New 5 year Plan

[This Charming Man]

No argument here with the point that they will always be better off than us financially, but I wouldn't overestimate how much their "massive global fan base" actually generates for them. Many of them never spend a penny that actually ends up in the big clubs' bank accounts.

 

And they can't sign all the best youngsters, can they? If anyone has proved that point over a number of years, it's us.

 

And, as stev2001 said in the post right below yours, Arsenal are doing it the right way - just as we will.

 

So you're now comparing us to Arsenal and think we'd be able to reach a level similar to them within 5 years?

[CanadaSaint]

So you're now comparing us to Arsenal and think we'd be able to reach a level similar to them within 5 years?

 

Don't misrepresent what I said to justify your own viewpoint. I said that Arsenal are doing it the right way, just as we will. I didn't say we'd hit the same heights but that we'd follow a similar path. Who knows where it will take us? But I'm optimistic, you're deeply sceptical to the point of being cynical. That sums up the thread, really.

[Wes Tender]

My geography is better than your grasp on reality. I live in the East Mids so well aware who is near who and it is utterly irrelevent.

 

If it was Forest in the top four their potential base of fans - actual PEOPLE not swathes of forest - would be easily as big as Saints. Regardless of Derby or Notts County, or Notts Cricket Club or Nottingham Panthers Ice Hockey team. Won't matter a jot.

 

This super mega sized catchment that Saints have is a complete work of fiction perpetuated by spanners like you.

 

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Tapatalk 2

 

It is plainly you that is the spanner if you think that a catchment area has little to do with indeed any sort of enterprise, let alone football. And unless it had escaped your notice, we are not talking about the crowds that Nottingham Forest might attract if they were in the top four; they aren't even in the Premiership and not even above Derby. We are in the Premiership and the Skates will hopefully cease to exist even in the third division. So apart from Brighton who have a stadium of reasonable capacity and who aren't doing too badly, and the Skates' hardcore support of around 10,000 (optimistic), there is not much worth supporting if one wishes to see top quality football played by a Southern-based team, apart from us.

 

Presumably you have heard the name "Solent City"? Well, we're right in the middle of it. You go on believing that it doesn't make any difference if you like, but it doesn't make you look like like somebody with a decent grasp of reality.

[david in sweden]

When our owners invest £500m-1b then I'll start to believe, until then it is and always will be a pipe dream. QUOTE]

 

reading your many contrubutions on here I'm not sure what it is you don't believe ?

lots of people seem to be unfavouably comparing us to Chelsea, Man City etc, but it doesn't always need £100's of millions to get a good side together.

 

Once in a generation... a side of relatively home grown players turns up ..Man Utd have done it TWICE. The fateful 1958 side included many of their former youth side, and later Brian Cloughs sides were often good club players, regularly enhanced by a new "big signing " here and there... and the late 1990-2000+ Man utd side again....with players like; Beckham, Butt, Scholes, Giggs, and the Neville brothers all came through the MU junior sides.

 

I don't have my crystal ball next to me at present, but I don't think it beyond possibility that (especially with new PL rules about " home-growns ") that a club (why not Saints?) could put together a squad capable of challenging for Europe each season, without having to lay out £100 million a year to achieve it.

Edited 8 May, 2012 by david in sweden

[Legod Third Coming]

So what's this other promise? Or have you no idea?

 

Jesus - we had this discussion about how early you must get up to be this dense before I think...

 

So, for the hard of thinking.

 

1. Cortese promised Premiership football in five years. He delivered in three. It only took three because he had to fire a manager who failed to deliver promotion in his first year in charge (instead, choosing to prioritise silverware). Many fans would have found a plan of Premiership football in three years unthinkable when Adkins took over. Many, many fans were on here saying stability in the Championship then push on... Not your Chairman. He told you he was aiming to win the league and but for David Norris's left foot, we would have...

 

2. If the same Chairman now unveils a five year plan which includes challenging for Champion's League status in five years, you (and others, many) will say he has no credibility. Why? He will know exactly what is required and will have a plan in place for it.

[CanadaSaint]

I offer the words of noted journalist Sydney J. Harris:

 

A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future.

[Saint George]

If NC say's he's aiming for Champions League soccer within 5 years then he clearly believes that's achievable and that's good enough for me......I mean, it's not like he's not 100% aware of the resources he'll have at his disposal......Unlike the ***hats on here, blindly trying to pin the tail on a donkey wandering around the field at St Mary's.

 

But hey!...y'all know how to run a Soccer Club way better than our back to back promotion winning Chairman. As has been so aptly demonstrated so many times on here.

 

Happy days peeps

[Wes Tender]

I asked Wes Tender that question earlier in the thread and he said he thought they were equally likely You've got to wonder how many are on a wind up, I can't take them seriously.

 

Wes Tender:-

 

Well, that's a tight one to call. Personally, I am of the opinion that because of the financial levelling of the playing field, there is a good chance that we could equal our previous tenure of 27 years in the Premiership. If you broadened the argument as to whether there was more chance of relegation than Champions League football sometime in the future, I'd be disposed to believe that we would achieve Champions League football first.

 

So as usual, either your comprehension of the English language is poor, or your memory of what I said is poor, or else you deliberately misquote others to suit your position. And I wouldn't be the only one to accuse you of that, would I? To help you, I've highlighted the relevant part that qualifies my point. If you still miscomprehend, I'm afraid that I can't make it any simpler.

[S-Clarke]

reading your many contrubutions on here I'm not sure what it is you don't believe ?

lots of people seem to be unfavouably comparing us to Chelsea, Man City etc, but it doesn't always need £100's of millions to get a good side together.

 

Once in a generation... a side of relatively home grown players turns up ..Man Utd have done it TWICE. The fateful 1958 side included many of their former youth side, and later Brian Cloughs sides were often good club players, regularly enhanced by a new "big signing " here and there... and the late 1990-2000+ Man utd side again....with players like; Beckham, Butt, Scholes, Giggs, and the Neville brothers all came through the MU junior sides.

 

I don't have my crystal ball next to me at present, but I don't think it beyond possibility that (especially with new PL rules about " home-growns ") that a club (why not Saints?) could put together a squad capable of challenging for Europe each season, without having to lay out £100 million a year to achieve it.

 

David - I don't believe that it is a realistic short-term target to be aiming for Champions League football. If it is to become a realistic target we will need to spend some insane amount of money, which Nicola and co haven't shown any intention of doing so far.

 

Their plan is to build a sustainable football club, built on the foundations of it's youth and development setup. This is to stop us needing to spend £30m on new players, as we'd develop our own.

 

We have owners that have a bit of money, but they're not the sort that will just throw it. We will build a club that can stand on it's own 2 feet and not rely on the injections of sugardadys, and who knows what can happen in a decade or so - in the short-term though, I don't believe anything above mid-table is a realistic target.

[Sour Mash]

So as usual, either your comprehension of the English language is poor, or your memory of what I said is poor, or else you deliberately misquote others to suit your position. And I wouldn't be the only one to accuse you of that, would I? To help you, I've highlighted the relevant part that qualifies my point. If you still miscomprehend, I'm afraid that I can't make it any simpler.

Ok, I'll ask again, do you think it is more likely that we would be relegated or play Champions League football in the next 5 years? Simple question.

[doddisalegend]

If NC say's he's aiming for Champions League soccer within 5 years then he clearly believes that's achievable and that's good enough for me......I mean, it's not like he's not 100% aware of the resources he'll have at his disposal......Unlike the ***hats on here, blindly trying to pin the tail on a donkey wandering around the field at St Mary's.

 

But hey!...y'all know how to run a Soccer Club way better than our back to back promotion winning Chairman. As has been so aptly demonstrated so many times on here.

 

Happy days peeps

 

What are you an American? it's football FFS.....

[Sour Mash]

Jesus - we had this discussion about how early you must get up to be this dense before I think...

 

So, for the hard of thinking.

 

1. Cortese promised Premiership football in five years. He delivered in three. It only took three because he had to fire a manager who failed to deliver promotion in his first year in charge (instead, choosing to prioritise silverware). Many fans would have found a plan of Premiership football in three years unthinkable when Adkins took over. Many, many fans were on here saying stability in the Championship then push on... Not your Chairman. He told you he was aiming to win the league and but for David Norris's left foot, we would have...

 

2. If the same Chairman now unveils a five year plan which includes challenging for Champion's League status in five years, you (and others, many) will say he has no credibility. Why? He will know exactly what is required and will have a plan in place for it.

So there is no promise of Champions League football from Cortese that you know of?

 

And you equate getting a club of Southampton's size promoted from League One to the Premier League as an achievement on a par with getting that same sized club into the Champions LEague? I wonder if Norwich fans are having the same conversation? They're a bit inbred in that part of the world, but they're not that odd.

[Lord Duckhunter]

NC has not put a foot wrong with any football decisions since he joined the Club. From getting rid of Wotte, through to employing Nigel, he's been sure fotted and right every time. Therefore, I have trust in his judgement and his ambitions.

 

CL is obviously a bit of a pipe dream, but what's the harm in aiming high. There's no reason that we could not be a Fulham or Stoke in 3 years time, no chance of relegation and pushing for a cup or an Europa League spot each year. Pushing on from there looks unlikely, but who knows what's round the corner. I dont think anyone is saying we will be a top 4 team, year in year out. But there's no reason why we couldn't do a Newcastle or Everton one year and overachieve and get close. Who would have thought Newcastle under Mike ashly could have done so well after selling Nolan and Carrol (and yes I know they're a bigger club than us).

 

Provided we're quiet about it and dont embarress ourselves, I think it's good that our Chairman wants to aim for the top.

[Legod Third Coming]

David - I don't believe that it is a realistic short-term target to be aiming for Champions League football. If it is to become a realistic target we will need to spend some insane amount of money, which Nicola and co haven't shown any intention of doing so far.

 

Their plan is to build a sustainable football club, built on the foundations of it's youth and development setup. This is to stop us needing to spend £30m on new players, as we'd develop our own.

 

We have owners that have a bit of money, but they're not the sort that will just throw it. We will build a club that can stand on it's own 2 feet and not rely on the injections of sugardadys, and who knows what can happen in a decade or so - in the short-term though, I don't believe anything above mid-table is a realistic target.

 

I disagree.

 

We have spent big - £1m on Lambert (trebled his wages) and £1.5m on Fonte for a League One club? We were, in the summer of 2009 or 10 (my memory is terrible), the tenth biggest spenders in the UK...

 

What you are saying is we have not seen evidence yet, but then you don't see evidence of a parachute on the way up the steps to climb aboard the aircraft either... It doesn't mean it isn't there and/or won't be used.

 

Second, the idea of a sustainable football club that does not buy players is not tenable. Every club (especially Barcelona on whom we are most closely modelled on everything you hear from the Chairman and Manager) buys players AS WELL AS bringing through their own. And selling some is also inevitable - how did United service their debt? £80m for Ronaldo thanks... Every business has cash flow 'moments'...in my bitter experience.

 

There are virtually no football clubs that 'live within their means'. This is the same as any business. They might make a 'profit' on paper, it does not mean they don't have several hundred million of borrowing or a hole the size of Iceland in the pension fund...

 

What it means for football clubs is that they can service their debt.

 

Now, I confess I know very little about the Fair Play rules except a) I don't like them in principal and b) life always finds a way...

 

But if we are to stay in the Premiership, let alone challenge there will - unless football changes beyond all recognition - be a requirement to buy players. There isn't a club in the world to my knowledge fielding a team of players all of whom are home-grown - but I stand to be corrected!

Edited 8 May, 2012 by Legod Third Coming

[Sour Mash]

When our owners invest £500m-1b then I'll start to believe, until then it is and always will be a pipe dream. QUOTE]

 

reading your many contrubutions on here I'm not sure what it is you don't believe ?

lots of people seem to be unfavouably comparing us to Chelsea, Man City etc, but it doesn't always need £100's of millions to get a good side together.

 

Once in a generation... a side of relatively home grown players turns up ..Man Utd have done it TWICE. The fateful 1958 side included many of their former youth side, and later Brian Cloughs sides were often good club players, regularly enhanced by a new "big signing " here and there... and the late 1990-2000+ Man utd side again....with players like; Beckham, Butt, Scholes, Giggs, and the Neville brothers all came through the MU junior sides.

 

I don't have my crystal ball next to me at present, but I don't think it beyond possibility that (especially with new PL rules about " home-growns ") that a club (why not Saints?) could put together a squad capable of challenging for Europe each season, without having to lay out £100 million a year to achieve it.

Phew, thankfully you aren't comparing us to Man City or Chelsea.....instead only referencing probably the two greatest teams ever in English football built out of homegrown talent. If only you'd said that earlier, I'm with you all the way on that! Can you tell me more about all the money we're going to make out of package deals from the far east coming to St Marys (sorry that should be our new 60k 'Cortese Arena'), I liked that idea as well.

Edited 8 May, 2012 by Sour Mash

[Legod Third Coming]

So there is no promise of Champions League football from Cortese that you know of?

 

And you equate getting a club of Southampton's size promoted from League One to the Premier League as an achievement on a par with getting that same sized club into the Champions LEague? I wonder if Norwich fans are having the same conversation? They're a bit inbred in that part of the world, but they're not that odd.

 

No - who has claimed there is?

 

And no, who said that? If you cannot read and think, there are myriad schools you should be thinking about enrolling in rather than being on here...

[Sour Mash]

No - who has claimed there is?

 

And no, who said that? If you cannot read and think, there are myriad schools you should be thinking about enrolling in rather than being on here...

As quoted above, you referred to a 2nd Cortese promise, something currently that only exists in your imagination.

 

You were equating them as comparable achievements, if we can do one, we can do the other. If you get confused by simple arguments, there aren't a myriad of schools that can help you I'm afraid (public or otherwise....)

[S-Clarke]

I disagree.

 

We have spent big - £1m on Lambert (trebled his wages) and £1.5m on Fonte for a League One club? We were, in the summer of 2009 or 10 (my memory is terrible), the tenth biggest spenders in the UK...

 

What you are saying is we have not seen evidence yet, but then you don't see evidence of a parachute on the way up the steps to climb aboard the aircraft either... It doesn't mean it isn't there and/or won't be used.

 

Second, the idea of a sustainable football club that does not buy players is not tenable. Every club (especially Barcelona on whom we are most closely modelled on everything you hear from the Chairman and Manager) buys players AS WELL AS bringing through their own. And selling some is also inevitable - how did United service their debt? £80m for Ronaldo thanks... Every business has cash flow 'moments'...in my bitter experience.

 

There are virtually no football clubs that 'live within their means'. This is the same as any business. They might make a 'profit' on paper, it does not mean they don't have several hundred million of borrowing or a hole the size of Iceland in the pension fund...

 

What it means for football clubs is that they can service their debt.

 

Now, I confess I know very little about the Fair Play rules except a) I don't like them in principal and b) life always finds a way...

 

But if we are to stay in the Premiership, let alone challenge there will - unless football changes beyond all recognition - be a requirement to buy players. There isn't a club in the world to my knowledge fielding a team of players all of whom are home-grown - but I stand to be corrected!

 

Spending 1m on Lambert and 1.5m on Fonte does not suggest that we will spend the hundreds of millions required to push for the top 4.

 

In fact, apart from the opening flurry in January 2010 I'd say our spending has been pretty modest - which has 'frustrated' some fans.

 

I agree that you can't build a club without spending money as well, but I cannot see us making up the short-full required to hit the level of the clubs being referred to in here. It just not going to happen.

[CB Fry]

It is plainly you that is the spanner if you think that a catchment area has little to do with indeed any sort of enterprise, let alone football. And unless it had escaped your notice, we are not talking about the crowds that Nottingham Forest might attract if they were in the top four; they aren't even in the Premiership and not even above Derby. We are in the Premiership and the Skates will hopefully cease to exist even in the third division. So apart from Brighton who have a stadium of reasonable capacity and who aren't doing too badly, and the Skates' hardcore support of around 10,000 (optimistic), there is not much worth supporting if one wishes to see top quality football played by a Southern-based team, apart from us.

 

Presumably you have heard the name "Solent City"? Well, we're right in the middle of it. You go on believing that it doesn't make any difference if you like, but it doesn't make you look like like somebody with a decent grasp of reality.

 

Why are people from Chichester or Wells or Weymouth or Hastings going to support us. South-ness? And I thought we were talking about us being top four hence the Forest example. So you're saying this mega catchment is applicable now?

 

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Tapatalk 2

[david in sweden]

Phew, thankfully you aren't comparing us to Man City or Chelsea.....instead only referencing probably the two greatest teams ever in English football built out of homegrown talent. If only you'd said that earlier, I'm with you all the way on that!

Can you tell me more about all the money we're going to make out of package deals from the far east coming to St Marys (sorry that should be our new 60k 'Cortese Arena'), I liked that idea as well.

 

 

That was a spontaneous tongue-in-cheek comment, and I don't think we'll make millions out of that one, but it's popular for Swedes to spend a long weekend in London - doing Knightsbridge on Fridays and Stamford Bridge or the Emirates on Saturdays.

 

If we get Japanese flying in to watch Chung play at SMS ..we can always put them in the visitors end ..they'll never know the difference.

 

...but I do think it possible to build a good team on the backs of a superior youth squad, provided you support them with a few top class buys every season.

Edited 8 May, 2012 by david in sweden

[Legod Third Coming]

As quoted above, you referred to a 2nd Cortese promise, something currently that only exists in your imagination.

 

You were equating them as comparable achievements, if we can do one, we can do the other. If you get confused by simple arguments, there aren't a myriad of schools that can help you I'm afraid (public or otherwise....)

 

Achieving a plan is achieving a plan. What makes you think that an internationally renowned banker does not comprehend that difference in complexity between them.

 

Nowhere have I referred to anything other than the Chairman's promise to deliver a five year plan, which he achieved in three.

 

So 100% of the evidence to date is that the Chairman understands how to deliver on his promise. What he may or may not promise to deliver in future is a wholly unknown.

 

What you seem to be saying is that if he promises Champion's League football in five years he has no ability to deliver it. In fact, you are saying that YOU know how hard it is while he has no comprehension.

[Sour Mash]

 

What you seem to be saying is that if he promises Champion's League football in five years he has no ability to deliver it. In fact, you are saying that YOU know how hard it is while he has no comprehension.

I haven't said that at all have I? You are finding this confusing aren't you.

[david in sweden]

David - I don't believe that it is a realistic short-term target to be aiming for Champions League football. If it is to become a realistic target we will need to spend some insane amount of money, which Nicola and co haven't shown any intention of doing so far.

 

Their plan is to build a sustainable football club, built on the foundations of it's youth and development setup. This is to stop us needing to spend £30m on new players, as we'd develop our own.

We have owners that have a bit of money, but they're not the sort that will just throw it. We will build a club that can stand on it's own 2 feet and not rely on the injections of sugar daddys, and who knows what can happen in a decade or so - in the short-term though, I don't believe anything above mid-table is a realistic target.

 

I don't think I said that either - did I ?

....that was something in Nicola Cortese's interview ..e-mail him and tell him it's not possible.

 

Like you I do think we will do better than survive, and midtable is possible - (even with some of this squad and a few new names,) but it will take quite a lot of changes ..and a few years to be able to... " do a Newcastle " with what we have now ...IMO.

[Wes Tender]

Ok, I'll ask again, do you think it is more likely that we would be relegated or play Champions League football in the next 5 years? Simple question.

 

By OK, do you mean that you agree that you misread/miscomprehended/forgot what my answer was? I said that it was a tight one to call. It depends on a lot of factors that none of us are privy to the answers for. Why just because you ask the question again, would I now all of a sudden be in a position to be able to offer a different opinion?

[Legod Third Coming]

Spending 1m on Lambert and 1.5m on Fonte does not suggest that we will spend the hundreds of millions required to push for the top 4. It suggest we understand that spnding money is required to achieve success. Nothing more and nothing less.

 

In fact, apart from the opening flurry in January 2010 I'd say our spending has been pretty modest - which has 'frustrated' some fans. Modest enough for a double promotion. Manchester United's spending was modest by comparison to Chelsea for the past five years, it doesn't bear a direct correlation to the trophy cabinet...

 

I agree that you can't build a club without spending money as well, but I cannot see us making up the short-full required to hit the level of the clubs being referred to in here. It just not going to happen. Today, nor can anyone. It does not mean it is not possible. To say it is not going to happen it to predict a future about which you have no evidence either way. How do you know we are not up for sale for £85m to a Chinese company with desires for a footing in the Premier League to launch a European expansion...

 

Answers/thoughts in bold...

[Sour Mash]

By OK, do you mean that you agree that you misread/miscomprehended/forgot what my answer was? I said that it was a tight one to call. It depends on a lot of factors that none of us are privy to the answers for. Why just because you ask the question again, would I now all of a sudden be in a position to be able to offer a different opinion?

Just answer the question? You do understand it? Let me know if you don't

[Legod Third Coming]

I haven't said that at all have I? You are finding this confusing aren't you.

 

Then what are you saying? Not Champion's League not here not ever?

[Thedelldays]

I am just astonished that people think that in the next 5 years, we will/could be challenging the top 4....

 

jesus christ

[Legod Third Coming]

I am just astonished that people think that in the next 5 years, we will/could be challenging the top 4....

 

jesus christ

 

DD - ask Noel Gallagher. Timing is only relevant if all things are equal. This is football.

[Wes Tender]

Why are people from Chichester or Wells or Weymouth or Hastings going to support us. South-ness? And I thought we were talking about us being top four hence the Forest example. So you're saying this mega catchment is applicable now?

 

Sent from my GT-I9100P using Tapatalk 2

 

Just because you gave a poor example and are trying to hedge around it, I'm not going to answer obtuse further examples from you. If you can't understand the effects that a good catchment area has for our future attendances, I'm not going to explain it to you in more simple to understand language.

[Sour Mash]

Then what are you saying? Not Champion's League not here not ever?

That Champions League football shouldn't be part of our next 5 year plan, which is what this thread is about. It's a pretty easy concept to understand.

[Legod Third Coming]

That Champions League football shouldn't be part of our next 5 year plan, which is what this thread is about. It's a pretty easy concept to understand.

 

On what basis? On the what knowledge? None.

 

So as above, YOU are claiming to know more about what our plans should or shouldn't be than our Chairman. Despite no knowledge of what the financial or ownership situation of the club may be during that five year period?

 

If the situation in ownership does not change and all things being equal in football, I think everyone understands that.

 

BUT if the Chairman sets CL as his five year target he will know how to get there, or he would not have set it would he?

[Sour Mash]

On what basis? On the what knowledge? None.

 

So as above, YOU are claiming to know more about what our plans should or shouldn't be than our Chairman. Despite no knowledge of what the financial or ownership situation of the club may be during that five year period?

 

If the situation in ownership does not change and all things being equal in football, I think everyone understands that.

 

BUT if the Chairman sets CL as his five year target he will know how to get there, or he would not have set it would he?

Based on my opinion. We're on the 11th page and you STILL don't understand what this thread is about do you? Where have I claimed to know more than our Chairman? Making stuff up is a sign of desperation.

[Saint George]

What are you an American? it's football FFS.....

 

The last time i checked, it was actually "Association football" or "soccer" for short...as opposed to "Rugby football," "Aussie rules football", "American football," "Arena football," or any other brand of football.

 

Maybe I'm American, or maybe i can remember the 60's when "soccer" was as popular a name for the beautiful game in the UK as "football"...Or maybe I'm both....Maybe you could learn a little respect for the games history and/or for overseas Saints fans.

Tell me...do you shout "It's Football FFS!" every Saturday morning when you wake up to Soccer Saturday?

[This Charming Man]

The last time i checked, it was actually "Association football" or "soccer" for short...as opposed to "Rugby football," "Aussie rules football", "American football," "Arena football," or any other brand of football.

 

Maybe I'm American, or maybe i can remember the 60's when "soccer" was as popular a name for the beautiful game in the UK as "football"...Or maybe I'm both....Maybe you could learn a little respect for the games history and/or for overseas Saints fans.

Tell me...do you shout "It's Football FFS!" every Saturday morning when you wake up to Soccer Saturday?

 

I actually do, though I rarely watch it as I'm normally en-route to wherever we're playing anyway.

[um pahars]

all these naysayers

 

if u look at the main goal, which is a premiership side with 50% youth intake. if we had all the players we'd sold in the last 7 years we wud be mid table easily, a squad with bale, Walcott, aoc, surman, baird, best. and u cud really cash in with £20m+ on some of them.

 

there's been a big change at the top in the last few years, just look at Newcastle and how far they've come in 4-5 years, or the money Liverpool have spent for a league cup.

 

man utd, Liverpool and arsenal capitalised when the money flooded in from sky in the early 90s, but the new money coming in from sugar daddys has levelled the playing surface, slightly.

 

and any arguments about how unprofitable city are are pointless. utd would have finished £40m in debt the year the sold ronaldo because of the interest they are paying.

 

with a no debt, a 1st class academy, a large fanbase, a new stadium and our Asian income is taking off I dont see why in 5 years we can't be pushing for CL football. we are in a far better position before we got relegated, when we did we were the only premiership team not to have someone in the football rich list.

 

If Spurs or Arsenal came sniffing for our talent, offering the mega wonga and the status then im afraid we'll always struggle to hold on to it. It's just the way of the footballing world.

 

And now we have Newcastle being brought in to the argument. Seriously, don't even include them in the same breath as us, they are wayyyyyy ahead of us

 

And what's this about the Asian income??? Go and have a look at the sums the Far East pull in and let me know how much were raking in.

Edited 8 May, 2012 by um pahars

[CB Fry]

Just because you gave a poor example and are trying to hedge around it, I'm not going to answer obtuse further examples from you. If you can't understand the effects that a good catchment area has for our future attendances, I'm not going to explain it to you in more simple to understand language.

 

Whatever. Saints' catchment area is no bigger than Nottingham Forest, Leicester City or Derby County.

 

I'm talking about ACTUAL PEOPLE in actual towns and cities. Not crayoning red lines across the south of England like a spasticated chimp.

 

Simple enough for you?

Edited 8 May, 2012 by CB Fry

[CB Fry]

...

[harwellsaint]

global dominance, resistance is futile!!!!!! uts

[dune]

If NC say's he's aiming for Champions League soccer within 5 years then he clearly believes that's achievable and that's good enough for me......I mean, it's not like he's not 100% aware of the resources he'll have at his disposal......Unlike the ***hats on here, blindly trying to pin the tail on a donkey wandering around the field at St Mary's.

 

But hey!...y'all know how to run a Soccer Club way better than our back to back promotion winning Chairman. As has been so aptly demonstrated so many times on here.

 

Happy days peeps

 

Where have been for the past few years? The last time I remember you posting Lowe was in charge and we were in the Premier League.

[um pahars]

Have to add that "my realistic" position isn't in any way supposed to be a slight on Cortese or what he has achieved as his success is there for all to see. Tremendous stuff and he should be very proud of his achievements. Nor have I got any problem with his ambitions or drive, it's his way of doing things and it has worked to date.

 

It's just that I think to get in to the higher echelons you need ££££££, you have to trade off your history, legacy and level of support etc and I just don't think we'll ever get past the point of ever being more than a provincial team. A sound Premiership one, holding our own and doing us proud, but IMHO we're not going to be a part of the top 4/5/6

[buctootim]

Have to add that "my realistic" position isn't in any way supposed to be a slight on Cortese or what he has achieved as his success is there for all to see. Tremendous stuff and he should be very proud of his achievements. Nor have I got any problem with his ambitions or drive, it's his way of doing things and it has worked to date.

 

It's just that I think to get in to the higher echelons you need ££££££, you have to trade off your history, legacy and level of support etc and I just don't think we'll ever get past the point of ever being more than a provincial team. A sound Premiership one, holding our own and doing us proud, but IMHO we're not going to be a part of the top 4/5/6

 

Good post

[S-Clarke]

Have to add that "my realistic" position isn't in any way supposed to be a slight on Cortese or what he has achieved as his success is there for all to see. Tremendous stuff and he should be very proud of his achievements. Nor have I got any problem with his ambitions or drive, it's his way of doing things and it has worked to date.

 

It's just that I think to get in to the higher echelons you need ££££££, you have to trade off your history, legacy and level of support etc and I just don't think we'll ever get past the point of ever being more than a provincial team. A sound Premiership one, holding our own and doing us proud, but IMHO we're not going to be a part of the top 4/5/6

 

That's a good post and is pretty much my view on the whole situation.

 

I've got no qualms with what Cortese has done for us.

[djharvey]

I am just astonished that people think that in the next 5 years, we will/could be challenging the top 4....

 

jesus christ

 

I am astonished that after the huge transformation in the fortunes of this club over the last 3 years, You think it is not possible!

 

When we were on the brink, did you really beleive we would be where we are now? I bet you hoped/wished for it but did not believe it!

 

I do believe it is possible, a slim chance but possible!

[doddisalegend]

The last time i checked, it was actually "Association football" or "soccer" for short...as opposed to "Rugby football," "Aussie rules football", "American football," "Arena football," or any other brand of football.

 

Maybe I'm American, or maybe i can remember the 60's when "soccer" was as popular a name for the beautiful game in the UK as "football"...Or maybe I'm both....Maybe you could learn a little respect for the games history and/or for overseas Saints fans.

Tell me...do you shout "It's Football FFS!" every Saturday morning when you wake up to Soccer Saturday?

 

Personally I prefer Football focus....LOL at you trying to justify calling it soccer though very funny...

[Singeon Sears]

I think, some people are in for a surprise

[This Charming Man]

Have to add that "my realistic" position isn't in any way supposed to be a slight on Cortese or what he has achieved as his success is there for all to see. Tremendous stuff and he should be very proud of his achievements. Nor have I got any problem with his ambitions or drive, it's his way of doing things and it has worked to date.

 

It's just that I think to get in to the higher echelons you need ££££££, you have to trade off your history, legacy and level of support etc and I just don't think we'll ever get past the point of ever being more than a provincial team. A sound Premiership one, holding our own and doing us proud, but IMHO we're not going to be a part of the top 4/5/6

 

Summed up perfectly.

[The9]

Now that Saints have completed the 5 year plan in 3, what should we aim for for the next 5 years?

 

Should we dream big or is that not being realistic?

 

At the awards dinner, Rickie Lambert said he thought Saints were going all the way to the top. For me that means competing for the premiership title. In the past Nicola has reportably said Champions League qualification is our aim and there's talk about expanding the stadium.

 

Where do you think we'll be in 2017, realistically and dreaming big?

 

Well for a start, maybe by 2017 it'll ACTUALLY BE CALLED THE PREMIERSHIP again ? Or I suppose we could have just decided to play rugby instead, it's a possibility.

[Frank's cousin]

IMHO, any success beyond survival/mediocrity when looking to be self sustaining will depend on creating an evironment and culture that keeps the developing talent at the club until they get to 22/23 - as they seem to in Germany an other countries which manifests itself in cyclic flirtations with Europe and the CL. Its seems that in England there is a prevailing culture of 'I wat it now' and young players desperate to sit on a bench or play reserve team football at 'bigger clubs' rather than proving themselves and playing regularly at their original club... if we can do something about that we have a chance of periodical success as our catchment area and Tier 1 academy already has a great reputation.

 

We need to teach the value of staying and then when they do eventually move, they will be ready for 1st team action, and we will ahve gained some benefit - otherwise the academy is just a money spinner and nothing more. Be in a position to reward them fairly and give them the chance of success with the mates they came through the academy with and I would be happy with that.

 

It would also, IMHO help in growing the numbers of occasionals to more regular attendees - the idea of Adkins 'Babes' creating a good vibe is something that IS possible if and when the academy set up is in full flow - it will take time, but it is not beyond the realms of possibilty that such a model could deliver suprizing results, even if we know that it will be cyclical as the best move on.

 

It would not suprize me if this is what NC meant - maybe suplementing the squad with some quality experience.

 

The problem we have is that there are 4-6 teams in the premier league that can blow us out the water budget wise, whereas in Germany its Bayern and the rest.

[djharvey]

I think, some people are in for a surprise

 

Shhhhhhhhh! don't say any more, surprises are more fun.