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Are the ends more important than the means to you?


buctootim
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I agree totally about the need to feel affinity and to have something you can feel proud of. The problem is of course that the higher up the food chain a club goes then the chances for the academy product tend to become fewer and fewer ala Chelsea and Man City.

 

But can be utilised properly and yield amazing results ala Man United. Not always academy players but young, English players that you can develop that same affection for.

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Borussia Dortmund did in 4 years without going completely OTT on the spending so it is possible - but then they do average 80,478 per match, so rather more than us :(

 

Stadium expansion answer to our problems you say ... wonder why nobody has ever discussed this at length before ;) No but seriously good point, the way they do things is admirable. 80,000 and reasonable prices. Not the time and place to debate it but I do wonder if such a thing would be possible elsewhere.

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Equity or loan is semantics. A financial sum that size will be recouped at some point. Now that could be through the sale of the club or through money withdrawn on profit by the owners. All I'm saying is we should bear it in mind rather than getting complacent like the skates did

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Well Markus has been dead for three years, so I make that only ten years before we are floundering in the championship with the Venkeys, and we haven't won the league or qualified for the CL yet! :)

 

we ill yoyo a bit first and win a league cup too

 

still more exciting than the past 30 years of being a saints fan

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In my opinion the means are more important than the end product, always - but that's just my own personal ethos.

I think Saints are still heading along the right path, with the continuing development of the Academy but it is a fine line. I have a feeling the biggest change in the next couple of years will be "between the ears". We have shown we can compete with the best of the premier League, however we've also shown that we don't always get "up" for the lesser games. Home defeats against Wigan, QPR & Sunderland have shown that. It's something most of us just shrug our shoulders and say "it's the Saint's way" but to take that next step we have to get the mindset right. Although our academies were the only ones to make both elite groups, when it came to the business end of the season they both lost out on the actual finals.

Not sure how they do it, but that's the key to the next stage IMO

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Equity or loan is semantics. A financial sum that size will be recouped at some point. Now that could be through the sale of the club or through money withdrawn on profit by the owners. All I'm saying is we should bear it in mind rather than getting complacent like the skates did
It's an interesting question. We still don't know what the Liebherr's "end game" is. At what point, if any, would they intend to cash in and how would they go about doing it?
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But can be utilised properly and yield amazing results ala Man United. Not always academy players but young, English players that you can develop that same affection for.
Which players have came through recently from United's academy and flourished? Welbeck, Cleverley and Evans I'm guessing? Not very inspiring.
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we ill yoyo a bit first and win a league cup too

 

still more exciting than the past 30 years of being a saints fan

 

You clearly haven't been a Saints fan for thirty years. I haven't either but I can remember...

 

Chris Nicholl's 424

ZDS Cup Final

Alan Ball's reign

Everything MLT ever did

Several great escapes

Dellhurst park

Ekelund, Berkovic, Pahars, Beattie

Twelfth under Dave Jones

Beating Man U three seasons in a row

Moving to SMS

Eighth under Strachan

FA Cup final

Comprehensive one match European tour

Play off semi heartbreak

Great escape (Championship edition)

Walcott, Bale, Alex O-C, Bridge etc

and on to the Liebherr era.

 

Others might mention the fact we used to challenge for the frigging league title.

 

How tedious.

Edited by CB Fry
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Imo fundamentally the debate is not really down to the personality and attributes of Cortese, its about what kind of club you want. Does it matter if you buy in success or are ruthless in the process. Is it a good thing to be in a hurry, or do you enjoy it more if you develop and nurture something good over time? Is success at any price a price worth paying or is the way you run the club important too?

 

IMO Cortese wants CL football and he wants it fast. As we cant do it now with the players we have we'll need to spend very big to achieve that goal. We'll have to buy in success by throwing money at it, money the club isn't generating itself, but money given to it by a woman trying to honour a dead man's wishes. We'll buy in talent that is primarily motivated by money and perhaps sack a manager every time we go to the next stage of the 'project'. That is inconsistent with an ethos of developing talent through the academy and having them play long term for the team - why should they display any loyalty if Chelsea and Arsenal come in and offer more money, prestige and guaranteed CL football, not just the prospect of it?

 

I don't really see much to admire in that model, in fact imo it epitomises all that has become wrong with top end football. Personally I'd much rather emulate Norwich and Swansea, but do it even better than them and aim to be an Everton. Success gained from strong team spirit and the team being stronger than the parts. Astute eye for a player and development. I like seeing players like Morgan develop over time, £1m Chelsea rejects like Jack Cork flourish when given the chance. I like seeing gradual incremental and above all sustainable progress made over time. And I like seeing interviews with players and managers who can convey their thoughts in English.

 

Parachuting in big names without proper regard for how they will adapt and fit into the team, sacking managers regularly, relying on £30m injections of cash - meh. It may get success faster, it could even get a bit of CL football for a while but it wont get you it sustainably - what happens when the money runs out? Personally I'd be happier with the occasional FA cup win and maybe qualifying for the Europa cup once in while, as long as its done relying on the academy and smart buying, not big buying.

 

Developing something from nothing and punching above your weight is what gives pride and gets respect. Being the fat old rich guy with the big breasted leased bimbo, not so much.

 

since when do the fans get to decide what type of club they support? you write as if you have a choice in how the club is run, you don't.

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since when do the fans get to decide what type of club they support? you write as if you have a choice in how the club is run, you don't.

 

Same applies to transfers, tactics, beer & pies and who has got the best norks on the muppet show. Might as well close up Saintsweb then.

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