Missed transfer opportunist

[Viking Warrior]

Apart from what was mentioned on the forum do we really know who we were after in a defensive capacity . I'm sure Nigel and Nicole had hot irons in the fire but they did not materialise for what ever reason . Look how long it took to get ramirez . We can do business with clubs but agents have a lot to answer for . So stop blaming the club we are a very good club with a vision that is coming to fruition . The problem is third parties that mess with the players head and the selling club . I think it is greed on behalf of the agent that is the real problem with football

[hypochondriac]

The mirror bloke on twitter (who got every one of our transfer targets right in the summer) said we could not make our minds up about who we wanted.

[david in sweden]

The mirror bloke on twitter (who got every one of our transfer targets right in the summer) said we could not make our minds up about who we wanted.[/QUOTE]

 

..now that I agree with, too!

[hypochondriac]

The mirror bloke on twitter (who got every one of our transfer targets right in the summer) said we could not make our minds up about who we wanted.[/QUOTE]

 

..now that I agree with, too!

 

So to not make our minds up, dither and then not sign any after Yoshida is a pretty big cock up tbh.

[cellone]

More of a flamingo up.

[Stu Man Do]

I'm pretty sure I remember reading somewhere ... possibly even on here that we were very interested in Martin Olsson from Blackburn but couldnt get the deal through in time. Couldnt have been any worse than Fox but now BBurn are doing well again you would imagine he might just stick it out with them for the season now!

[kpturner]

Opportunist?

[Turkish]

Yep. Apparantly we failed to get the Olsen deal done in time, despite having the whole Summer to do it. The Buttner deal broke down at the beginning of August so f*ck knows what we were doing for a month.

[Wes Tender]

The mirror bloke on twitter (who got every one of our transfer targets right in the summer) said we could not make our minds up about who we wanted.

 

Ah! So right out of the horse's mouth stuff then, a real insider's perspective from somebody who is undoubtedly a confidante of Cortese or Adkins.

 

Or was it that we knew who we wanted, but the players could not make up their minds whether they wanted to come here? Or did we identify several targets hoping that if one didn't work out, then others might? It must have been something along those lines.

[pingwing]

I'm pretty sure I remember reading somewhere ... possibly even on here that we were very interested in Martin Olsson from Blackburn but couldnt get the deal through in time. Couldnt have been any worse than Fox but now BBurn are doing well again you would imagine he might just stick it out with them for the season now!

 

Thought we couldn't have him because Blackburn turned around and asked for well over 6m and he's currently out with a hamstring injury...

 

Least we didn't buy Butland

[Turkish]

Ah! So right out of the horse's mouth stuff then, a real insider's perspective from somebody who is undoubtedly a confidante of Cortese or Adkins.

 

Or was it that we knew who we wanted, but the players could not make up their minds whether they wanted to come here? Or did we identify several targets hoping that if one didn't work out, then others might? It must have been something along those lines.

 

The same mirror journalist that was being stalked by many on here all summer for any sort of information. The same mirror journalist that many on here said clearly had some inside contacts at SMS. The same mirror journalist that called most of our deals way before anyone else. Naturally he'd be spot on with any positive new but completely wrong with anything remotely negative, wouldn't he Les?

[sotonjoe]

Ah! So right out of the horse's mouth stuff then, a real insider's perspective from somebody who is undoubtedly a confidante of Cortese or Adkins.

 

Or was it that we knew who we wanted, but the players could not make up their minds whether they wanted to come here? Or did we identify several targets hoping that if one didn't work out, then others might? It must have been something along those lines.

 

 

Probably as good as we're going to get you numpty.

[Wes Tender]

Probably as good as we're going to get you numpty.

Of course I was being sarcastic. The point being, because you missed the insinuation, that some journo from a red top rag is highly unlikely to have inside information as to firstly, all of the players we were after and secondly, whether we couldn't make up our minds or not about them.

 

Unless you have proof that this journo has inside information from either Cortese or Adkins, then it is futile placing any credence on what he says, isn't it?

 

Paul the Octopus was very accurate at predicting the results of World Cup matches. Perhaps we ought to ask the Octopus if we're that bothered about knowing who our targets were.

[The Kraken]

 

Alan Nixon clearly had a direct line into SFC; he was aware of all of our transfer movement well before it was out in the public domain. Every single transfer (and those that didn't actually come off) were leaked by Nixon before time, and he was typically the first to report the actual signings as and when they happened. So no, its not futile placing any credence on what he says, actually. In fact its just the opposite, he is one rare journalist who has an accurate feed of actual information from the club, and therefore its fair comment that any news he puts out is reliable in fact.

 

Your Paul the Octopus analogy is frankly bizarre.

[Doctoroncall]

Nixon knew the targets but it would be interested to know what happen to each. Did he actually know who was number one? Sometimes it is worth conceding points on a contract if it means getting the right player in to improve the team (especially the defence) considerably.

 

Did the Butner deal collapse only due to the third party payment?

[The Kraken]

Talking of transfer opportunities; Demba Ba for £7M, anyone?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19655578

 

Now that will be a very, very good signing for somebody.

[Saint Garrett]

Talking of transfer opportunities; Demba Ba for £7M, anyone?

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19655578

 

Now that will be a very, very good signing for somebody.

Wouldn't be surprised if WHU go back in for him. Think he'd do a good job at Arsenal if Giroud is a bit of a failure as well. Maybe Liverpool?

[The Kraken]

Wouldn't be surprised if WHU go back in for him. Think he'd do a good job at Arsenal if Giroud is a bit of a failure as well. Maybe Liverpool?

 

Wages will be an issue for many clubs, but Liverpool is a very good shout.

[paris]

This on Twitter today > Matt Holland's transfer to be announced today at press conference #saintsfc

[Saint Garrett]

This on Twitter today > Matt Holland's transfer to be announced today at press conference #saintsfc

 

Thats quite clearly a joke, he's about 90.

[Wes Tender]

 

Alan Nixon clearly had a direct line into SFC; he was aware of all of our transfer movement well before it was out in the public domain. Every single transfer (and those that didn't actually come off) were leaked by Nixon before time, and he was typically the first to report the actual signings as and when they happened. So no, its not futile placing any credence on what he says, actually. In fact its just the opposite, he is one rare journalist who has an accurate feed of actual information from the club, and therefore its fair comment that any news he puts out is reliable in fact.

 

Your Paul the Octopus analogy is frankly bizarre.

 

Are you suffering a sense of humour bypass?

 

You might believe that he has an inside source, but it is far more likely that the leak of information comes from the players' agents than from a source close to Adkins or Cortese. It is well enough documented that Cortese doesn't operate in that manner, prefering to keep his cards close to his chest (and good for him). On that basis, anybody at the club that would be likely to have that information would know full well that Cortese would take an extremely dim view of somebody leaking sensitive information.

 

The opinion was expressed that Cortese/Adkins couldn't make up their minds about which players to go for. Again, how would anybody know that? It is far more likely that we were pursuing several players and that there were complications with the signings. If as a result, somebody concluded that there was confusion as to which purchases to make, they might well be wide of the mark and got the wrong end of the stick. If any credence is to be placed on what Nixon says, let somebody come out with evidence that his contact is indeed within the club. Unless that is substantiated, any opinions on the matter ought to be taken with a large pinch of salt.

[The Kraken]

Wes, if you want to carry on believing that then that's fine. To others its frankly obvious that Nixon had a direct line into the club. Who exactly that was, well it doesn't really matter, but its obvious he has an inside contact (to those that want to see it anyway). But I don't see how it would be a myriad of different agents when it was Nixon each time that broke the news.

 

You take as large a pinch of salt as you need to though.

[hypochondriac]

Are you suffering a sense of humour bypass?

 

You might believe that he has an inside source, but it is far more likely that the leak of information comes from the players' agents than from a source close to Adkins or Cortese. It is well enough documented that Cortese doesn't operate in that manner, prefering to keep his cards close to his chest (and good for him). On that basis, anybody at the club that would be likely to have that information would know full well that Cortese would take an extremely dim view of somebody leaking sensitive information.

 

The opinion was expressed that Cortese/Adkins couldn't make up their minds about which players to go for. Again, how would anybody know that? It is far more likely that we were pursuing several players and that there were complications with the signings. If as a result, somebody concluded that there was confusion as to which purchases to make, they might well be wide of the mark and got the wrong end of the stick. If any credence is to be placed on what Nixon says, let somebody come out with evidence that his contact is indeed within the club. Unless that is substantiated, any opinions on the matter ought to be taken with a large pinch of salt.

 

So he got EVERY transfer that we went for correct many before anyone else and every single one was because of agents he knows? Wow he knows an incredible amount of agents!

[hypochondriac]

Wes, if you want to carry on believing that then that's fine. To others its frankly obvious that Nixon had a direct line into the club. Who exactly that was, well it doesn't really matter, but its obvious he has an inside contact (to those that want to see it anyway). But I don't see how it would be a myriad of different agents when it was Nixon each time that broke the news.

 

You take as large a pinch of salt as you need to though.

 

Of course that is the case kraken. Every sane person can see that but Wes doesn't want to admit it. He can't bring himself to

[Turkish]

Are you suffering a sense of humour bypass?

 

You might believe that he has an inside source, but it is far more likely that the leak of information comes from the players' agents than from a source close to Adkins or Cortese. It is well enough documented that Cortese doesn't operate in that manner, prefering to keep his cards close to his chest (and good for him). On that basis, anybody at the club that would be likely to have that information would know full well that Cortese would take an extremely dim view of somebody leaking sensitive information.

The opinion was expressed that Cortese/Adkins couldn't make up their minds about which players to go for. Again, how would anybody know that? It is far more likely that we were pursuing several players and that there were complications with the signings. If as a result, somebody concluded that there was confusion as to which purchases to make, they might well be wide of the mark and got the wrong end of the stick. If any credence is to be placed on what Nixon says, let somebody come out with evidence that his contact is indeed within the club. Unless that is substantiated, any opinions on the matter ought to be taken with a large pinch of salt.

 

Yes, because it would be entirely professional and sensible for a respected journalist to come out and state who his source is at the club, especially given what what you say is Corteses view on such matters, wouldn't it you prat. Like a lot of the clowns on here, happy to take what he says as positive as gospel, dismiss anything negative as bollo*ks.

[The Kraken]

"Prat" is a word that needs to become more widely used again.

[hypochondriac]

Yes, because it would be entirely professional and sensible for a respected journalist to come out and state who his source is at the club, especially given what what you say is Corteses view on such matters, wouldn't it you prat. Like a lot of the clowns on here, happy to take what he says as positive as gospel, dismiss anything negative as bollo*ks.

 

All you have to do is look at Nixon's track record. He has consistently been correct so why should we be taking everything he says with a large pinch of salt? It makes no sense.

[Wes Tender]

So he got EVERY transfer that we went for correct many before anyone else and every single one was because of agents he knows? Wow he knows an incredible amount of agents!

 

As I said, if anybody knows for a fact that there is somebody internally at the club who is giving out this info to journos, let them divulge that information now. Or otherwise it will be a reasonable position to adopt, given Cortese's reticence to tell everybody what we are planning, that the information is being obtained from other external sources. Mind you, it could be that Cortese/Adkins phones are tapped, or that the boardroom is bugged. I wouldn't put that past some of the newspapers. It isn't as if there are no precedents for them behaving that way.

 

Or maybe Nixon is distantly related to the tea lady at St. Mary's. What is doubtful in my opinion, is that he is getting this direct from Cortese/Adkins.

 

As I say, let's have some concrete evidence to prove that Nixon hasn't just been lucky, or that he doesn't only have good contacts in football outside of the club

[The Kraken]

Why would Cortese and Adkins be the only ones privy to a transfer? And why is it so terribly hard to begin to accept that transfer news may have been (deliberately) leaked from the club?

[kpturner]

"Prat" is a word that needs to become more widely used again.

Gets my vote way ahead of that awful use of "mong"

[Wes Tender]

Dorkish:

Like a lot of the clowns on here, happy to take what he says as positive as gospel, dismiss anything negative as bollo*ks.

 

As somebody quoted you I'll respond. Don't include me. My position has always been to wait and see what transpires with these targets, rather than accept any half-baked rumours.

 

Hypocondriac:

Of course that is the case kraken. Every sane person can see that but Wes doesn't want to admit it. He can't bring himself to

 

Actually, any sane person would take the position that unless anything is proven conclusively by actual concrete evidence, then there is room for some reasonable doubt. All you can put up is circumstances which are "suggestive" of a position.

 

I would hate for you to be on a jury determining whether somebody was guilty just because of circumstantial evidence.

[Wes Tender]

Why would Cortese and Adkins be the only ones privy to a transfer? And why is it so terribly hard to begin to accept that transfer news may have been (deliberately) leaked from the club?

 

Of course, they are not the only parties privy to this infomation. As I said, it could also be the agents, or otherwise the players, the player's current team mates, or others known to them, the taxi drivers who take them to medicals, or nearby hotels, any number of possibilites.

 

And to what end would Cortese/Adkins deliberately leak info about target signings? Those we wish to sell, maybe, but to alert others as to our targets?

[Turkish]

Dorkish:

 

As somebody quoted you I'll respond. Don't include me. My position has always been to wait and see what transpires with these targets, rather than accept any half-baked rumours.

 

Hypocondriac:

 

Actually, any sane person would take the position that unless anything is proven conclusively by actual concrete evidence, then there is room for some reasonable doubt. All you can put up is circumstances which are "suggestive" of a position.

I would hate for you to be on a jury determining whether somebody was guilty just because of circumstantial evidence.

 

What happened to it being possible because they said once man would never walk on the moon?

[hypochondriac]

As I said, if anybody knows for a fact that there is somebody internally at the club who is giving out this info to journos, let them divulge that information now. Or otherwise it will be a reasonable position to adopt, given Cortese's reticence to tell everybody what we are planning, that the information is being obtained from other external sources. Mind you, it could be that Cortese/Adkins phones are tapped, or that the boardroom is bugged. I wouldn't put that past some of the newspapers. It isn't as if there are no precedents for them behaving that way.

 

Or maybe Nixon is distantly related to the tea lady at St. Mary's. What is doubtful in my opinion, is that he is getting this direct from Cortese/Adkins.

 

As I say, let's have some concrete evidence to prove that Nixon hasn't just been lucky, or that he doesn't only have good contacts in football outside of the club

 

He was lucky? He got every single transfer in this window right and he was lucky? Bloody hell I want some of his luck!

[Village Saint]

Are you suffering a sense of humour bypass?

 

You might believe that he has an inside source, but it is far more likely that the leak of information comes from the players' agents than from a source close to Adkins or Cortese. It is well enough documented that Cortese doesn't operate in that manner, prefering to keep his cards close to his chest (and good for him). On that basis, anybody at the club that would be likely to have that information would know full well that Cortese would take an extremely dim view of somebody leaking sensitive information.

 

The opinion was expressed that Cortese/Adkins couldn't make up their minds about which players to go for. Again, how would anybody know that? It is far more likely that we were pursuing several players and that there were complications with the signings. If as a result, somebody concluded that there was confusion as to which purchases to make, they might well be wide of the mark and got the wrong end of the stick. If any credence is to be placed on what Nixon says, let somebody come out with evidence that his contact is indeed within the club. Unless that is substantiated, any opinions on the matter ought to be taken with a large pinch of salt.

 

Indeed anyone who believes different has been very badly informed indeed.

[Wes Tender]

He was lucky? He got every single transfer in this window right and he was lucky? Bloody hell I want some of his luck!

 

According to the other thread on Nixon, Saint Charlie says he didn't get it right with Yashida and Ramirez, which is suggestive that he is good with contacts in the UK, but not so hot with players abroad. Even with Rodrigues, apparently according to Saint Charlie, Nixon got it wrong when he said that Villa were after him. So it seems that Nixon isn't infallible.

 

That news broke at the Southampton end and in the Daily Mirror our old friend Alan Nixon, he of the Moses quote, has intimated that Saints are ready to use former Claret Richard Chaplow as part of the deal.

 

And it seems that he was wrong about Chaplow going as a makeweight too.

 

Another article from him suggested we were going for the double swoop of Ramirez and Matt Philips http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-transfer-news-gaston-ramirez-1271082

 

So just a few little snippets of info that didn't come to fruition. Seems to me a bit like he makes several predictions and if a few of them are right, his credibility rockets, whilst his incorrect forecasts get overlooked.

 

Similar to Harry Redknapp's record in football management when everybody forgets that he got us relegated.

[RonManager]

 

Similar to Harry Redknapp's record in football management when everybody forgets that he got us relegated.

 

WTF?!

 

Everybody?

 

Give us some credit!

[hypochondriac]

But we WERE after Philips that was confirmed. He got Ramirez correct before anyone else, he got Rodriguez and mayuka when others had barely mentioned it. Yeah he just made a load of wild predictions and got lucky. Haha I do wonder where some people come from on here.

[The Kraken]

But we WERE after Philips that was confirmed. He got Ramirez correct before anyone else, he got Rodriguez and mayuka when others had barely mentioned it. Yeah he just made a load of wild predictions and got lucky. Haha I do wonder where some people come from on here.

 

He also announced pretty much all of our signings about an hour before it was officially released to the press (and before news went on the OS).

 

What a lucky chap he must be to guess those all correctly.

[Wes Tender]

WTF?!

 

Everybody?

 

Give us some credit!

 

Naturally we won't ever forget. I meant these football pundits and journos. The so-called experts on all matters football.

[Wes Tender]

But we WERE after Philips that was confirmed. He got Ramirez correct before anyone else, he got Rodriguez and mayuka when others had barely mentioned it. Yeah he just made a load of wild predictions and got lucky. Haha I do wonder where some people come from on here.

 

So he hears some tittle tattle on his grapevine and some happens and some doesn't. When it happens, he's the messiah, when it doesn't, nobody assesses the percentages against.

 

There really is no conclusive evidence that he has insider information from the club, just probably a good network of contacts.

[jam]

I'm sorry but most of this doesn't add up...

 

According to the other thread on Nixon, Saint Charlie says he didn't get it right with Yashida and Ramirez, which is suggestive that he is good with contacts in the UK, but not so hot with players abroad. Even with Rodrigues, apparently according to Saint Charlie, Nixon got it wrong when he said that Villa were after him. So it seems that Nixon isn't infallible.

 

Actually Saint Charlie wrote the following, none of which should suggest that Nixon isn't infallible:

 

Both plausible. If it was someone inside Saints then I think they would have waited until the deal was a bit nearer to completion - both Clyne and Rodriguez were reported far in advance of the deal actually beign completed.

 

In Jay's case Nixon then reported that Villa were keen. Surely more likely an agent drumming up more interest than someone at Saints - can't see the benefit of that for the club? And I expect the inner details of transfer offers etc arent known by that many people at Saints so if someone is leaking then its a fairly important employee.

 

Nixon also didn't know much on ramirez - he said himself. If it was a saints source then surely they would know more about that deal than any other? Ditto Yoshida.

 

And it seems that he was wrong about Chaplow going as a makeweight too.

 

The suggestion was that Saints would be willing to use him as a makeweight in the deal. We know that the player didn't want to move - he tweeted as much - but it seems perfectly reasonable that the club would have been more than interested in letting go of a player who so far this season has made a single appearance - in the League Cup. Especially if it helped with the signing of one of their top targets. After all, they certainly didn't show any sentiment regarding Billy Sharp or Dean Hammond.

 

 

Another article from him suggested we were going for the double swoop of Ramirez and Matt Philips http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-transfer-news-gaston-ramirez-1271082

 

We signed Ramirez and made an approach for Phillips - Adkins is quoted confirming it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19243575

 

Adkins admitted that Southampton are interested in the player, but added that any illegal approach had not come from them.

"I know our chairman has tried to contact Blackpool's chairman," he said. "We've had a conversation with the chief executive and I've spoken to Ian Holloway myself.

 

 

So just a few little snippets of info that didn't come to fruition. Seems to me a bit like he makes several predictions and if a few of them are right, his credibility rockets, whilst his incorrect forecasts get overlooked.

 

 

Similar to Harry Redknapp's record in football management when everybody forgets that he got us relegated.

[Bearsy]

[Bearsy]

[hypochondriac]

So he hears some tittle tattle on his grapevine and some happens and some doesn't. When it happens, he's the messiah, when it doesn't, nobody assesses the percentages against.

 

There really is no conclusive evidence that he has insider information from the club, just probably a good network of contacts.

 

He got the vast majority absolutely correct before anyone else. He said about Philips and Adkins confirmed we were interested. He got a small percentage that we didn't sign but we were probably interested and they fell through for whatever reason. You only had to follow his tweets and it was obvious that he had a source. He even spoke about having a singular sfc source on more than one occasion and he had absolutely no reason to lie. You go on believing it was his network of contacts feeding him this info lol.

[hypochondriac]

He also announced pretty much all of our signings about an hour before it was officially released to the press (and before news went on the OS).

 

What a lucky chap he must be to guess those all correctly.

 

Must have been all those agents telling him before it happened. He even confirmed he had one sfc source who he was in contact with.

[The Kraken]

Must have been all those agents telling him before it happened. He even confirmed he had one sfc source who he was in contact with.

 

No he didn't.

 

[hypochondriac]

No he didn't.

 

 

If you followed his tweets regularly it was obvious by the tone of his posts and little comments that he made (that I cannot remember specifically because I do not have a photographic memory) that he had a source at sfc. Wes won't accept that though.

[Wes Tender]

Here's another one:-

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-transfer-news-rhys-williams-1285965

 

Whatever happened there? Comments say that it was a load of rubbish, because the player would be out injured for months.

 

I didn't follow the posts on this one on here at the time. So did Nixon's insider source correctly tell him that Adkins was after a player to sign before the window closed, even though he was out for months injured?

 

And what's this "twitter" thing you mention?

[The Kraken]

Here's another one:-

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/southampton-transfer-news-rhys-williams-1285965

 

Whatever happened there? Comments say that it was a load of rubbish, because the player would be out injured for months.

 

I didn't follow the posts on this one on here at the time. So did Nixon's insider source correctly tell him that Adkins was after a player to sign before the window closed, even though he was out for months injured?

 

And what's this "twitter" thing you mention?

 

Other rumours (i.e. not Nixon) stated at the time that Saints were going to have him watched; he then got injured in that game. Pretty sure that report was issued on the same evening of the game that we had him watched; so not the best journalism to not notice that he'd been crocked just a couple of hours beforehand.

Edited 20 September, 2012 by The Kraken