Shane Long

[S-Clarke]

I'd much prefer blow 10m on a 21 year old who's extremely highly rated, scored regularly for u21's, scored in loan spells in championship and when finally given a run in prem team too. If West Ham get him that's a got potential to be a corking signing.

 

Then I'm glad you're not on our scouting team. What has Wickham ever done to be this highly rated? He has been shockingly **** for Sunderland, bar a run of 6 games - big bloody deal. He didn't even do it on loan in the NPC - last season. Good player he may be, but he's not £10m, £1-2m tops as a proper backup player.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

I do pal. Idiots. Internet football fans barring a handful are idiots

 

No doubt the ones whinging about signing long now were the same ones begging Osvaldo and Ramirez to sign this time the last two years, despite probably having never seen them play or have heard of them.

 

Probably the same ones whinging when we came up that Clyne & Rodriguez didn't have premier league experience

 

Probably the same ones whinging all summer we're being asset stripped and have no ambition

 

Probably the same ones who have been whinging all summer we're making derisory offers for players who don't want to come here.

 

Now we're about to make a decent if unspectacular signing and they're out in force again whinging that we're paying too much, he isn't a foreigner with a fancy name who we simply have to sign and would be a real statement of intent, despite having never heard of them until the links appeared in the paper.

 

 

Idiots pal, at least 80% of 'em.

 

We've had our disagreements in the past Rich, but **** me, you're 100% correct on this. Turns out until now I was giving these morons too much credit.

[captainchris]

How can anybody get excited about signing Shane Long? He is a Crystal Palace, Aston Villa, Stoke, etc kind of signing. Before anybody shoots me down I know our long term visions may have changed and that we have to accept our place in the food chain but deary me it's a kick in the balls to pay good money for a plodder like Long...I hope RK knows what he is doing..might as well bring back Lee Barnard. Hopefully he may read this thread before signing and stay at hull. 12 Million..Jesus

 

Perfectly put Benny......

Still in shock. If this is an indication of our aspiration - well ........... It's such a waste..... Unfortunately the outrageous rediculously high price tag doesn't turn him into a 12m player - if only it did!

[Jai27]

How do you work that out? They haven't got better records. Wickham is known for having a terrible attitude and Borini has said he won't be leaving Liverpool.

 

Age and potential. Time to mold them as players.

 

Long has shown his cards and everyone knows what his level is. Everyone also knows he a c**t.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

I'd much prefer blow 10m on a 21 year old who's extremely highly rated, scored regularly for u21's, scored in loan spells in championship and when finally given a run in prem team too. If West Ham get him that's a got potential to be a corking signing.

 

Another 'football' fan to put on the 'Ignore their opinion' list.

[Patrick Bateman]

I do pal. Idiots. Internet football fans barring a handful are idiots

 

No doubt the ones whinging about signing long now were the same ones begging Osvaldo and Ramirez to sign this time the last two years, despite probably having never seen them play or have heard of them.

 

Probably the same ones whinging when we came up that Clyne & Rodriguez didn't have premier league experience

 

Probably the same ones whinging all summer we're being asset stripped and have no ambition

 

Probably the same ones who have been whinging all summer we're making derisory offers for players who don't want to come here.

 

Now we're about to make a decent if unspectacular signing and they're out in force again whinging that we're paying too much, he isn't a foreigner with a fancy name who we simply have to sign and would be a real statement of intent, despite having never heard of them until the links appeared in the paper.

 

 

Idiots pal, at least 80% of 'em.

 

Top post.

 

As for those wanting to sign Wickham, you have to wonder if they've ever seen him other than on Sky and other than for the 4 or 5 matches where he looked okay (out of 40-odd last season).

 

Even the Sunderland fans don't think he's THAT good and are laughing at £10m for him.

[MAY-Z]

Exactly...what has Wickham done to prove he is nothing but dross himself? I'd be devastated if we were about to blow £10m on Wickham, which WHU seem prepared to do...

 

The only nailed on certainty here would be if we did sign wickham in place of long is that most of the miserable posters on here would be:

 

A) complaining at signing someone unproven like wickham and;

B) suggesting we sign a proven premier league goalscorer like long

[Baird of the land]

Then I'm glad you're not on our scouting team. What has Wickham ever done to be this highly rated? He has been shockingly **** for Sunderland, bar a run of 6 games - big bloody deal. He didn't even do it on loan in the NPC - last season. Good player he may be, but he's not £10m, £1-2m tops as a proper backup player.

 

How has he been shocking for sunderland. Barely had a game, let alone a run in the team since he signed for them. Worth much more than 1-2m imo and overpaying for someone who has potential to kick on to be very good is vastly preferable to vastly overpaying for someone who is distinctly average and has virtually no chance of getting any better.

[hypochondriac]

I'm being realistic Hypo. Where's the appeal for a top player (such as Hernandez) to drop down and play for us? We're a mid-table club who are currently losing their best players at an alarming rate. From the outside we appear to be a club that people can't wait to leave. As fans we will always see the silver lining but to an outsider, we're one big grey cloud at the moment.

 

We're finding it easy to source players from outside England but that's for one reason only. They want to play in the Premier League. Do you think one single player we've signed sat there when they were 16 and said to themselves - "I want to play for Southampton Football Club one day"? We're a sinking ship with limited appeal to anyone currently playing within the premier League but that's waht we need - proven Premier League talent. We've signed some good players from abroad but we all now that's a gamble that often doesn't pay off.

 

Which is precisely why deals should have been done earlier in the window. Whichever way you look at it, this summer has been a monumental f*ck up. There should be consequences for the people at the top, the same way that there would be in other organisations that see a huge decrease in ambition and performance.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

Age and potential. Time to mold them as players.

 

Long has shown his cards and everyone knows what his level is. Everyone also knows he a c**t.

 

I think that's it, I don't see potential in those other two. Please don't think because Wickham scored a few goals at the end of last season that means he's going to be any good. Don't forget Michael Ricketts did what Wickham has for a whole season and turned out ********.

[S-Clarke]

If Shane Long was coming from Serie A, with a fancy foreign name like Shanz Longes, then after watching some youtube videos I'm sure people would be excited. It's so spot on what was said above, players we've never heard of are world beaters - we need to sign him etc, but solid signings like this are dross? We should know all about him, he's ripped us apart a few times!!

 

As I've said, only issue is the fee. But do not dismiss him as a player, he's a decent addition and will improve us in an area where we were weak. Mid-table is where we are now, so this is what it is.

[Verbal Kint]

I do pal. Idiots. Internet football fans barring a handful are idiots

 

No doubt the ones whinging about signing long now were the same ones begging Osvaldo and Ramirez to sign this time the last two years, despite probably having never seen them play or have heard of them.

 

Probably the same ones whinging when we came up that Clyne & Rodriguez didn't have premier league experience

 

Probably the same ones whinging all summer we're being asset stripped and have no ambition

 

Probably the same ones who have been whinging all summer we're making derisory offers for players who don't want to come here.

 

Now we're about to make a decent if unspectacular signing and they're out in force again whinging that we're paying too much, he isn't a foreigner with a fancy name who we simply have to sign and would be a real statement of intent, despite having never heard of them until the links appeared in the paper.

 

 

Idiots pal, at least 80% of 'em.

 

I like Long and have done so for a long time as he looked perfect for MP's pressing game last season and I think with better service he might add a few more goals and do ok. But I would have liked us to sign him in January when we could have got him for significantly less and taking that into account (and knowing this obviously isn't a RK signing) you can only come to the conclusion the board is starting to panic. I accept the situation has changed somewhat since January with Jay's injury but I still get the impression Les isn't particularly comfortable at the moment.

 

Still, they asked to judge on September 1st which is fair enough. 2 centre halves and another attacking player and suddenly things look much better

[Sidney Fudpucker the 3rd]

How did we manage to screw Liverpool for £25 million for Lallana and £20 million for Lovren. We had their pants down too.

 

I totally agree. The money being thrown around is crazy!!!

[Leicestersaint]

£12 million for Long?? Then JayRod must be worth £50 million!

[Fitzhugh Fella]

I think a lot of Saints fans are suffering from delusions of grandeur. There was no way Hernandez (or those of his ilk) would come to Southampton when clubs like Inter and Athletico can offer CL football. The days of us signing the likes Keegan from under the big club noses are - alas - forever gone. We have to accept we are, at best, a mid top-flight team with sound, sensible owners (that can't be said for many clubs). Shane Long is exactly the sort of player we should expect and welcome. He brings skills we lack and his presence could make all the difference in avoiding an uncomfortable season.

 

Now of course if we were filling a 50,000 stadium week in week out I might raise my aspirations to join the disappointed fans currently moaning about Long's impending arrival but in the meantime I will stay in the realistic camp and be grateful it looks like we will be increasing out attacking options.

[Sour Mash]

Age and potential. Time to mold them as players.

 

Long has shown his cards and everyone knows what his level is. Everyone also knows he a c**t.

Where the f**k has that come from? This forum

[saintscottofthenortham]

The only nailed on certainty here would be if we did sign wickham in place of long is that most of the miserable posters on here would be:

 

A) complaining at signing someone unproven like wickham and;

B) suggesting we sign a proven premier league goalscorer like long

 

What he said. ^^^^

[sentry]

If Gaston and Tadic are playing they will have a player who will make endless runs for them to find. With the type of killer ball they can play, and his extra pace he will open up so much space and create a lot of chances. I think if we sign him he will be very good for us.

 

Agree, sure its a lot but a good way of judging a striker is with goals per mil. If he costs 12 mil and gets 12 goals that's not a bad return.

 

Also everyone is shocked at the money, but really what prem to prem transfer is a bargin now a days. This is about standard. Fletcher was 15mil, McGoldrick 11mil, etc.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

If Shane Long was coming from Serie A, with a fancy foreign name like Shanz Longes, then after watching some youtube videos I'm sure people would be excited. It's so spot on what was said above, players we've never heard of are world beaters - we need to sign him etc, but solid signings like this are dross? We should know all about him, he's ripped us apart a few times!!

 

As I've said, only issue is the fee. But do not dismiss him as a player, he's a decent addition and will improve us in an area where we were weak. Mid-table is where we are now, so this is what it is.

 

Yep you have nailed it. Cortese's recklessness with the cash has meant there are Saints fans out there with totally unrealistic expectations.

[Donatello]

No, because Jay Rod had been touted to play out on the left when he joined and also played their previously for Burnley.

 

Whereas Shane Long is a 27 year old striker who has never played on the left and only ever had his best patches of form when he played with another striker up front, which we haven't done since our return in the Premier League and Koeman hasn't done in pre-season friendlies.

 

The key word being 'touted'. JRod was an out and out striker moulded to fit the demands of the modern game. Long possesses all of the qualities to make such a transition. And he'll be playing with another striker up front.

[Saint_Tony]

If Shane Long was coming from Serie A, with a fancy foreign name like Shanz Longes, then after watching some youtube videos I'm sure people would be excited. It's so spot on what was said above, players we've never heard of are world beaters - we need to sign him etc, but solid signings like this are dross? We should know all about him, he's ripped us apart a few times!!

 

As I've said, only issue is the fee. But do not dismiss him as a player, he's a decent addition and will improve us in an area where we were weak. Mid-table is where we are now, so this is what it is.

Too true. It's disappointing knowing that we are getting a decent signing and that there are no quality 3 minute you tube clips to get us excited about signing another potential world class superstar.Some of my favourites have included Mayuka and De Ridder.

[S-Clarke]

Too true. It's disappointing knowing that we are getting a decent signing and that there are no quality 3 minute you tube clips to get us excited about signing another potential world class superstar.Some of my favourites have included Mayuka and De Ridder.

 

[jasoneuelllfanclub]

Long would be decent signing imo but I don't believe for one second we would pay £12m outright for him. Recall sky saying lambert deal was worth £9m which was bull**** so would take £12m story with a pinch of salt. More likely 8-10m is my expectation.

[sotonist]

If Shane Long was coming from Serie A, with a fancy foreign name like Shanz Longes, then after watching some youtube videos I'm sure people would be excited. It's so spot on what was said above, players we've never heard of are world beaters - we need to sign him etc, but solid signings like this are dross? We should know all about him, he's ripped us apart a few times!!

 

As I've said, only issue is the fee. But do not dismiss him as a player, he's a decent addition and will improve us in an area where we were weak. Mid-table is where we are now, so this is what it is.

Or Ezequiel Schelotto maybe? Was everyone excited about that?

 

That was a meltdown without a transfer fee and with the hopes that we'd still be signing a decent striker.

[hasper57saint]

Shane Long.IIRC he's the lad who put the boot into Lallanas back at the Hawthornes.I'm beginning to like him already!

[SaintRobbie]

Dwelt on this overnight. £12m in this window is high but it's a great transfer.

 

Pacey, works his socks off, scored four goals in 15 in a team that parks the bus and hoofs it upfield. Saints are clearly a pressing team, we need a Phillips to Pelle's Quinn and he fits the mould. 27 so at his peek.

 

I think he will become a fans favourite, a grafter who should cause confusion, bang in 10 goals this season and give Pelle the opportunity to do the same.

 

Yes it's high pricing. But seems a good addition to the squad. I think we can buy another striker and offload Mayuka now (Sharps gone to Leeds). We can now take a chance on a hungry up and coming youngster for around £6m, or of course still afford Ings.

 

Welcome Shane Long! Hope he plays on Saturday. High impact sub to screw over Liverpools defence in the second half.

[S-Clarke]

[video=youtube;HK4uCBj-ylM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HK4uCBj-ylM

 

Looks every bit a Rodriguez style player to me based on those clips. He's not exactly dross, either.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

[rick1976.4.38]

we could sign Ronaldo,messi and the muppets on here would still moan

get realistic guys,we aren't a cl team,we probably never will be,look at our achievements in the past fifty years,fa cup winners once.

shane long isn't a £12million player but that's the market rate we've to pay

the plus side is if jrod goes in January or next summer we should get a good few million for him.

so lets support the guy and see how he does before knocking him,personally I think he's an ok striker and rk will hopefully get the best out of him

[Trout-Tickler]

Dwelt on this overnight. £12m in this window is high but it's a great transfer.

 

Pacey, works his socks off, scored four goals in 15 in a team that parks the bus and hoofs it upfield. Saints are clearly a pressing team, we need a Phillips to Pelle's Quinn and he fits the mould. 27 so at his peek.

 

I think he will become a fans favourite, a grafter who should cause confusion, bang in 10 goals this season and give Pelle the opportunity to do the same.

 

Yes it's high pricing. But seems a good addition to the squad. I think we can buy another striker and offload Mayuka now (Sharps gone to Leeds). We can now take a chance on a hungry up and coming youngster for around £6m, or of course still afford Ings.

 

Welcome Shane Long! Hope he plays on Saturday. High impact sub to screw over Liverpools defence in the second half.

 

No offence but I hope he plays on Sunday!

[View From The Top]

Seriously? I have no words sometimes.

 

Having read his posts on this thread he can only be a FM obsessed kid. If he is actually an adult then let's hope he never gets to breed.

[100%Red&White]

PREMIER LEAGUE DUMMY-SPITTING TOP 6

 

1. Drama Queen [insert Saints Web poster here]

 

2. Bedwetter [insert Saints Web poster here]

 

3. Hysterical Tart [insert Saints Web poster here]

 

4. Knee-Jerker [insert Saints Web poster here]

 

5. Pillow-Biter [insert Saints Web poster here]

 

6. Mischievous Skate [insert Saints Web poster here]

[Donatello]

Signings that are capable of helping us match our European dreams. Negredo might be available. Hernandez is keen I've heard and Bony wants to further his career in the middle regions of the Premier League.

 

Negredo? You are *dreaming*/delirious Furthermore, Hernandez is evidently not keen, and it's reported that Bony has excessive wage demands.

 

Edit: On second reading, perhaps you were joking. Haha, apologies.

Edited 13 August, 2014 by Donatello

[captainchris]

What does this make Morgan worth ?

30m- 40m ......... Sharp must be worth 8 or 10m now....

My eyebrows are raised so high I look like I've had a face lift ! This club has turned into a soap opera......

Yes we have the money, the infrastructure, the staff, hundreds of cones and media communications officers bla bla bla and now we have Shane blo-dy Ritchie! ;-)

Where oh where will this circus end?

[JRM]

I do pal. Idiots. Internet football fans barring a handful are idiots

 

No doubt the ones whinging about signing long now were the same ones begging Osvaldo and Ramirez to sign this time the last two years, despite probably having never seen them play or have heard of them.

 

Probably the same ones whinging when we came up that Clyne & Rodriguez didn't have premier league experience

 

Probably the same ones whinging all summer we're being asset stripped and have no ambition

 

Probably the same ones who have been whinging all summer we're making derisory offers for players who don't want to come here.

 

Now we're about to make a decent if unspectacular signing and they're out in force again whinging that we're paying too much, he isn't a foreigner with a fancy name who we simply have to sign and would be a real statement of intent, despite having never heard of them until the links appeared in the paper.

 

 

Idiots pal, at least 80% of 'em.

 

Top post, its really sad that some people on here literally cannot wait for us to get turned over at Liverpool on Sunday so they can rush on here claiming vindication for all the attacks on the board and our lack of signings (which is now becoming wrong type of signing)

I actually think Long will do a good job for us and his attributes are what we need as a team, the reported price seems high but thats one of those things.

 

People are talking about us as if we won the league and are now disappearing into a relegation battle, when the truth is we were 8th last year and I can see us finishing anywhere between 8th -12th this year. Not much in it.

 

One poster (SaintChris I think) sounds like he's almost in tears over the signing, get a grip you plonker.

[verlaine1979]

12m? So that's what 'penetralia of the club' means.

[View From The Top]

Which is precisely why deals should have been done earlier in the window. Whichever way you look at it, this summer has been a monumental f*ck up. There should be consequences for the people at the top, the same way that there would be in other organisations that see a huge decrease in ambition and performance.

 

We cannot force players to sign for us, as evidenced by the Argie, Hernandez and the Dutch CB. We are a step down for these players and they now if they wait they bigger clubs will come in.

 

The striker I know we wanted as our big signing simply priced himself out if a move, as he did a move to Liverpool. He'll still get a move as some club will blink and pay up.

[DT]

He clearly just wanted to come back to Cork

[Sour Mash]

A lot of posters claiming what we'd all think in given situations.

 

If he was coming from Serie A at his age and goal record I'd have exactly the same concerns, but added concern that he has to adapt to a different league, so I'd be less confident.

 

I admire that people want to make the best of it and be positive, but we have to be honest, 3 months ago we could have attracted a lot better and ambition has been massively scaled back. That is depressing.

 

We've made some solid signings, we'll be alright for 10th-13th I think, maybe flirt with relegation but should be fine. And staying up for many years is all that matters financially. But it takes some getting used to when you've properly broken away from all the teams below and then fallen back.

 

This seems to be how the league placates the rest though. WBA had their fun in 8th, we've had ours, now it'll probably be Stoke or Newcastle who had the amazing season of 8th.

 

Which more and more makes it utterly insane not to take the cups seriously.

Who could we have attracted three months ago that we can't now?

[Mr X]

he is a striker right? his scoring record is terrible 4 goals in a season, our midfielders score more than that! I guess we have to reserve judgement would be worth a punt for 5 million the media and hull seem to be laughing that we'd pay that

[Toon Saint]

Shouldn't we be reveling in finally buying a player from another PL club and putting clubs like Hull 'in their place', so to speak? Long will improve us, and like many of the players we have signed over the last 5 years, we will improve him as well. If used properly and he forges a decent understanding with Pelle and Tadic, I can easily see him getting up to 15 goals next season. Yes, he is overpriced but some of the rubbish spouted on here is ridiculous. You'd think we'd have signed some plodder like Jon Parkin, not a technically accomplished PL striker with plenty of pace, dynamic movement, and by all accounts, a great attitude. After Hernandez, he's probably the next best PL striker the board could have realistically signed - so what have they done so wrong, apart from paying a bit over the odds? His two goals against Villa last year highlight the talent that he has. I'm confident we can coax more out of him.

[Matthew Le God]

he is a striker right? his scoring record is terrible 4 goals in a season, our midfielders score more than that!

 

4? He scored 7 Premier League goals in 2013/14.

 

8 in 2012/13 and 8 in 2011/12.

[CB Fry]

If Shane Long was coming from Serie A, with a fancy foreign name like Shanz Longes, then after watching some youtube videos I'm sure people would be excited. It's so spot on what was said above, players we've never heard of are world beaters - we need to sign him etc, but solid signings like this are dross? We should know all about him, he's ripped us apart a few times!!

 

As I've said, only issue is the fee. But do not dismiss him as a player, he's a decent addition and will improve us in an area where we were weak. Mid-table is where we are now, so this is what it is.

Don't quite agree. A 8 goal a season merchant from Series A I'd find less appealing than Long to be honest.

 

The Ramirez and Osvaldo experiences will have put plenty of people off the supposed glamour of Carlos Kickaball types. Most fans aren't that pie eyed, and some potential foreign signings have been given short shrift on here.

 

I thing Long is perfectly solid addition, if expensive, but I think fans are permitted to be underwhelmed by a signing that is pretty uninspired.

[Pancake]

4? He scored 7 Premier League goals in 2013/14.

 

8 in 2012/13 and 8 in 2011/12.

Wow, killer stats. Bearing in mind he is replacing both Osvaldo and Jrod (assuming Pelle is the new Lambert)

[S-Clarke]

Don't quite agree. A 8 goal a season merchant from Series A I'd find less appealing than Long to be honest.

 

The Ramirez and Osvaldo experiences will have put plenty of people off the supposed glamour of Carlos Kickaball types. Most fans aren't that pie eyed, and some potential foreign signings have been given short shrift on here.

 

I thing Long is perfectly solid addition, if expensive, but I think fans are permitted to be underwhelmed by a signing that is pretty uninspired.

 

Fair enough, but he's got a bit more to his game than just goals tbh. According to Simpson in the echo, he has been a player we've tracked for a year or so anyway - so this isn't necessarily a signing that heralds a new era for us, just one player that has been on our list and we've taken a punt on him now.

 

Possibly 6 months too late though....but never mind, he'd probably be in Liverpool by now if we'd signed him in January.

[View From The Top]

 

I thing Long is perfectly solid addition, if expensive, but I think fans are permitted to be underwhelmed by a signing that is pretty uninspired.

 

Uninspired perhaps but perfectly logical allowing for the type of game RK wants to play and certainly a better option than Wickham or Borini.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

We cannot force players to sign for us, as evidenced by the Argie, Hernandez and the Dutch CB. We are a step down for these players and they now if they wait they bigger clubs will come in.

 

The striker I know we wanted as our big signing simply priced himself out if a move, as he did a move to Liverpool. He'll still get a move as some club will blink and pay up.

 

We wanted Bony then I presume.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

Shouldn't we be reveling in finally buying a player from another PL club and putting clubs like Hull 'in their place', so to speak? Long will improve us, and like many of the players we have signed over the last 5 years, we will improve him as well. If used properly and he forges a decent understanding with Pelle and Tadic, I can easily see him getting up to 15 goals next season. Yes, he is overpriced but some of the rubbish spouted on here is ridiculous. You'd think we'd have signed some plodder like Jon Parkin, not a technically accomplished PL striker with plenty of pace, dynamic movement, and by all accounts, a great attitude. After Hernandez, he's probably the next best PL striker the board could have realistically signed - so what have they done so wrong, apart from paying a bit over the odds? His two goals against Villa last year highlight the talent that he has. I'm confident we can coax more out of him.

 

Agreed. 12m is a lot, but with the money we've brought in we aren't going to get value in the market. Not sure he'll be a regular starter and certainly won't when J Rod is back.

[View From The Top]

We wanted Bony then I presume.

 

Yep, as did a number of clubs. Everyone of them walked away after hearing his agents "demands". Even Liverpool baulked at his salary.

[Viking Warrior]

Yep, as did a number of clubs. Everyone of them walked away after hearing his agents "demands". Even Liverpool baulked at his salary.

 

I heard the only reason bony didnt join the scousers , was rodger thought he was purchasing him from southampton

when he heard it wasnt a southampton player, Rodgers pulled out of the transfer as he only buy from saints and not QPR