Independent article sums it up perfectly

[Supersubpuckett]

Although I don't quite agree with the sentiment of the headline, this is a spot on summary of what most of us have been saying for a while

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/allardyces-smart-summer-buys-put-the-extravagance-of-adkins-to-shame-8219937.html

[buctootim]

Good artice. Identifies the issus but blames the wrong man. Adam Blackmore's blog from August should be required reading for everybody on this forum

 

http://bigadamsport.blogspot.co.uk/

[Turkish]

This story can't be true. Big Fat Sam is an awful manager who hasn't got a clue, we are miles better than West Ham who will go down and why do you need premier league experience? What's the point of having 300 premier league appearance when you are are a terrible player like Kevin Nolan?

[Turkish]

Good artice. Identifies the issus but blames the wrong man. Adam Blackmore's blog from August should be required reading for everybody on this forum

 

http://bigadamsport.blogspot.co.uk/

 

The same article that many on here sneered at as being lies from a lazy journalist?

[monosaint]

Absolutely agree. Almost all of Sam's signings have PL experience. Steve Davis is the only one we have.. I think the only way we can turn it around is to at least have a manager with PL experience. I really like NA and do not want to criticise him or his ambitions but we really need to sort this out.

[corky morris]

Lets compare wage bills???? Oh West Hoof's is twice as much as ours.........................................................

[shurlock]

Good artice. Identifies the issus but blames the wrong man. Adam Blackmore's blog from August should be required reading for everybody on this forum

 

http://bigadamsport.blogspot.co.uk/

 

It's not relevant at all. Blackmore is knocking our formation (a red herring), not our transfer targets or strategy (a legitimate criticism). Until someone is willing to put their money where their money is, nobody has a clue why we didn't have a more balanced transfer window.

[buctootim]

The same article that many on here sneered at as being lies from a lazy journalist?

 

Im not sure many did do that. I think a lot hoped he was wrong, as Adam did himself.

[buctootim]

It's not relevant at all. Blackmore is knocking our formation (a red herring), not our transfer targets or strategy (a legitimate criticism). Until someone is willing to put their money where their money is, nobody has a clue why we didn't have a more balanced transfer window.

 

Which part of this quote isnt relevant?

 

" "To have improved the way we have in the last two years with this group of players is testament to how well they've done. We are still working to bring players in. I know the chairman is working very hard, and having spoken to him yesterday I'm very excited about what's on the horizon because I know how hard he's working to make things happen. I imagine we'll be making more signings".

 

Ok, so here's the nub of the above quotes. The chairman is well and truly responsible for making transfers happen, not the manager - which is fine in principle, as long as the manager is identifying the players - but if they don't fill the squad this window, it won't be Nigel's fault" "

 

Those quotes say two things:

 

1. Many of the players have done amazingly well to raise their game from lg1 level, but lets not kid ourselves they can compete in the PL

2. Ive no idea who is coming in,lets hope they are good

Edited 22 October, 2012 by buctootim

[shurlock]

Lets compare wage bills???? Oh West Hoof's is twice as much as ours.........................................................

 

Very true- just look at Benayoun. We were interested in him but his wages priced us out while wham could afford them (even if chelsea reportedly ended up subsidising them). What I will say is that, over time, Davis has looked our best and most accomplished signing. Not sure what his wages are but they can't be massive (and the fee was minimal). Frustratingly it shows how much a bit of premiership nous and experience can add to the team.

Edited 22 October, 2012 by shurlock

[Charlie Wayman]

This story can't be true. Big Fat Sam is an awful manager who hasn't got a clue, we are miles better than West Ham who will go down and why do you need premier league experience? What's the point of having 300 premier league appearance when you are are a terrible player like Kevin Nolan?

 

The reporter has nailed it spot on. I'm afraid you are deluding yourself if you think otherwise

[alpine_saint]

The reporter has nailed it spot on. I'm afraid you are deluding yourself if you think otherwise

 

I think you missed the sarcasm, Charles.

[DT]

This article does nail it, and it is unbelievable that those in charge really thought that a central defensive pairing which struggled in the Championship would magically thrive in the Premier. PS what on earth was that handball all about? Can't think why anybody would be so stupid

[Saint Garrett]

Wasn't really the signings that shone Saturday though was it.

 

Diame is a cracking player, but was dreadful Saturday. Carroll didn't do anything of note. Collins isn't very good and just booted it to Carroll. The thing which has made it easier to step up, is the fact that the majority of their squad last year underperformed as they had a squad full of players who played in the prem for the majority of their career. Noble, Nolan, Cole etc. the majority of the players we have were playing for us in L1 or their highest level was the Championship before this season. It's no surprise theyre taking time to adjust but we need results now

[Weston Saint]

Posters are correct, it is not just about transfer fees but also wages and the desire for players to join the club.

 

Let us take Ramirez for example. Cost us £12m plus 4 years wages of at least £8m. That is a £20m Pick up a couple of premier defenders like West Ham did and say the transfer bill was £3m. that leaves £17m for wages or over 4 years £81,000 per week.

 

I am not knocking the purchase of Ramirez, far from it, as he looks a very good player and at his age will have a very good sell on value but it illustrates our problem on wages could have been resolved short term whilst we established our position.

 

On that basis the article is a fair reflection of the difference between us and West Ham

[stevegrant]

I see Jay Rodriguez's transfer fee has gone up another 14% since the last time anyone mentioned it

[shurlock]

 

Which part of this quote isnt relevant?

 

" "To have improved the way we have in the last two years with this group of players is testament to how well they've done. We are still working to bring players in. I know the chairman is working very hard, and having spoken to him yesterday I'm very excited about what's on the horizon because I know how hard he's working to make things happen. I imagine we'll be making more signings".

 

Ok, so here's the nub of the above quotes. The chairman is well and truly responsible for making transfers happen, not the manager - which is fine in principle, as long as the manager is identifying the players - but if they don't fill the squad this window, it won't be Nigel's fault" "

 

Those quotes say two things:

 

1. Many of the players have done amazingly well to raise their game from lg1 level, but lets not kid ourselves they can compete in the PL

2. Ive no idea who is coming in,lets hope they are good

 

The article is about doing too much, too soon by switching to 4-3-3 and the need to have the right players to play a Barcelonaesque 4-3-3. One reading of Blackmore's article is that if we were to stick with 4-4-2 and what got us to the premiership, there wouldn't be a need for wholesale changes as we could build on the existing squad and momentum we've gathered.

 

There is a sense -corroborated by his various radio musings- in which Blackmore felt we could do a Norwich. Perhaps Hammond, Chaplow, Sharp and co could also do a job

 

As to transfers, who knows if NC overruled NA- nobody knows anything. To bring in quality rather than quantity a la Derby is harder than it sounds. Very few established players are willing to take the risk of moving to a newly promoted team before it's established itself or you are willing to play them grossly inflated wages to compensate for this additional risk.

 

Alas, Im surprised this is lost on the entrepreneurial braintrust and jet-setting elite of TSW.

Edited 22 October, 2012 by shurlock

[Dig Dig]

I see Jay Rodriguez's transfer fee has gone up another 14% since the last time anyone mentioned it

 

He'll be the worlds most expensive signing by the end of this season...

 

 

The reality is that we've paid around 3-4M up front with the rest performance based. The 8M currently being touted around is nonesense.

[buctootim]

As to transfers, who knows if NC overruled NA- nobody knows anything. To bring in quality rather than quantity a la Derby is harder than it sounds. Very few established players are willing to take the risk of moving to a newly promoted team before it's established itself or you are willing to play them grossly inflated wages to compensate for this additional risk.

 

Alas, Im surprised this is lost on the entrepreneurial braintrust and jet-setting elite of TSW.

 

Well done. You've simply taken the opposite position to Turkish but used the same risible justification to support an equally shaky position - make a straw man and knock it down with 'everybody else is thick which is why they dont have the same acute insight as me me me'.

 

Read the interview Les Reed gave around six weeks ago. He clearly says he is in charge of recruitment, not Adkins. In fact the whole article is full of himself. Yes its hard for a newly promoted team to attract quality players. However Swansea, Wigan, Norwich etc managed it, and they didnt have £30m to spend.

 

No-one knows why we didnt get the defensive players most knew we needed, but instead signed more attacking players leaving the the squad very unbalanced. Maybe were unlucky, maybe key deals fell through at the last minute, maybe we want to pay good transfer fees but not good wages, maybe we identified the wrong targets or were inexperienced / incompetent in the execution. The real point is Adkins isnt responsible for recruitment and signings and no matter how good a manager or coach you are you can very rarely turn a late 20s or 30s lg1 / championship player into a commanding PL one.

[stevegrant]

Posters are correct, it is not just about transfer fees but also wages and the desire for players to join the club.

 

Let us take Ramirez for example. Cost us £12m plus 4 years wages of at least £8m. That is a £20m Pick up a couple of premier defenders like West Ham did and say the transfer bill was £3m. that leaves £17m for wages or over 4 years £81,000 per week.

 

I am not knocking the purchase of Ramirez, far from it, as he looks a very good player and at his age will have a very good sell on value but it illustrates our problem on wages could have been resolved short term whilst we established our position.

 

On that basis the article is a fair reflection of the difference between us and West Ham

Also, let's face it, it's not as if nobody was aware of our defensive shortcomings. We had exactly the same problem at the start of last season, albeit against vastly inferior opposition, in that we were woefully short of depth at the back throughout the summer. As good as Jaidi was at the back end of our League One promotion season, there was no way he was going to be suitable a level higher, which left us with Fonte to play alongside either Dan Seaborne or Aaron Martin, both inexperienced and absolutely no idea if either of them would be up to the job. We were lucky that we had access to the loan window in which to sign Hooiveld. That's not an option in the top flight, and we're paying the price for our utterly lopsided transfer business.

[shurlock]

 

No-one knows why we didnt get the defensive players most knew we needed, but instead signed more attacking players leaving the the squad very unbalanced. Maybe were unlucky, maybe key deals fell through at the last minute, maybe we want to pay good transfer fees but not good wages, maybe we identified the wrong targets or were inexperienced / incompetent in the execution. The real point is Adkins isnt responsible for recruitment and signings and no matter how good a manager or coach you are you can very rarely turn a late 20s or 30s lg1 / championship player into a commanding PL one.

 

Don't disagree with any of this -and the last thing I'm doing is blaming Adkins (fwiw, I don't think he should go). Nor am I necessarily looking to blame/hold responsible NC/Reed, though given the committee approach, they must accept the failures as much as the successes.

 

Instead I'm willing to entertain the possibility that some things are out of anyone's control and reflect the fact we've overshot expectations and arguably overperformed and we don't have the pulling power yet to attract genuine quality. In other words, it's hard to blame anyone. It is what it is. Swansea, Norwich, Wigan are the exception not the rule and let's see if the first two can sustain things this season and at any rate not entirely comparable with our situation (Swansea spent more time in the NPC, so probably had a deeper squad - we were a NPC team bolted onto a L1 squad while Wigan were promoted at an easier time and have the time to adapt).

 

Re Ramirez, we don't know if it crowded out efforts or finances to buy defenders. Perhaps it didn't. Again nobody knows. If it did, NC/Reed are massively responsible. If it didn't, it's hard to say our squad is unbalanced. Going into this season we needed strengthening across the board -not just defense. I thought we looked pretty pedestrian going forward in preseason and lacked pace and creativity. As such, the Ramirez siging should be seen as taking us one step closer to where we need to be.

Edited 22 October, 2012 by shurlock

[buctootim]

Don't disagree with any of this -and the last thing I'm doing is blaming Adkins (fwiw, I don't think he should go). Nor am I necessarily looking to blame/hold responsible NC/Reed, though given the committee approach, they must accept the failures as much as the successes.

 

Instead I'm willing to entertain the possibility that some things are out of anyone's control and reflect the fact we've overshot expectations and arguably overperformed and we don't have the pulling power yet to attract genuine quality. In other words, it's hard to blame anyone. It is what it is. Swansea, Norwich, Wigan are the exception not the rule and let's see if the first two can sustain things this season and at any rate not entirely comparable with our situation (Swansea spent more time in the NPC, so probably had a deeper squad - we were a NPC team bolted onto a L1 squad while Wigan were promoted at an easier time and have the time to adapt).

 

Re Ramirez, we don't know if it crowded out efforts or finances to buy defenders. Perhaps it didn't. Again nobody knows. If it did, NC/Reed are massively responsible. If it didn't, it's hard to say our squad is unbalanced. Going into this season we needed strengthening across the board -not just defense. I thought we looked pretty pedestrian going forward in preseason and lacked pace and creativity. As such, the Ramirez siging should be seen as taking us one step closer to where we need to be.

 

Thats a fair synopsis, My overall feeling is of unease that something within the structure, processes, staffing or ownership isnt right. Organisational structures where responsibilities are shared can work - but sometimes one person with sole operational responsibility for fulfilling a vision is the way to go. I think Adkins knew what we needed / need but for whatever reason he didnt get it. Without wishing be be overly pessimistic, it will be much harder to rectify that in January if we are languishing near the bottom and looking like a demoralised team heading down.

Edited 22 October, 2012 by buctootim

[aintforever]

It's hard to argue with any of that article.

 

Our lack of Premier League experience at the back is glaring. Whoever is responsible for the transfers should be sacked, and I include the Chief Exec in that.

[Turkish]

It's hard to argue with any of that article.

 

Our lack of Premier League experience at the back is glaring. Whoever is responsible for the transfers should be sacked, and I include the Chief Exec in that.

 

That'll be Les Reed then.

[Raging Bull]

That'll be Les Reed then.

 

Nigel wanted defenders then?

[Maggie May]

Mayuka £4 million? Mental.

[Dibden Purlieu Saint]

Amazing how a select few of us recognised this from early on in the Summer, but we were derided for being unrealistic and impatient.

 

I doubt we'll get apologies though.

[alpine_saint]

Amazing how a select few of us recognised this from early on in the Summer, but we were derided for being unrealistic and impatient.

 

I doubt we'll get apologies though.

 

Get serious.....

[Bucks Saint]

Mayuka £4 million? Mental.

 

yeah but it says J Rod was £8m, so Mayuka was probably under £2m (please I hope so)

[SaintRichmond]

Lets compare wage bills???? Oh West Hoof's is twice as much as ours.........................................................

 

Yes, I see what you mean

 

........ please remind me ...... where exactly are West Ham in th Prem ??...... just below us ?? .... miles below us ??

 

What !!!!!!!!! Above us ????..... but our players and tactics are MUCH better than theirs, surely ??

[Norm]

Southampton: BORUC 4, YOSHIDA 3, HOOIVELD 4, FONTE 3, CLYNE 5, DOPRADO 4, S DAVIS 5, LALLANA 7, SCHNEIDERLIN 5, PUNCHEON 5, RODRIGUEZ 6

 

This reporters scoring of Saints players makes sad reading.

[S-Clarke]

Southampton: BORUC 4, YOSHIDA 3, HOOIVELD 4, FONTE 3, CLYNE 5, DOPRADO 4, S DAVIS 5, LALLANA 7, SCHNEIDERLIN 5, PUNCHEON 5, RODRIGUEZ 6

 

This reporters scoring of Saints players makes sad reading.

 

Probably about right though, I think Guly could be a bit higher though, but we're scraping the barrel here. It's incredibly depressing at the moment.

[stevegrant]

Southampton: BORUC 4, YOSHIDA 3, HOOIVELD 4, FONTE 3, CLYNE 5, DOPRADO 4, S DAVIS 5, LALLANA 7, SCHNEIDERLIN 5, PUNCHEON 5, RODRIGUEZ 6

 

This reporters scoring of Saints players makes sad reading.

Player ratings in newspapers are hilarious. I know of sports reporters who have admitted they just made up a load of random numbers because they had to file their copy right on the final whistle, so had them all done about 15 minutes into the game.

[saint1977]

Southampton: BORUC 4, YOSHIDA 3, HOOIVELD 4, FONTE 3, CLYNE 5, DOPRADO 4, S DAVIS 5, LALLANA 7, SCHNEIDERLIN 5, PUNCHEON 5, RODRIGUEZ 6

 

This reporters scoring of Saints players makes sad reading.

 

I think it's actually too high - Jos would be an average of 2 this season. In fact, given the spot fixing allegations in sport, he's lucky no-one has looked into that own goal v Fulham. That shot was going so far wide. Jos seems like an honest lad so it probably wasn't deliberate but it was very strange mistake. Even so, he's been a combination of Jakobsson and end of career Claus post-Jumpin' Jaks this season. Funnily enough, Fox has reminded me of Bernard a lot too in his positional play. Yoshida I feel sorry for as he ain't a full back and if Nigel tries playing him there next week I think either Crosby or the squad have got the speak up and stop him. Fonte - you think he's turned a corner and then he does that. Treat it as a sending off, 1 week fine for costing us the chance to get a result through deliberate handball, that'll put a stop to it. In fact, fining defenders for the really poor mistakes might be the way to cut the real gifts as we can't bring anyone in until January. They won't like it and the PFA will kick up but how else do you use a stick to get highly paid people to do their best if the carrot won't work?

 

Also, Nigel, FFS stick to a goalkeeper. It wasn't the week to bring Boruc in and what did Gazza do wrong v Fulham?

[lloydie]

This story can't be true. Big Fat Sam is an awful manager who hasn't got a clue, we are miles better than West Ham who will go down and why do you need premier league experience? What's the point of having 300 premier league appearance when you are are a terrible player like Kevin Nolan?

 

It was genuinely hillarious when people think that players like nolan or carrol werent going to cut it in the prem!

[KelvinsRightGlove]

The same article that many on here sneered at as being lies from a lazy journalist?

 

IT'S A BLOG FROM AN ECHO JOURNALIST!!!

 

It's suddenly being taken as gospel.

 

It isn't based on fact, and he even says it's his own opinion.

 

It carries as much weight as me saying I think it's nothing to do with Cortese.

[Redondo Saint]

Good artice. Identifies the issus but blames the wrong man. Adam Blackmore's blog from August should be required reading for everybody on this forum

 

http://bigadamsport.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Very interesting article. Thanks.

[Window Cleaner]

Player ratings in newspapers are hilarious. I know of sports reporters who have admitted they just made up a load of random numbers because they had to file their copy right on the final whistle, so had them all done about 15 minutes into the game.

 

 

The ratings that you get on whoscored.com are probably the most accurate, they seem to be based on some sort of attribution scale rather than what a reporter sees (or thinks he sees)

[Window Cleaner]

Mayuka £4 million? Mental.

 

 

for an impact sub who seems to have about the same chance of a start as I have of being Pope....well enough said .

 

 

Recruiter 2 words for you..... LEFT BACK

[Turkish]

IT'S A BLOG FROM AN ECHO JOURNALIST!!!

 

It's suddenly being taken as gospel.

 

It isn't based on fact, and he even says it's his own opinion.

 

It carries as much weight as me saying I think it's nothing to do with Cortese.

 

Quite prohetic though isn't it? Was dismissed as a load of bollo*ks when he wrote it, not quite turning out to be.

[Dalek2003]

Amazing how a select few of us recognised this from early on in the Summer, but we were derided for being unrealistic and impatient.

 

I doubt we'll get apologies though.

 

You are joking. I pointed out this fact not only this summer but the previous summer but the truth hurts and it is easy to ridicule people personally. Mind, i would howl with ironic laughter at the vocal few if Hoddle was re-appointed !

[dubai_phil]

Well, Shurlock wanted an input from a Jetsetter.

 

I believed NA when he said he wanted 2 CB's. I believed he had the LB problem covered when we made that attempt to sign Buttner.

 

I had faith during the window that we were sorting out the issue and Fox/Fonte/Jos would be reasonable cover (one at a time)

 

What I now have is confusion as to why the hell we ended up ONLY signing Yoshida?

 

I've said it before and will keep saying it. SOMEBODY has dropped NA in the sh1t.

 

As for the 4-4-2 argument, we were NOT strictly playing that last season OR the year before more like a 4-4-half-half-1 with SRL dropping back so much and out wide, I posted the same and nobody said I was nuts. The PL is a 4-3-3 and variations of it League - Hell the reason we did (OK) under Hoddle was that he played 4-3-3.

 

IMHO the MAIN reason it has not worked (up to 1st half Saturday) is that AL on the left does NOT get the time he had in the nPc to turn inside so we lose his effectiveness. AL needs to play right or in the hole as he did 1st half Saturday.

 

What we DID do right Sat in 1st half was to play further up the field than we did (esp against Everton & Arsenal)

 

There Shurlock

 

HTH

 

I'll be watching from up top in Chapel Sunday to see how wrong I am BTW

[Dark Munster]

Comment from an alleged Hammer fan. Fair play to him if so:

 

I wonder if the writer of this article was at the game. Number 1 fact that seems to have been missed was that Saints controlled much of the first half. As a Hammer, I was relieved at half time to be 0-0. There is not a mention of the key issue on Saturday for Southampton (and much of the reason for last season's success) which is why did Adkins not play Lambert from the start? Had he done so, I reckon Saints could have been two up after 45 minutes and it may have been a very different story. I totally agree that Saints defence is poor and the two goals in the first 3 minutes of the second half should have been avoided. But Saints weren't out of it until we got the third. The 4-1 did flatter us. The author should check out the match stats - as well as defence issues, finishing was the big Southampton problem - they had the most possession and numerous chances. This article also fails to mention how the owner may be influencing things such as player purchases and formation etc. If the rumours are true, Adkins shouldn't be getting such harsh treatment. Southampton have let loads in, they've also scored loads. They had an awful set of fixtures so their season has only really just started. We on the other hand have had a fairly kind start. Our run up to Xmas is a shocker now and you might seen the points gap between the two clubs reduce significantly. Sam has bought well so I am hopeful but time will tell. I travelled home with some Saints fans, some wanting Adkins head. Very short memories it seems. Articles like this help to stir up a panic before it is due (much like Hughes and QPR). I wonder how anyone at Upton Park on Saturday could give Diame 6 out of 10. Once again he was excellent, probably the best player. I suppose he came off due to international duty. It wasn't because of performance - maybe the author assumed it was as they didn't watch the game?

[Turkish]

Amazing how a select few of us recognised this from early on in the Summer, but we were derided for being unrealistic and impatient.

 

I doubt we'll get apologies though.

 

You're not wrong there fella. A few of us who raised these points were shouted down and called all sorts of things. Anti club, anti chairman, having agendas and so on. Now its all coming home to roost people won't admit they were wrong.

[dubai_phil]

You're not wrong there fella. A few of us who raised these points were shouted down and called all sorts of things. Anti club, anti chairman, having agendas and so on. Now its all coming home to roost people won't admit they were wrong.

 

Any Names?

 

Who needs to apologise?

[Turkish]

Any Names?

 

Who needs to apologise?

 

Myself and DPS for a start.

[shurlock]

The other thing which the article fails to point out is that they kept together large parts of the squad that went down and so didn't need to spend or rebuild as much as us, a recent L1 team.

[dubai_phil]

Myself and DPS for a start.

 

Ok? so you need to apologise?

 

But I thought you guys were the ones pointing out our problems in recruitment?

 

Your previous post (and yes you have been proven right BTW) indicated that other posters should apologise for thinking it was all being sorted out & we were getting the Defenders we needed.

 

I thought it was under control. I was horrified it did not get sorted and I have asked who's fault it was (I can kinda guess but Nige is getting the stick for it)

 

So I agree you were right. I also think that the person who failed to recruit should be the one "Under Threat" I really think losing NA will be shown to have been a disaster and I do NOT believe that even Pep Guardiola, Bill Shankly and Lawrie Mac at their best could keep us up with this defence until January

[shurlock]

You're not wrong there fella. A few of us who raised these points were shouted down and called all sorts of things. Anti club, anti chairman, having agendas and so on. Now its all coming home to roost people won't admit they were wrong.

 

Lots of people thought we were short -I did, I still do. Rather the majority opinion was wait and see.

 

What you fail to see is that perhaps there were good reasons why we didn't secure our targets. Until you show me evidence that we had opportunities to strengthen but failed to as a conscious policy, the jury's out. Guess you do multi-million pound transactions and convince people to join a project with uncertain success on a daily basis?

[Turkish]

Ok? so you need to apologise?

 

But I thought you guys were the ones pointing out our problems in recruitment?

 

Your previous post (and yes you have been proven right BTW) indicated that other posters should apologise for thinking it was all being sorted out & we were getting the Defenders we needed.

 

I thought it was under control. I was horrified it did not get sorted and I have asked who's fault it was (I can kinda guess but Nige is getting the stick for it)

 

So I agree you were right. I also think that the person who failed to recruit should be the one "Under Threat" I really think losing NA will be shown to have been a disaster and I do NOT believe that even Pep Guardiola, Bill Shankly and Lawrie Mac at their best could keep us up with this defence until January

 

Do I? For what? For daring to suggest that our defence was no where near good enough. For saying that our recruitment policy was shot and we needed premier league experience at the back to build a solid unit that is difficult to beat if we want to stay up and for daring to say weeks ago I didn't belize the manager was completely In control of team affairs. Oh no, this was wrong. Why do we need premier league experience? Our defence will be fine, Hooliveld has played in the champions league and Davis should be in the England squad we were told, Premier league experience means nothing, this league is average and we will finish midtable. Yes maybe I should apologies for daring to say this and for not fully buying into 'the Southampton way'