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Ralph Krueger - post-match comments in hospitality suite


SaintBobby

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After yesterday's match, Ralph Krueger came to say a few words in the Channon suite and took a few questions.

 

I didn't take a contemporaneous note, so this is from memory about 16 hours later.

 

Q: Will we keep hold of our best players this summer?

 

A: That's our intention. We want to keep together - and improve - the "product" you saw out there on the field today and we are confident we can do so. Of course, you can't make absolute promises in sports. It would be easy for me to list our best players and promise you now that none of them will ever leave. I would get a big cheer and a round of applause. But I would rather come back here in six months time and look you in the eye, having achieved something rather than just promised something. You should all watch Les Reed's statement at the press conference. Les Reed has a great footballing brain and he set out our strategy very well. He works very closely with Mauricio on a day-to-day basis.

 

Q: If we keep the manager, we will keep our best players - give him a new contract please, for 100 years if necessary. Oh, and we'd like our stripes back.

 

A: That sounded more like a comment than a question. We're working hard on all of these things. (NB: it sounded rather more optimistic in person...RK was nodding his head when the questioner was praising MP).

 

Q: When you came in, you said two key priorities were development of the academy and the stadium. How are things progressing there?

 

A: The improvements in the training facilities should be completed this summer. Wherever I go, anywhere in the world and meet people from any sport, we get real respect for the academy. But we don't just want to have the best academy in England, we want to have the best academy in the world. I think we are in a great position to attract the very best young players to "Southampton Saints" - not just because of the reputation of the academy but because everyone knows we aren't scared of putting young players onto the field. As far as the stadium is concerned, we are quite happy with the way it is at the moment and the atmosphere etc but that's not to say we aren't looking at ways to improve things here.

 

Q: Where do you see Southampton in the greater scheme of things? Consistently mid-table, top eight, to six, higher?

 

A: I'm in sport to win things. I used to just hate losing, but now I love winning - and the feeling we all have today. I want to keep improving our position in the "standings", that's what we're all committed to doing. If you're not in sport to win things, what's the point? So, I want to see the Saints continue to rise up the standings. It needs patience, you can't necessarily achieve everything at once. But that's what we are determined to do.

 

He also mentioned how much Katharina is enjoying now being at the centre of things, as her father was and that she sent her best wishes to all the fans, but that she preferred to take a behind the scenes role rather than being the centre of attention.

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The question I would ask Krueger: "Yourself, Reed and Pochettino have consistently said over the last several weeks that you want to concentrate on the remaining games and that you're waiting until the summer to talk about a new contract for MP to avoid any distractions. Arguably, 'putting off' MP's new contract talks has actually created much more distraction and speculation rather than prevented it. Wouldn't it have been better and a great statement of intent to have offered MP a new contract on 'Day 1' and thus put to bed the root cause of a lot of the speculation?"

 

I guess he might answer that with: "what if we'd offered him a new contract and he turned it down? Just think how much of a distraction that would have become"

Edited by trousers
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Response to the first question, brilliant. Under promise, over deliver. Don't shout from the rooftops about want you're going to do, shout about it when it's been done. Anyone can talk about being ambitious and tell people what they want to hear.

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'If you're not in sport to win things, what's the point?'. Like that mentality, shame MP didn't think like that in the FA cup. Hopefully that might mean what's the point in turning up to finish 8th, and we can aim higher. Jury's still out for me, we shall see in the summer what Ralph's true intentions for the club are

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Response to the first question, brilliant. Under promise, over deliver. Don't shout from the rooftops about want you're going to do, shout about it when it's been done. Anyone can talk about being ambitious and tell people what they want to hear.

 

I agree. Seems that he's been on some rather savvy courses on how to deal with stakeholders...

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"Going up the standings" means win the league now, does it? Alright then.

 

It means finishing higher than 8th that's for sure - getting mightily and uncomfortably close to what was dismissed as lalaland under the poisoned dwarf. Next small fry.

Edited by shurlock
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It means finishing higher than 8th that's for sure - getting mightily and uncomfortably close to what was dismissed as lalaland under the poisoned dwarf. Next small fry.

 

La la land was Champions League with half the team from the academy.

 

Nice try, sweetheart.

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The question I would ask Krueger: "Yourself, Reed and Pochettino have consistently said over the last several weeks that you want to concentrate on the remaining games and that you're waiting until the summer to talk about a new contract for MP to avoid any distractions. Arguably, 'putting off' MP's new contract talks has actually created much more distraction and speculation rather than prevented it. Wouldn't it have been better and a great statement of intent to have offered MP a new contract on 'Day 1' and thus put to bed the root cause of a lot of the speculation?"

 

I guess he might answer that with: "what if we'd offered him a new contract and he turned it down? Just think how much of a distraction that would have become"

 

I was talking to a person yesterday that is as close as it gets to the players. It seems that the players are very happy at the club, love playing for Pochettino but are not that impressed by Reed's statement or regard him highly. If Pochettino stays it is unlikely there will be departures. The significant comment was made regarding Pochettino, that it wasn't about money, but about his ability to strengthen the squad. There also appears to be criticism amongst the players about the poor value of some expensive imports. Reading between the lines, more Lovrens and no more Osvaldos.

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I was talking to a person yesterday that is as close as it gets to the players. It seems that the players are very happy at the club, love playing for Pochettino but are not that impressed by Reed's statement or regard him highly. If Pochettino stays it is unlikely there will be departures. The significant comment was made regarding Pochettino, that it wasn't about money, but about his ability to strengthen the squad. There also appears to be criticism amongst the players about the poor value of some expensive imports. Reading between the lines, more Lovrens and no more Osvaldos.

 

Which goes without saying - unclear who takes responsibility for the successes and failures of our transfer policy given the committee approach; but conceivably MP played a massive role in identifying and recruiting Osvaldo.

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The question I would ask Krueger: "Yourself, Reed and Pochettino have consistently said over the last several weeks that you want to concentrate on the remaining games and that you're waiting until the summer to talk about a new contract for MP to avoid any distractions. Arguably, 'putting off' MP's new contract talks has actually created much more distraction and speculation rather than prevented it. Wouldn't it have been better and a great statement of intent to have offered MP a new contract on 'Day 1' and thus put to bed the root cause of a lot of the speculation?"

 

I guess he might answer that with: "what if we'd offered him a new contract and he turned it down? Just think how much of a distraction that would have become"

 

Would yourself have done that? Myself thinks itself makes yourself sound a bit thick not to know when to use the word yourself and when to use the word you. Themselves are not interchangeable words. ;)

 

As as for what you say, I agree, but I suppose it is a full time job for both of them at the moment and once matters on the pitch are sorted, MP can look at who will be here next season, who he hopes to bring in and what the club will offer him. It'd be silly for anyone to make promises they can't keep now.

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I was talking to a person yesterday that is as close as it gets to the players. It seems that the players are very happy at the club, love playing for Pochettino but are not that impressed by Reed's statement or regard him highly. If Pochettino stays it is unlikely there will be departures. The significant comment was made regarding Pochettino, that it wasn't about money, but about his ability to strengthen the squad. There also appears to be criticism amongst the players about the poor value of some expensive imports. Reading between the lines, more Lovrens and no more Osvaldos.

Most of that seems fair enough, although I can't see what the big problem is with Reed's statement. It was, as far as we can all tell, simply stating facts about any current bids and reaffirming our desire to keep the players. What was their issue with it?

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Many are talking or asking about signing up the Manager on a long contract. He has already indicated he has another year left and is happy with the situation.

 

In my opinion and listening to others who know more it is not about money in his pocket. He is happy with his remuneration. It is about what money is available to strengthen the team in the summer. Let him have £40m at his disposal to get two or three good additions and that will say more about the clubs ambitions than anything else. If we keep the present influential players and add a few more and if the Manager maintains his performance then a new contract will automatically follow. This is a young guy who has plenty of time here to progress and look for that big job four or five years from now. May be we will be that big club then!

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Many are talking or asking about signing up the Manager on a long contract. He has already indicated he has another year left and is happy with the situation.

 

In my opinion and listening to others who know more it is not about money in his pocket. He is happy with his remuneration. It is about what money is available to strengthen the team in the summer. Let him have £40m at his disposal to get two or three good additions and that will say more about the clubs ambitions than anything else. If we keep the present influential players and add a few more and if the Manager maintains his performance then a new contract will automatically follow. This is a young guy who has plenty of time here to progress and look for that big job four or five years from now. May be we will be that big club then!

 

'Guan' posted a couple of weeks ago that there is a £35m transfer kitty this summer. Guan has a good 'ITK' track record when it comes to transfers so it sounds like MP is pretty close to getting what he wants if we start joining up some of these dots.

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I was talking to a person yesterday that is as close as it gets to the players. It seems that the players are very happy at the club, love playing for Pochettino but are not that impressed by Reed's statement or regard him highly. If Pochettino stays it is unlikely there will be departures. The significant comment was made regarding Pochettino, that it wasn't about money, but about his ability to strengthen the squad. There also appears to be criticism amongst the players about the poor value of some expensive imports. Reading between the lines, more Lovrens and no more Osvaldos.

 

Interesting comments - from my vantage point, Les Reed is not an inspiring person to have as Head of Recruitment, Transfers etc....he has managed to "hang in" without too much scrutiny while Pardew and Atkins have come and gone as Managers. Maybe it's time for Katharina and Ralph to question the continuing role of Reed.

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He wants to win things by moving up the standings. You win nothing by moving up a few places in the league. You know that.

 

You can win things in British football, and move up the standings and not win the league. You know that too. Anyway, let's remember these are half remembered quotes as the OP says.

 

Can we stop saying "standings" now. I feel a bit ill.

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Non committal approach from a pr trained man, absolutely nothing to see here for the learned, the naive will be biting though.

 

This is A Trolling Attempt

 

All good reading. Glad his comments about progress up the table were firm without naming league positions. They're only sticks to be beaten with if they don't happen, or happen immediately.

 

Especially pleased he said he'd rather deliver actions than words. The words are useful for now though

 

 

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You can win things in British football, and move up the standings and not win the league. You know that too. Anyway, let's remember these are half remembered quotes as the OP says.

 

Can we stop saying "standings" now. I feel a bit ill.

 

Yes, I think we should. I'm sure Ralph was pleased with some of our power plays yesterday and that's all that matters

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Interesting comments - from my vantage point, Les Reed is not an inspiring person to have as Head of Recruitment, Transfers etc....he has managed to "hang in" without too much scrutiny while Pardew and Atkins have come and gone as Managers. Maybe it's time for Katharina and Ralph to question the continuing role of Reed.

 

That is an interesting observation.

 

Like many on here, I had some doubts about Les Reed's input under the NC regime, and questioned his involvement in 'the dream' and managerial changes etc although off the pitch the Staplewood development looks good and no one can doubt the success of the Academy.If LR is heavily involved in heading that up then that probably justified his position.

 

When NC departed however I was relieved to see LR continue as it gave some continuity, and at least we had a "football man" (and one from the UK) to assist KL and her assembled board on football issues. Reeds statement gave further credibility to his standing and role.

 

If as you and Derry say, he is not popular or respected by the first team then that puts a new and different complexion on things. Perhaps this is the sporting director role that RK has spoken of ?

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That is an interesting observation.

 

Like many on here, I had some doubts about Les Reed's input under the NC regime, and questioned his involvement in 'the dream' and managerial changes etc although off the pitch the Staplewood development looks good and no one can doubt the success of the Academy.If LR is heavily involved in heading that up then that probably justified his position.

 

When NC departed however I was relieved to see LR continue as it gave some continuity, and at least we had a "football man" (and one from the UK) to assist KL and her assembled board on football issues. Reeds statement gave further credibility to his standing and role.

 

If as you and Derry say, he is not popular or respected by the first team then that puts a new and different complexion on things. Perhaps this is the sporting director role that RK has spoken of ?

 

His record at Charlton when he stepped into the manager's chair also smacks of him not having the players "on board." I don't think that being liked or even respected however is essential for being a good Director of Football. If he is the man who negotiates contracts it may even be a good thing.

 

I guess that none of us know whether he is doing his job well . But Charlton's advancement in the football world when he was there and their subsequent fall after he left and our rise since he has been around does indicate that good things happen when he is at a club. Maybe he is just lucky .... but lucky Directors of Football are hard to find!!

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Which goes without saying - unclear who takes responsibility for the successes and failures of our transfer policy given the committee approach; but conceivably MP played a massive role in identifying and recruiting Osvaldo.

 

I suspect we have learn't our lesson. If you learn form your mistakes, then setbacks are not wasted.

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I was talking to a person yesterday that is as close as it gets to the players. It seems that the players are very happy at the club, love playing for Pochettino but are not that impressed by Reed's statement or regard him highly. If Pochettino stays it is unlikely there will be departures. The significant comment was made regarding Pochettino, that it wasn't about money, but about his ability to strengthen the squad. There also appears to be criticism amongst the players about the poor value of some expensive imports. Reading between the lines, more Lovrens and no more Osvaldos.

 

Which goes without saying - unclear who takes responsibility for the successes and failures of our transfer policy given the committee approach; but conceivably MP played a massive role in identifying and recruiting Osvaldo.

 

That one rests between MP and NC. MP, having worked with him previously felt he could 'manage' him, and get him motivated, sadly wrong on both counts.

 

After Osvaldo first rejected us in May, it should have been abandoned. Seemed to me after that rejection - just from snippets posted by a couple of Italian journalists - that rather like the Ramirez saga, Cortese would not allow his ego to be beaten in front of watching Italian media, and we had to sign the f^cker at whatever cost no matter how long it took. I wonder if NC would have been so keen to pursue a player after the first rejection if he was playing in Spain or Germany.

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His record at Charlton when he stepped into the manager's chair also smacks of him not having the players "on board." I don't think that being liked or even respected however is essential for being a good Director of Football. If he is the man who negotiates contracts it may even be a good thing.

 

I guess that none of us know whether he is doing his job well . But Charlton's advancement in the football world when he was there and their subsequent fall after he left and our rise since he has been around does indicate that good things happen when he is at a club. Maybe he is just lucky .... but lucky Directors of Football are hard to find!!

 

Don't disagree with any of that.

 

I'm not too bothered about his brief foray into management, backroom staff are often thrust into the team managers role, where they are ill suited. (Wigley, & Gray for two).

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If I'm honest I'd still much rather hear a more hard nosed "no one's going to be sold, f#ck off". I don't see why it's that difficult? We've got the money available to keep hold of our first 11.

 

There are only two differences between that and what's actually been said:

 

1. They've said we won't sell players who Pochettino wants to keep, not that we won't sell anyone. That's common sense - we'll offload some fringe players and would happily take £60m for Jack Cork. Anything can happen and you don't want to look stupid/dishonest, so Reed was about as hard-nosed as you can realistically be

2. No swearing

 

 

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If I'm honest I'd still much rather hear a more hard nosed "no one's going to be sold, f#ck off". I don't see why it's that difficult? We've got the money available to keep hold of our first 11.

 

In reality - I don't think that's in the hands of the club. We discovered that with both Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and with Dean Richards.

 

If the player tells the club "I want to leave. I'm no longer very happy here and would like to play elsewhere" and the club believes they can get £35m for them (whilst perhaps only valuing them at £15m), why not sell?

 

You could just punish the player - e.g. insist Luke Shaw spends the next three years playing for and training with the U-21s - but I'm not sure that's often the smartest move.

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There are only two differences between that and what's actually been said:

 

1. They've said we won't sell players who Pochettino wants to keep, not that we won't sell anyone. That's common sense - we'll offload some fringe players and would happily take £60m for Jack Cork. Anything can happen and you don't want to look stupid/dishonest, so Reed was about as hard-nosed as you can realistically be

2. No swearing

 

 

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I don't think anyone's naive enough to assume that when he says players will hopefully be kept he means hopefully Pochettino wants to keep them. Clearly the uncertainty is if players want to leave or massive bids are received. Reed didn't really say no one would be sold either, he said no bids had been received and if they had they'd probably be refused. The players are also now sounding much less certain then they were last summer. If they do still think the same it would be nice if they weren't so wishy washy with their language, because I've never thought we'd sell players over the last few years but get the impression some will leave this summer now.

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In reality - I don't think that's in the hands of the club. We discovered that with both Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and with Dean Richards.

 

If the player tells the club "I want to leave. I'm no longer very happy here and would like to play elsewhere" and the club believes they can get £35m for them (whilst perhaps only valuing them at £15m), why not sell?

 

You could just punish the player - e.g. insist Luke Shaw spends the next three years playing for and training with the U-21s - but I'm not sure that's often the smartest move.

 

What are we going to do with £35mill? I genuinely don't think we'd get a better weekly performer then Lallana or Shaw or Schneiderlin for £35mill, big money doesn't mean consistently good performances. None of them would kick up a fuss if we told them to stay, it'd completely ruin their England career if we just went "ok screw you then, you're going back to the U21's for four years" I'm sure they'd soon have a change of heart.

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I don't think anyone's naive enough to assume that when he says players will hopefully be kept he means hopefully Pochettino wants to keep them. Clearly the uncertainty is if players want to leave or massive bids are received. Reed didn't really say no one would be sold either, he said no bids had been received and if they had they'd probably be refused. The players are also now sounding much less certain then they were last summer. If they do still think the same it would be nice if they weren't so wishy washy with their language, because I've never thought we'd sell players over the last few years but get the impression some will leave this summer now.

 

Have you seen Jack Cork's quote from yesterday? It's clear as day the players are on board if the club is, and the club are making the right noises. Krueger's right to say that, having said their bit, it's action that's next for the club.

 

 

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Have you seen Jack Cork's quote from yesterday? It's clear as day the players are on board if the club is, and the club are making the right noises. Krueger's right to say that, having said their bit, it's action that's next for the club.

 

 

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Nope, don't remember seeing it. I'd agree though, but I don't think the owners want to invest as much as sustained improvement requires. If we invest as much as previous summers I'd be pretty certain everyone would stay.

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