Our club is a joke

[TwoPints]

Shaw yes.

Lallana yes,

 

Rickie I can just about let him leave for Liverpool.

 

But all of them at the same time???

 

Squad players? Other key players??

 

When has a club ever sold 6/7 of their best players?!? Even if we replace the with quality, it still takes time to become a TEAM.

 

I love my club, absolutely love it. But right now, what's happening is unacceptable.

As far as I recall, Lambert, Lallana and Shaw are the only leavers so far and two have already been replaced. Others will leave but you can't complain about them leaving whilst completely ignoring the fact that replacements will be brought in. Not unless you're a complete moron of course whose only intent is to be a WUM and are happy to end up with egg on your face at the end of the transfer window.

[david in sweden]

it's not the club thats a joke....it's some of our so called pathetic fans that have not got a clue about modern day football and who holds all the power. So Saint Garrett you honestly believe that the club could have kept hold of the the 4 that have left for 2 of the biggest football clubs in the world and massive wage increases. Jesus some people are deluded on here.

We are all ****ed to see good players leave but the majority of us understand there is nothing the club can do once a player wants to leave.....except get top dollar, and to be fair Saints have done that. Now we need to spend it well.

 

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

You need to post more often, Barcelona.......there are people on here who are changing their nappies 4 times a day.

[dickyhale]

We have completely self imploded!! Can only assume katharina is counting her pennies. We are fuc@@d Relegation without a shadow of a doubt. Hurts so much after the potential of last yr. ...

Bookies thinks so too back in from 8-1 to 6-1

[Saint Without a Halo]

Ok on a positive note we have £90m and still in stronger position then when we got promoted to PL when many not sure Lambert or Lallana would cut it at highest level. All the rest were not here or just prospects.

Not to say I am happy though but still many clubs far worse off and hope club confident we have more Shaws and Chambers soon to step up.

 

Are you sure that all the money will stay in the club?

[Whitey Grandad]

Bookies thinks so too back in from 8-1 to 6-1

 

That'll change.

[aintforever]

Bookies thinks so too back in from 8-1 to 6-1

 

That looks a good bet to me. Sure, Keoman could be an inspired choice of manager and our kids may prove to be up to the job but there is a fair chance of complete meltdown.

[Toon Saint]

Oh well, at least the marketing department has gone from strength to strength with some exciting new additions. Can't wait to see how they perform next season.

[JakkoUK]

 

Out of order by Fonte? Or just a sense of humour?

[Lallana's Left Peg]

 

Out of order by Fonte? Or just a sense of humour?

 

Neither. He's probably as annoyed as the rest of us.

[Toon Saint]

 

Out of order by Fonte? Or just a sense of humour?

 

Ha. As a player who seems to genuinely care about the club he's probably just as worried as the majority of the fans. Bit of a travesty that the board don't even seem bothered about communicating properly to players like him, as he could prove an important ally in attempting to re-build squad morale.

[torsaint]

Who is rubbing his hands over the departures why the Don of course. He who laughs last laughs loudest.

[SaintRobbie]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2707277/Southampton-exodus-joke-blasts-Mick-Channon-claims-players-dont-care.html

 

No less than the great Mick Channon confirming its a joke.

 

 

'It's the fans I feel sorry for. They put hard-earned money in and then you see your heroes leaving at will.'

 

Having bought x3 STs Mick gets my respect.

[Mallagroth]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2707277/Southampton-exodus-joke-blasts-Mick-Channon-claims-players-dont-care.html

 

No less than the great Mick Channon confirming its a joke.

 

 

'It's the fans I feel sorry for. They put hard-earned money in and then you see your heroes leaving at will.'

 

Having bought x3 STs Mick gets my respect.

 

That's bull**** and once again a complete misuse of a quote to make a derogatory headline by the mail. Channon did not call our club a joke if anything he was more referring to Liverpools bizarre transfer policy and lust for our squad.

 

'Lovren leaving is another blow. How many players do Liverpool want from us? It's getting beyond a joke. I do worry about the Premier League.'

[buctootim]

That's bull**** and once again a complete misuse of a quote to make a derogatory headline by the mail.

 

Plus "'The players have chosen to leave and I don't blame the club. Their hands are tied and the Bosman ruling means they have to cash in".

[Goatboy]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2707277/Southampton-exodus-joke-blasts-Mick-Channon-claims-players-dont-care.html

 

No less than the great Mick Channon confirming its a joke.

 

 

'It's the fans I feel sorry for. They put hard-earned money in and then you see your heroes leaving at will.'

 

Having bought x3 STs Mick gets my respect.

 

Channon backs his former club but slates greedy players and worries for the future of Premier League:

 

'The players have chosen to leave and I don't blame the club. Their hands are tied and the Bosman ruling means they have to cash in.

'I realise times change but it was different in my era. I just wanted to play as many big games as I could. Now the power has shifted from the club to the player as they will sit on their backsides at a big club for 20 games a season.'

He added: 'Lovren leaving is another blow. How many players do Liverpool want from us? It's getting beyond a joke. I do worry about the Premier League.

'What chance do the rest of the clubs have if the big clubs can cherry pick your best players.

'It's the fans I feel sorry for. They put hard-earned money in and then you see your heroes leaving at will.'

 

 

There you go SaintRobbie. Same article but I have used the quotes in their correct context and summarised the article for you. Your spin is sh*te to suit your argument. Nothing more.

[Heisenberg]

We have sold 3 and signed 2. Why is the club a joke exactly?

 

Sure we need a new left back and a few more signings, but the club is working on it, no?

 

Its like Take That said just have a little patience

[Goatboy]

We have sold 3 and signed 2. Why is the club a joke exactly?

 

Sure we need a new left back and a few more signings, but the club is working on it, no?

 

Its like Take That said just have a little patience

 

Agree. Some of the absolute tosh being posted at the moment almost makes me miss Glasgow_Saint;)

[Heisenberg]

Agree. Some of the absolute tosh being posted at the moment almost makes me miss Glasgow_Saint;)

 

Does make me larf this forum. The 2-3 biggest supporters of the baz and Glasgow bans were batman, window cleaner and saint Charlie. After much, much whining and "mods please sort out this site" threads they partly got there wish/demands... Only to turn into baz and GS themselves

 

Personally I'm still relaxed and hoping for them Dominos that the monk promised us.

[offix]

To the OP: Get a frigging life! Your post is complete BS. Lauging stock?

We had a veryn good finish in the Prem, we are creating a lot of incrdible talent. We are the envy of many clubs more likely.

[Whitey Grandad]

To the OP: Get a frigging life! Your post is complete BS. Lauging stock?

We had a veryn good finish in the Prem, we are creating a lot of incrdible talent. We are the envy of many clubs more likely.

 

Well put. Most other clubs beneath us must be very jealous.

[monkadill]

Why do people say "our club is a joke" - i'm not laughing..

[Window Cleaner]

Why do people say "our club is a joke" - i'm not laughing..

 

Perhaps the "subject of ridicule" might be more appropriate....unless you're it's banker of course.

[martel]

it's not the club thats a joke....it's some of our so called pathetic fans that have not got a clue about modern day football and who holds all the power. So Saint Garrett you honestly believe that the club could have kept hold of the the 4 that have left for 2 of the biggest football clubs in the world and massive wage increases. Jesus some people are deluded on here.

We are all ****ed to see good players leave but the majority of us understand there is nothing the club can do once a player wants to leave.....except get top dollar, and to be fair Saints have done that. Now we need to spend it well.

 

Barcelona is absolutely right, the club has now power or influence over these players moving on, the contract between player and club only secures a fee to the club, end of, period. it is the whole system that is wrong, the top seven clubs can and will always be able to out spend the rest of the premiere league, to add insult to injury the so called fair play system goes a long way to making it worse, because it is based on percentages; Southampton as a club brought on its academy players plus a few brought in players and had a great season, because of that success we are now being torn apart by the top seven, why, because they can, I believe there has been a serious amount of tapping up, in addition I also believe certain newspapers also have a hand in the this.

So we can go on and on moaning about our club, or perhaps we do something about it and getour voices heard, personally I do not believe enough of us will have the attachments to pursue this, however, I could be wrong, but and I may be wrong I do not believe there is a supporters association or union type organisation, perhaps it is omething to think about, because if you really look at the premier league it is only a competition for 7 clubs maximum, with the reality being four. that means the rest of this league is frankly excluded, we are only there to make up the numbers, the fair play scheme is at best a joke and will never work in its present form.

So what can we do, well we could protest against the current cheque book competition we currently have, because that is all it is, face it Man City have won nothing, they have purchased it all, IF you feel something can be done then lets discuss it here, one thing I would like to do and it would be a peice of cake to get the media attention we would need to get the powers to be to talk about this issue is a walk out, by this I mean at our first home game we all walk out at half time, leaving the stadium almost empty, the club would not lose revenue, although the players no doubt in honesty could be affected, however, sometimes you have to take a step back before you take two forward, this then may spur on supporters from other clubs outside of the magnificent seven to join us. Or we could totally ignore this and go from season to season moaning about the good players we have to sell, with the added grief of re-building a team, with of course the increased risk of relegation and we all know about that, I look forward to your replies, no doubt some of which will of course be doragoraty.

[Batman]

no power or influence

 

what would happen if we told chambers/arsenal 'No'..?

why havent burnley immidately given Ings permission to leave, if they have no power or influence?

I would suggest we are ina far stronger position with chambers than they are with ings

[ART]

Now the Echo are joining in by publishing an Open Letter to the Board. I'm somewhat suspicious seeing that the supposed Saints fan writes from Gloucestershire, home of none other than Rupert Lowe. Can it be even Rupert is reacting to events? I leave that you everyone to judge for themselves

 

" SAINTS supporter Mark Saunders admits the current situation surrounding his club is “getting beyond a joke” and turning into every fan’s “worst nightmare.”

 

The lifelong supporter has written an open letter to the board of Southampton Football Club, which the Daily Echo prints in full here ....

 

It is with great sadness that I write this letter, but it is the only way I can think of to vent both my frustration and anger at the way my beloved Southampton is being torn apart.

 

It was not too long ago I was looking forward to another season in the Premier League and even quietly optimistic of seeing Saints build on a fantastic 2013/14 season.

 

However, even the most pessimistic fan could not have predicted what was going to happen.

 

Yes, most fans expected to see a couple of faces leave the club, but it is now getting beyond a joke.

 

What is frustrating is that most people could see that with a tiny bit of investment this great club of ours could have been competing for a trophy and even a European place, even if it was the Europa League. After achieving so much last season, the great fans of Southampton should have been looking forward to a bright future, but then Pochettino left and the alarm bells started to ring.

 

Before we could even start looking forward to next season, players started to be linked with this and that club.

 

Foolishly I, like many other Saints fans, believed that Les Reed would soon put a halt to this speculation, but sadly no, the mass exodus started!

 

Shaw, Lambert, Lallana, Lovren, and now Chambers! Okay, we managed to replace Pochettino with Dutch legend Ronald Koeman, but not even his appointment could stop our star players leaving.

 

Koeman was quoted as saying that any player leaving would be replaced with equal to or better players.....we've managed to sign just two.

 

Other clubs seem to be linked with a player, and then a couple of days later said player is wearing the shirt.

 

Not Southampton, though, we are linked with a player and that's where it ends.

 

I'm starting to worry that it's the clubs intention to replace the likes of Shaw, Lambert, Chambers Lallana and Lovren with academy players. Yes one, possibly two young players gradually integrated into the team over time will work, but to chuck more than that straight into the first team is asking for trouble, especially in the Premier League.

 

With the risk of sounding cynical, I even wonder if the club's decision to return to red and white stripes was just an effort to deflect the fans' attention away from the subject of transfers?

 

Instead of looking forward to next season with optimism, I find my myself worrying about whether or not we will even have a team good enough to stay in the league. Where there is no doubting Koeman's credentials as a top class manager, he is only as good as the players that he has at his disposal.

 

The reason why Saints did so well last season was that the team was settled, knew each others’ strengths and seemed to be united in their effort to achieve their goals.

 

I really hope I'm proved wrong and we have another fantastic season, but at this moment in time I doubt that.

 

I was born in Southampton and have been a Saints fan for as long as I can remember, and that will not change irrespective of who plays for the club or which league we are in. It's just a shame that the we were so close to realising Markus Liebherr's dream, only for things to quickly turn in to every fan’s worst nightmare.

 

Forever a Saints fan Mark Saunders. Gloucestershire.

[sadoldgit]

I listen to Talksport the other day and heard the Chairman of WHU say that he wished they hadnt bought a player for £15m (Carroll) and then say that another player had a future at the club when the manager clearly doesnt want to use him (Morrison). A number of wrist slitting WHU fans phoned up and said, in effect, that their club was a laughing stock. I think you will find that all clubs have a bed wetting section of fans who think that their club is a laughing stock.

[S-Clarke]

I listen to Talksport the other day and heard the Chairman of WHU say that he wished they hadnt bought a player for £15m (Carroll) and then say that another player had a future at the club when the manager clearly doesnt want to use him (Morrison). A number of wrist slitting WHU fans phoned up and said, in effect, that their club was a laughing stock. I think you will find that all clubs have a bed wetting section of fans who think that their club is a laughing stock.

 

I think Sam's time is numbered there. They've clearly gone down another route transfer wise this summer, the players they've signed aren't Big Sam players......so I think he either adapts and produces more progressive football, or he's gone. I think they'll struggle and he'll be gone.

[sadoldgit]

Perhaps the "subject of ridicule" might be more appropriate....unless you're it's banker of course.

 

Where is this ridicule coming from? I have not heard anyone ridiculing us - have heard plenty of people sympathising though. Still, that doesnt sound so good in a bedwetting post does it?

[sadoldgit]

I think Sam's time is numbered there. They've clearly gone down another route transfer wise this summer, the players they've signed aren't Big Sam players......so I think he either adapts and produces more progressive football, or he's gone. I think they'll struggle and he'll be gone.

 

I think you are right. The comments from the Chairman were hardly a ringing endorsement of poor old Sam.

[Whitey Grandad]

'A tiny bit if investment'? We'd need a lot more than that for Champions League.

[Ohio Saint]

. I'm somewhat suspicious seeing that the supposed Saints fan writes from Gloucestershire, home of none other than Rupert Lowe. Can it be even Rupert is reacting to events? I leave that you everyone to judge for themselves

I was born in Southampton and have been a Saints fan for as long as I can remember, and that will not change irrespective of who plays for the club or which league we are in. It's just a shame that the we were so close to realising Markus Liebherr's dream, only for things to quickly turn in to every fan’s worst nightmare.

 

Forever a Saints fan Mark Saunders. Gloucestershire.

 

 

You mean the guy who calls himself Mark Saunders from the entire county of Gloucestershire is, in your opinion. Rupert Lowe based on the fact that he lives in the same county?

 

........Just when you think you have seen it all............

[Puddings and Monkeys]

Does make me larf this forum. The 2-3 biggest supporters of the baz and Glasgow bans were batman, window cleaner and saint Charlie. After much, much whining and "mods please sort out this site" threads they partly got there wish/demands... Only to turn into baz and GS themselves

 

Personally I'm still relaxed and hoping for them Dominos that the monk promised us.

 

I think you're right Glasgow, the 3 you mention are the biggest drones and dullards since, well, since you Glasgow.

[Dig Dig]

no power or influence

 

what would happen if we told chambers/arsenal 'No'..?

why havent burnley immidately given Ings permission to leave, if they have no power or influence?

I would suggest we are ina far stronger position with chambers than they are with ings

 

People seem pretty adamant there is nothing which we could do in preventing the sale of up to 6 first team players. Thank god it's only 6 and not 11 seeing as there is nothing a club can do with contracted professional footballers.

 

Assume everyone will feel sorry for Morgan if he is denied a move?

[twiglet]

Knock Bloody Knock?

 

Don't bother replying, as there won't be one!

[Horley CTFC Saint]

You mean the guy who calls himself Mark Saunders from the entire county of Gloucestershire is, in your opinion. Rupert Lowe based on the fact that he lives in the same county?

 

........Just when you think you have seen it all............

Ahh but if you take the first letter of the name Mark then substitute it with the letter immediately before it in the alphabet you get an L and if you take the first letter of Saunders and substitute it with the letter immediately before it you get an R. That's LR and if you reverse these letters you get Rupert Lowe's initials - there's no way that could be a coincidence.

[corky morris]

Take a look at what's happening at Blackpool before saying we are a laughing stock.

[buctootim]

Take a look at what's happening at Blackpool before saying we are a laughing stock.

 

22 out and 1 in so far. Should put it in perspective for some (but won't).

[Batman]

22 out and 1 in so far. Should put it in perspective for some (but won't).

 

but we are in the big league with ridiculous TV money

measuring us up against Blackpool should be no barometer, should it

[buctootim]

but we are in the big league with ridiculous TV money

measuring us up against Blackpool should be no barometer, should it

 

They're in a little league with little money and low wages. We're in a big league with loads of money and massive wages. Same result. Losing 22 players is worse than losing 5 whichever way you slice it.

[doddisalegend]

The one thing that I don't get:

 

For years and years many of you have beaten the club down, had countless threads about its limitations, mocked people for thinking we could compete and so on.

 

We went down to League 1 and nearly went out of existence. Before that we'd spent most the past 2 decades fighting relegation, having some good memorable matches and last day escapes, but generally spending little and selling off the main talented players. The one exception was MLT, and people could tolerate being rubbish while having one world class player. It was never boring.

 

So what I'm wondering is, if you accept and insist that we reached our limits, and that's the size of our club, aren't the club doing exactly what they should be doing? i.e. selling off talent at a profit and trying to survive in the Premier League.

 

What has changed? The main difference now seems to be we have a hell of a lot of talent to sell off and far, far higher profit margins. Depressing but definitely far better than the situation in the past when a sell-off involved getting rid of Beattie on deadline day.

 

It's no necessarily my opinion, I thought we or another club could slowly build and challenge. I just see a lot of posters contradicting themselves and revelling in the sales, predictions of doom etc. You can't insist players will leave for bigger club, that we can't achieve any more and that we'll always be a small selling club, then moan like hell when it happens.

 

Maybe that's just what Southampton is and should be.

 

Pretty much. See I'm disappointed at how things are turning out but expected things to work out like this somewhere along the line so I'm not filled with the apocalyptic rage that some are suffering from. I remember being in the championship and not relishing returning to the PL, said as much on here but got shouted down, it took a season longer than I expected but it has pretty much gone as I figured it would in the end so I'm more filled with resignation than anger.

[Saint Garrett]

Embarrassing. This took us years to build, for it to be torn to bits in a few months. Absolute JOKE.

[COMEONYOUREDS]

Now the Echo are joining in by publishing an Open Letter to the Board. I'm somewhat suspicious seeing that the supposed Saints fan writes from Gloucestershire, home of none other than Rupert Lowe. Can it be even Rupert is reacting to events? I leave that you everyone to judge for themselves

 

" SAINTS supporter Mark Saunders admits the current situation surrounding his club is “getting beyond a joke” and turning into every fan’s “worst nightmare.”

 

The lifelong supporter has written an open letter to the board of Southampton Football Club, which the Daily Echo prints in full here ....

 

It is with great sadness that I write this letter, but it is the only way I can think of to vent both my frustration and anger at the way my beloved Southampton is being torn apart.

 

It was not too long ago I was looking forward to another season in the Premier League and even quietly optimistic of seeing Saints build on a fantastic 2013/14 season.

 

However, even the most pessimistic fan could not have predicted what was going to happen.

 

Yes, most fans expected to see a couple of faces leave the club, but it is now getting beyond a joke.

 

What is frustrating is that most people could see that with a tiny bit of investment this great club of ours could have been competing for a trophy and even a European place, even if it was the Europa League. After achieving so much last season, the great fans of Southampton should have been looking forward to a bright future, but then Pochettino left and the alarm bells started to ring.

 

Before we could even start looking forward to next season, players started to be linked with this and that club.

 

Foolishly I, like many other Saints fans, believed that Les Reed would soon put a halt to this speculation, but sadly no, the mass exodus started!

 

Shaw, Lambert, Lallana, Lovren, and now Chambers! Okay, we managed to replace Pochettino with Dutch legend Ronald Koeman, but not even his appointment could stop our star players leaving.

 

Koeman was quoted as saying that any player leaving would be replaced with equal to or better players.....we've managed to sign just two.

 

Other clubs seem to be linked with a player, and then a couple of days later said player is wearing the shirt.

 

Not Southampton, though, we are linked with a player and that's where it ends.

 

I'm starting to worry that it's the clubs intention to replace the likes of Shaw, Lambert, Chambers Lallana and Lovren with academy players. Yes one, possibly two young players gradually integrated into the team over time will work, but to chuck more than that straight into the first team is asking for trouble, especially in the Premier League.

 

With the risk of sounding cynical, I even wonder if the club's decision to return to red and white stripes was just an effort to deflect the fans' attention away from the subject of transfers?

 

Instead of looking forward to next season with optimism, I find my myself worrying about whether or not we will even have a team good enough to stay in the league. Where there is no doubting Koeman's credentials as a top class manager, he is only as good as the players that he has at his disposal.

 

The reason why Saints did so well last season was that the team was settled, knew each others’ strengths and seemed to be united in their effort to achieve their goals.

 

I really hope I'm proved wrong and we have another fantastic season, but at this moment in time I doubt that.

 

I was born in Southampton and have been a Saints fan for as long as I can remember, and that will not change irrespective of who plays for the club or which league we are in. It's just a shame that the we were so close to realising Markus Liebherr's dream, only for things to quickly turn in to every fan’s worst nightmare.

 

Forever a Saints fan Mark Saunders. Gloucestershire.

 

I'm willing to go out on a limb and say there is at least 1 saints fan other than RL in gloucestershire ART. Why are you so obsessed with him?

[SuperSAINT]

Embarrassing. This took us years to build, for it to be torn to bits in a few months. Absolute JOKE.

 

Was just going to post the same thing.

[Trout-Tickler]

I can except players leaving but there just seems to have been so little fight to try and keep them.

[Killers Knee]

I can except players leaving but there just seems to have been so little fight to try and keep them.

 

We've rejected a Cardiff bid for Fonte!

[Trout-Tickler]

We've rejected a Cardiff bid for Fonte!

 

If he doesn't sign a new contract and Cardiff up their bid before the end of the window I bet Les will drive him there himself!

Edited 28 July, 2014 by Trout-Tickler
spelling!

[Turkish]

Are people still embarrassed to support us? Are we still a joke?

[alpine_saint]

Are people still embarrassed to support us? Are we still a joke?

 

People who take the time to dig up threads like this really are attention-seekign losers.

 

Its really quite pathetic that those who were genuinely worried about the direction of the club and dared to express it are not permitted to enjoy signs that their concerns were groundless, just like the big-mouthed Über fans without snidey comments and reminders.

 

Get a f**king life, Turkey..

[david in sweden]

Topic says it all. Embarrassed to support us at the moment, we're a laughing stock.

 

Lambert

Lallana

Shaw

Lovren

Chambers

 

Morgan?

Fonte?

Clyne?

JRod?

 

I would have thought the "NO MORE" line would have been drawn a while ago but this is a complete joke. Not impressed

 

 

Er....? you were saying ...?

[Turkish]

People who take the time to dig up threads like this really are attention-seekign losers.

 

Its really quite pathetic that those who were genuinely worried about the direction of the club and dared to express it are not permitted to enjoy signs that their concerns were groundless, just like the big-mouthed Über fans without snidey comments and reminders.

 

Get a f**king life, Turkey..

 

 

 

Shut up you Imbecile.