Gary Hooper

[Bearsy]

If we get him, a winger and Lee (with maybe a cb on loan) then this window will have been a major success and we will have pulled out all the stops for promotion regardless of the eventual outcome.

 

If we sign no-one and get promoted then this window will have been a major success.

[beatlesaint]

If we get him, a winger and Lee (with maybe a cb on loan) then this window will have been a major success and we will have pulled out all the stops for promotion regardless of the eventual outcome.

 

With a centre back on loan at the very least I agree with you. Would rather we buy one outright though.

[sandwichsaint]

Totally agree and that's the angle I would have thought NC would be taking, plus there's obviously the NA connection.

 

Hooper can play in Scotland infront of massive (home) crowds and get the adulation for banging them in week after week against modest opposition but if he has ambition - and I assume he has be accepting Celtic in the first place - he's going to want to play in the PL.

 

Celtic\Rangers are big clubs - no one is denying that - but they will be forever stunted in a league that they have easily outgrown.

 

I also agree on the 2nd point, I'd love to see Rangers and Celtic come into the English leagues, maybe at Champ level. I think they'd add a bit of extra spice.

 

I'd also love to see a team from Dublin created and entered into the English leagues.

 

I think they would get massive support + it would make for some very colourful away games.

 

You mean a sort of Frankenstein 'Dublin-Franchise-Dons' type set up?

 

You mean just make up a team with no basis in reality, no tradition, no history, no fans; then base them in another country, and then invite them over to take one of the places in the league that we are all busting a gut to get into?

 

Why would you want to do that?

 

If we are that desperate for a bit of fake glamour and a weekend awayday maybe we should just invite ParisSG into the Premier League, that makes about as much sense.

[Dig Dig]

Well obviously. I wrote it. Do you disagree that that would not represent a major success? Or are you just replying because I was the one that wrote something?

 

A success would be getting in the right players as identified by the management without distrupting the ethos and harmony within the squad. Not what some sad gob****e on a football forum considers successful.

 

We are top scorers in the league and our two strikers are in the top 5 scorers in the league....so I don't see the need to sign two more strikers. More important is getting the midfield dynamic back which has been one of the biggest reasons for our success to date. This, IMO is more essential than the transfer window.

[hypochondriac]

If we sign no-one and get promoted then this window will have been a major success.

 

However, the likelihood of promotion will be substantially increased IMO with these acquisitions.

[Saint Garrett]

I think we'll struggle to get promoted if we sign nobody to be honest. Think we'll run out of steam and we haven't got huge strength in depth have we. Would absolutely LOVE it if we were to sign Hooper although I can't see it happening personally. Would show huge ambition and be a huge statement of intent. Need a few players in though to increase our chances of being in the top 2 by May though.

[RobM]

However, the likelihood of promotion will be substantially increased IMO with these acquisitions.

 

Which I'm sure was the point in your earlier post that seemed to go right over some heads... I agree with you, with acquisitions like this and Lee, a CB (loan is fine with me, I can't think of many CB's available to us that could happily support us in the Prem too) and some wide pace added to the wings, we would have everything we need to continue our promotion push. Sure, promotion without any of this is still a possibility and would be a success, but doing this means we have invested in this potential and supported ourselves properly. Not doing it is a risk, IMO.

[hypochondriac]

Which I'm sure was the point in your earlier post that seemed to go right over some heads... I agree with you, with acquisitions like this and Lee, a CB (loan is fine with me, I can't think of many CB's available to us that could happily support us in the Prem too) and some wide pace added to the wings, we would have everything we need to continue our promotion push. Sure, promotion without any of this is still a possibility and would be a success, but doing this means we have invested in this potential and supported ourselves properly. Not doing it is a risk, IMO.

 

Which is what I have been saying for a while (and Adkins actually agrees if you listen to his interview on Saturday.) I really do think that some people just decide to have a problem with some of what I post purely because it was me who said it.

Edited 10 January, 2012 by hypochondriac

[Bearsy]

I think we'll struggle to get promoted if we sign nobody to be honest. Think we'll run out of steam and we haven't got huge strength in depth have we. Would absolutely LOVE it if we were to sign Hooper although I can't see it happening personally. Would show huge ambition and be a huge statement of intent. Need a few players in though to increase our chances of being in the top 2 by May though.

 

I wonder if it's crossed Cortese's mind that with us being top of the league halfway through the season, maybe he doesn't need to take the risk of spending big? Hence this Lee chap rather than Sharp or Rhodes or whoever else is flavour of the month.

[hypochondriac]

I wonder if it's crossed Cortese's mind that with us being top of the league halfway through the season, maybe he doesn't need to take the risk of spending big? Hence this Lee chap rather than Sharp or Rhodes or whoever else is flavour of the month.

 

That isn't the plan if you listened to Adkins on Saturday. I hope the relegation form of the last month has convinced Cortese (if he wasn't already convinced) of the need to strengthen.

[dubai_phil]

I wonder if it's crossed Cortese's mind that with us being top of the league halfway through the season, maybe he doesn't need to take the risk of spending big? Hence this Lee chap rather than Sharp or Rhodes or whoever else is flavour of the month.

 

Equally

 

Maybe the entire backroom staff at Saints believe that lee is BETTER than Sharp or Rhodes

[Joensuu]

If we get him, a winger and Lee (with maybe a cb on loan) then this window will have been a major success and we will have pulled out all the stops for promotion regardless of the eventual outcome.

 

IMO, this would be too many new players. It might just work if we permanently lost Dickson, Holmes etc, but 4 new players (possibly on big saleries), stands a change of unsettling the dressing room.

 

I would rate getting Hooper alone as having had a "major success" of a window...

[hypochondriac]

Equally

 

Maybe the entire backroom staff at Saints believe that lee is BETTER than Sharp or Rhodes

 

But then also we have been linked to Hooper, possibly suggesting that the staff believe that an additional striker is needed and Lee was always going to be signed whatever else we did in the window?

[hypochondriac]

IMO, this would be too many new players. It might just work if we permanently lost Dickson, Holmes etc, but 4 new players (possibly on big saleries), stands a change of unsettling the dressing room.

 

I would rate getting Hooper alone as having had a "major success" of a window...

 

Well that is two strikers, I really think we would need a winger as well, especially when Puncheon goes. If nothing else it stops us playing three CMs in a four man midfield which quite often leaves us unbalanced.

[Monk]

But then also we have been linked to Hooper, possibly suggesting that the staff believe that an additional striker is needed and Lee was always going to be signed whatever else we did in the window?

 

That has always been my understanding, two strikers have always been needed.

[Bearsy]

That isn't the plan if you listened to Adkins on Saturday. I hope the relegation form of the last month has convinced Cortese (if he wasn't already convinced) of the need to strengthen.

 

It sounded to me like he gave nothing away. We may sign a loan, or a small signing or a major signing, or three signings or none or whatever. We may spend big or, frankly we may not. We haven't been taking many big risks since NC came in, IMO most of the signings have represented pretty obvious value for money: Fonte, Chaplow, Harding even Lambert, Fox & Cork (our 3 biggest signings?) didn't strike me as extravagant.

 

I'm not criticising, I advised NC in the summer not to pay more than £3m for anyone to play in the Championship.

[hypochondriac]

It sounded to me like he gave nothing away. We may sign a loan, or a small signing or a major signing, or three signings or none or whatever. We may spend big or, frankly we may not. We haven't been taking many big risks since NC came in, IMO most of the signings have represented pretty obvious value for money: Fonte, Chaplow, Harding even Lambert, Fox & Cork (our 3 biggest signings?) didn't strike me as extravagant.

 

I'm not criticising, I advised NC in the summer not to pay more than £3m for anyone to play in the Championship.

 

Pretty sure he said they were dfetermined to use the window to go for promotion (or words to that effect) happy to be proven wrong though, I will have to listen to the interview again.

[Window Cleaner]

even Lambert, Fox & Cork (our 3 biggest signings?) didn't strike me as extravagant.

 

I'm not criticising, I advised NC in the summer not to pay more than £3m for anyone to play in the Championship.

 

Jos would have cost us more than any of those 3

 

Cork,Fox,De Ridder,Hooieveld.......6/7 million £ of anyone's money.

[Saint Garrett]

Jos would have cost us more than any of those 3

 

Cork,Fox,De Ridder,Hooieveld.......6/7 million £ of anyone's money.

 

+ Fonte who was purchased from a league above for £1.2m which is a ridiculous fee for a team in L1.

[Bearsy]

Jos would have cost us more than any of those 3

 

Cork,Fox,De Ridder,Hooieveld.......6/7 million £ of anyone's money.

 

Yeah good lump of wedge, would seem a shift in policy to me if they spunked the same again on one player though.

[RobM]

I'm not criticising, I advised NC in the summer not to pay more than £3m for anyone to play in the Championship.

 

Am I reading that right? You're an advisor to NC? You're giving NC advise on how to run a football club?

[Bearsy]

+ Fonte who was purchased from a league above for £1.2m which is a ridiculous fee for a team in L1.

 

Not a ridiculous fee for a club of our size to spend on a proven Championship defender though. Value for money, IMO.

[Bearsy]

Am I reading that right? You're an advisor to NC? You're giving NC advise on how to run a football club?

 

Yeah I posted it on here. I'm pretty sure he must have read it because he went on to not spend more than £3m on anyone to play in the Championship.

[pap]

Yeah I posted it on here. I'm pretty sure he must have read it because he went on to not spend more than £3m on anyone to play in the Championship.

 

Good enough for me.

[Chez]

With a centre back on loan at the very least I agree with you. Would rather we buy one outright though.

if Jaidi is back in training is there a need to bring in another CB. OK so Jaidi is long in the tooth, but he was young enough to get a contract in the summer so NA trusted he could do a job this season so he is still going to trust him. We have four centre backs plus Cork if we are really desperate. I think we'll wait till the summer to bring in a CB. NA hasn't denied Commons link so we are clearly in for a wideman and a striker.

[Saint Garrett]

Didn't NA say he wasn't in for Commons in his interview after the Cov game ?

[MOSaint]

Didn't NA say he wasn't in for Commons in his interview after the Cov game ?

 

I think he said that it was unlikely to happen.

[Avenue Saint]

Didn't NA say he wasn't in for Commons in his interview after the Cov game ?

 

He did say it wasn't happening.

[NickG]

personally (unless Jaidi is very unlikely to be needed if called upon) don't think CB is anywhere near priority.

[ericb]

if Jaidi is back in training is there a need to bring in another CB

 

Yes Jaidi is nowhere near good enough for what we want to achieve. He's slow and suspect with the ball at his feet. Ok he's got one hell of a header on him and you can't fault his attitude but he's just not good enough, in fact i hold the unpopular view that he probably wasn't good enough in league one with the exception of a few games (Brighton comes to mind).

[Chez]

I think he said that it was unlikely to happen.

which means he is after a wide man.

[Saint Garrett]

Yes Jaidi is nowhere near good enough for what we want to achieve. He's slow and suspect with the ball at his feet. Ok he's got one hell of a header on him and you can't fault his attitude but he's just not good enough, in fact i hold the unpopular view that he probably wasn't good enough in league one with the exception of a few games (Brighton comes to mind).

I get my head bitten off for this all the time. but i totally agree with you, He's a liability, and I won't be confident at all if I see him on the team sheet this season. Would rather Harlee Dean got a run out before Jaidi.

[landford.saint]

I get my head bitten off for this all the time. but i totally agree with you, He's a liability, and I won't be confident at all if I see him on the team sheet this season. Would rather Harlee Dean got a run out before Jaidi.

 

+ 1

[Chez]

Yes Jaidi is nowhere near good enough for what we want to achieve. He's slow and suspect with the ball at his feet. Ok he's got one hell of a header on him and you can't fault his attitude but he's just not good enough, in fact i hold the unpopular view that he probably wasn't good enough in league one with the exception of a few games (Brighton comes to mind).

that's not a view I share. He had a great season. He's also a much better player with the ball than given credit for. He's no Moore, but he makes decent decisions and keeps things simple.

 

By the way he was instrumental in getting Brum promoted three seasons back and his legs aren't much worse now than they were then. He's slow, as he was then, but he can still do a job if two CB's get injured. And that is the point, two players need to get injured for him to come in. He's a bloody great 4th choice CB and against Henderson in the cup (if Millwall go through) I'd pick him without a second thought (if fit).

[Sour Mash]

I get my head bitten off for this all the time. but i totally agree with you, He's a liability, and I won't be confident at all if I see him on the team sheet this season. Would rather Harlee Dean got a run out before Jaidi.

Genuine question. How many minute of football have you seen Harlee Dean play?

[ericb]

that's not a view I share. He had a great season. He's also a much better player with the ball than given credit for.

 

That's fine i realise it's not a popular view amongst many at st mary's but i'm just saying it as i see it. He reminds me of "old school" center backs (and i don't mean that as a good thing). In my opinion his reading of the game isn't great and his first touch and distribution is woeful.

 

Also the speed issue will keep the whole team further back and given we don't have enough pace up front that's a seriously worrying thought.

 

To me he's a great guy and a cult hero but just not really good enough. Give him a talismanic role by all means, club captain or something, but let's keep him away from the pitch and actually aim to improve as a club.

[Saint Garrett]

Genuine question. How many minute of football have you seen Harlee Dean play?

Zero but heard he is doing extremely well at Brentford. He can't be much worse than Jaidi would be.

[Chez]

That's fine i realise it's not a popular view amongst many at st mary's but i'm just saying it as i see it. He reminds me of "old school" center backs (and i don't mean that as a good thing). In my opinion his reading of the game isn't great and his first touch and distribution is woeful.

 

Also the speed issue will keep the whole team further back and given we don't have enough pace up front that's a seriously worrying thought.

 

To me he's a great guy and a cult hero but just not really good enough. Give him a talismanic role by all means, club captain or something, but let's keep him away from the pitch and actually aim to improve as a club.

I don't think our opinions are all that far apart, I mean I don't for a minute think he's a classy player on the ball, has any pace or would improve the side. But this idea that he didn't play well last season and contribute to our promotion is ********. He was immense. Forwards are different at this level. Hardly any sides have a big oaf, so he's not needed, but Henderson is exactly the sort of striker we might need him to play against. Harley Dean or Jaidi in that particular game? Easy choice in my mind. If Jaidi is fit then NA will spend the money on a wideman and a striker no a CB.

[ericb]

But this idea that he didn't play well last season and contribute to our promotion is ********. He was immense

 

Actually agree he contributed, and at vital times too, but still think we'd have been a better team last season with another center back. Not of course that that really matters since we went up.

 

As for Harley Dean, **** knows what he's like i've never seen him and as everyone can see football forums aren't exactly the hotbed of rational thought and [for the most part] reasoned informed opinions on footballers or teams.

[Sour Mash]

Zero but heard he is doing extremely well at Brentford. He can't be much worse than Jaidi would be.

Fair play for your honesty, I would have lied rather than appearing to be one of those posters that picks players at random based on a couple of quotes on a message board.

[Saint Garrett]

Well...I think it just shows how much I don't rate Jaidi in all honesty...

[Chin Strain]

Is this still the Gary Hooper thread?

[Saint Garrett]

Is this still the Gary Hooper thread?

Apologies....Yeah, I think we should sign him !

[The Cat]

It's only worth buying a centre back now if a decent player becomes available at reasonable price as I think we have enough cover to last the season. Yes it's possible that Hooiveld and Fonte could both break a leg but as we've seen in the Premiership there are top clubs who don't have a wealth of talent in certain positions.

 

I've seen Harlee Dean play a few times. Firstly as a midfielder and twice as a CB this pre season. Always hard to judge from those games (one of which was Eastleigh when we were 3 down in no time) but he appeared strong and composed. Decent on the ball for a CB which I guess is to be expected if he started as a midfielder.

 

The reviews he's been getting at Brentford just go to show how much a player can benefit from regular playing time out on loan.

[doddisalegend]

that's not a view I share. He had a great season. He's also a much better player with the ball than given credit for. He's no Moore, but he makes decent decisions and keeps things simple.

 

By the way he was instrumental in getting Brum promoted three seasons back and his legs aren't much worse now than they were then. He's slow, as he was then, but he can still do a job if two CB's get injured. And that is the point, two players need to get injured for him to come in. He's a bloody great 4th choice CB and against Henderson in the cup (if Millwall go through) I'd pick him without a second thought (if fit).

 

+ 1

[Crowds]

Zero but heard he is doing extremely well at Brentford. He can't be much worse than Jaidi would be.

 

Including the OG he scored the otherday ?

[CB Fry]

Hooper Loopy

Nuts are we

Them and us and them and me

He'll show you what he can do with a football ball and the s'fampton crew

Score a goal and screw back

Gary Hooper on the attack

Hooper Loopy nuts are we

We're all Hooper loopy

 

If we actually do sign him I'll sing it on my own. Actually, no I won't.

[alpine_saint]

Hooper Loopy

Nuts are we

Them and us and them and me

He'll show you what he can do with a football ball and the s'fampton crew

Score a goal and screw back

Gary Hooper on the attack

Hooper Loopy nuts are we

We're all Hooper loopy

 

If we actually do sign him I'll sing it on my own. Actually, no I won't.

 

Oh, go on...

[latter day saint]

Hooper Loopy

Nuts are we

Them and us and them and me

He'll show you what he can do with a football ball and the s'fampton crew

Score a goal and screw back

Gary Hooper on the attack

Hooper Loopy nuts are we

We're all Hooper loopy

 

If we actually do sign him I'll sing it on my own. Actually, no I won't.

you had a shandy tonight ?

[Glasgow_Saint]

Seen Hooper play a couple of times, looks a great player.... Has same attributes as me (before my injury) quick, strong, skill and eye for goal!