's opinion suggests there are quite a few idiotic managers in the Championship. Some of them have even been allowed out to manage the England team. As for Nick's other argument that not having signed anyone so far this year is just fine, after all we didn't sign Rickie Lambert until 10 August in 2009, but Nick might have forgotten that in 2009 we didn't have a manager until the end of July and he then moved very quickly. Rumour is we do have a manager now and maybe he's out there competing for the best players but just not getting his man.

[NickG]

no, because they, I am sure, realise when most business is done and won't give up looking in June!

 

It's like little children waiting for Christmas!

 

Its irrelevant to the point that we didn't have a manager until end of July - no, infact it strengthens the point!

 

We didn't have a manager until end of July, but without months of posturing to appease fans by 10 July we signed the best forward in the league.

 

It totally supports the point that there is plenty of time.

[Raging Bull]

I think it's far too early to be concerned. Cortese will be currently looking at good quality championship\premiership players and being as these are decent players they will probably have several irons in the fire. Duds are easy to buy, we should know - we've bought enough of them down the years.

 

Nothing happens overnight, everyone is dancing around looking for the best deal and this will continue right up to the end of the window. Besides, being as we have a squad that is good enough to perform solidly in the champ I'm not sure why there is so much panic.

 

One thing I do want to see us improve on is our pre-season preparation and our usual rubbish start. It's high time we started a season with a few wins.

 

Well said

[Itchen_block4]

I understand what you are saying, but you are ignoring the whole point of this thread.

The reason we must sign players now, if we are to sign them, is because of the new ruling that will be in place next year.

Other clubs, with equal ambitions as us realise this and have stole a march on us.

 

I thought the ruling was to only spend what you turn over on transfers and wages? Only the really big spenders (comparable to their turnover) actually do that. money spent on youth/infrastructure/scoutng/maintenance etc. is exempt. Wages will still fall under the new ruling, so taking advantage of not having the ruling now would require us to find players with large fees and modest wages. They are out there, but it rules out most of the obvious NPC and PL proven players.

[doddisalegend]

The best thing about this thread is I didn't realise how many people were privy to NCs private thoughts..........It doesn't seem to matter whether they're a happy clappy or a wrist slasher they all know what NC is/isn't planning to do.........

Edited 29 June, 2011 by doddisalegend

[NickG]

think its fair to assume he has a plan!

[Saint_clark]

I understand what you are saying, but you are ignoring the whole point of this thread.

The reason we must sign players now, if we are to sign them, is because of the new ruling that will be in place next year.

Other clubs, with equal ambitions as us realise this and have stole a march on us.

 

So the point of this thread is we must buy our big targets this summer rather than next summer - but it doesn't matter whether that's tomorrow or deadline day? That's a lot of wasted arguments on here then.

[NickG]

what about January?

[Saint_clark]

what about January?

 

Good point. We can relax this summer, no need to bring anyone in. Let's just see how the current squad copes in the NPC first.

[doddisalegend]

think its fair to assume he has a plan!

 

But why do people assume they know what it is?

[Crazy Diamond]

Peterborough have had a bid accepted for Sam Baldock. Given the Franchise kept rejecting offers for him, it's going to be a hefty fee for an average player.

 

So. Is that the kind of spending we should emulate?

 

No. No it is not. We should spend when the time is right for us and when a quality player that adds something to the squad becomes available.

[S-Clarke]

Peterborough have had a bid accepted for Sam Baldock. Given the Franchise kept rejecting offers for him, it's going to be a hefty fee for an average player.

 

So. Is that the kind of spending we should emulate?

 

No. No it is not. We should spend when the time is right for us and when a quality player that adds something to the squad becomes available.

 

Absoloutley spot on. There's no point panic buying in June, which is what alot of posters seem to advocate us doing.

[forever a red and white]

i think people are forgetting that its not just buying a player, for instance/example Doncaster may let us have Sharp but they will need to get a replacement too, which will take time in itself.

[alpine_saint]

This jibe at someone else's opinion suggests there are quite a few idiotic managers in the Championship. Some of them have even been allowed out to manage the England team. As for Nick's other argument that not having signed anyone so far this year is just fine, after all we didn't sign Rickie Lambert until 10 August in 2009, but Nick might have forgotten that in 2009 we didn't have a manager until the end of July and he then moved very quickly. Rumour is we do have a manager now and maybe he's out there competing for the best players but just not getting his man.

 

Good post, Prof.

[bunterboy99]

Let's not kid ourselves. No serious money has been spent since the death of Markus. This is more or less the same team from 12 months ago. We are

nowhere near as wealthy as people believe. More seriously, we will struggle to attract players because agents, for all their faults, do not enjoy

dealing with our autocractic executive chairman. Like them or not, agents make the transfer merry-go-round work....and Cortese won't play their

game. As laudable as that might be, the club will suffer in the long run

[alpine_saint]

no, because they, I am sure, realise when most business is done and won't give up looking in June!

 

It's like little children waiting for Christmas!

 

Its irrelevant to the point that we didn't have a manager until end of July - no, infact it strengthens the point!

 

We didn't have a manager until end of July, but without months of posturing to appease fans by 10 July we signed the best forward in the league.

 

It totally supports the point that there is plenty of time.

 

 

You are such a patronising arse.

 

Whats wrong with some us wanting to start the season with a flyer ? We might have been promoted last season, but the pre-season and the start was the usual Saints F**k-Up Special, and because of it promotion went to the wire when most experts were expecting us to win the League and get promoted at a canter back in August.

 

I am not expecting or even desiring promotion or playoffs next season, I would be perfectly happy with mid-table consolidation. But I still think the highest probability of that is having a settled squad, familiar with each other, but also strengthened with a bit more quality to prevent the likes of Walsall away happening again.

[The9]

Thing is, the title of the thread is "we must spend now".

 

We don't necessarily have to spend at all, depending on how the squad adapts (and wins over Ipswich and Blackpool and decent performances against Millwall, Skate Cheats FC, Leeds, Birmingham, Bolton and even Man U for a while in the past two seasons) have all indicated the squad are capable of playing successfully at a higher level.

 

Also, even if we do spend with the intention to strengthen, we don't have to do it "now", because there are 5 weeks before the season starts and 4 months before the loan window does.

[S-Clarke]

You are such a patronising arse.

 

Whats wrong with some us wanting to start the season with a flyer ? We might have been promoted last season, but the pre-season and the start was the usual Saints F**k-Up Special, and because of it promotion went to the wire when most experts were expecting us to win the League and get promoted at a canter back in August.

 

I am not expecting or even desiring promotion or playoffs next season, I would be perfectly happy with mid-table consolidation. But I still think the highest probability of that is having a settled squad, familiar with each other, but also strengthened with a bit more quality to prevent the likes of Walsall away happening again.

 

We already have a very settled squad, with players that are very familier with eachother having been together for the last 2 years. Signing 2 or 3 quality players will not require gelling time, that's just a myth. If they're good enough they're make an impact straight away.

 

It's also still June.

[martel]

I went pretty much every week, and the performances were solid in the whole. We did a professional job on most of the teams we played, even if we only won 1-0 we didn't get caused too many issues in alot of games and most of the time we came out with the higher possesion stats.

 

I appreciated the run we had at the end of the season, it was a promotion winning run of form. Winning games from all sorts of positions, being 2-0 down, winning at the death, winning a game confortably 3-0 etc....

 

We also have Lallana, Morgan, Fonte, Davis, Jaidi, Butterfield, Richardson (probably a few more I can't think of) that have played regularly at championship level.

 

If we can add 2 or 3 more quality players to that group, we'll be fine. We're not coming into this level with a lower league squad, we already have a pretty decent championship basis for a squad.

 

Just chill.

 

I have to agree with that, I remember last year when Roy Keanne said that although in League 1, on paper we were a championship side, I believe the former Brentford manager said it as well this season when we won at Brentford, therefore Adkins has got it right when he said we are looking for a few additions that will strengthen what is a winning side, far better to wait and add quality instead of numbers, plenty of time to go yet as I am sure that Adkins and the chairman talk on a daily basis regarding potential signings.

[scotty]

The thing is, as others have said above, although we were in League 1, we have been busily assembling a side capable of competing in the championship. It would be great to add some more quality to the squad but its not necessarily imperative. Adkins delivered promotion in his first (part) season here, lets wait and see what he thinks we need to do. In Nigel we trust etc etc......