September One - Judgement Day

[Saint_Tony]

I think if we had attained the services of Alderwield and co first and then lost Lallana etc, then it would have been a very different story but in the current situation we are in we are as strong as we were this time last year.

Good point. Perhaps it was risky strategy.to have a clear out first, but maybe that was the plan to give a clearer picture of how many we needed to bring in. As I said at the time of his appointment, RoKo must have been aware of who was leaving but must have also been promised extensive funds to rebuild a side, what manager would turn down such an opportunity?

[rick1976.4.38]

great job done after all the negativity surrounding our club

personally I think we are a stronger and better team than last season.

lets see how results go now,good cup run and try to equal or better last seasons 8th

maybe mopo leaving was the best thing that happened for us

coys

[saintbletch]

I've been talking about the shades of grey all summer. Thanks.

 

You're more than welcome, but your obsession with upcoming soft-porn films isn't germane here.

 

Warning. Potential strawman approaching.

What is perhaps germane is your tolerance of debate, and your apparent refusal to respect the right of others to hold differing opinions from yours.

 

So given your new position, can I assume that you'll stop having a go at those that, seeing all shades the grey you've been talking about all summer, simply reached a different conclusion from you?

[Frank's cousin]

I truly hope JRod doesn't suffer with as many knee-jerk reactions in his recovery as we see daily on here at a polar level.

 

The window is closed, the squad is in place. How about we give it a few months and see how it pans out. COYR.

 

 

no, non, neon.... Greenridge, we must not doubt or question anything, and all accept that to doubt is bet wetting, and symptomatic of er... Er... Crap fans ..or other such Bol lox .... Shoving concern over something you are passionate about is frowned upon apparently...

[eelpie]

An excellent summer of signings, thanks to the drawing power and respect that Big Ron has throughout Europe.

I'm sad about losing Gaston for a year, but perhaps he will come back an improved player if he gets regular starts.at Hull.

 

I have to say that the Board has made up for early mistakes in first signing Koeman, and backing his vision.

 

Roll on the new Saints!

[Saint Charlie]

Only caveat to Bletch's excellent post is that actually Krueger isn't the CEO.

 

Gareth Rodgers is. And that was perhaps part of the problem, nobody knew who was meant to be doing what (and to a certain extent perhaps still don't).

 

Krueger is the figurehead Chairman, believed to be tasked with pushing the club forward commercially, yet shortly after joining the football world was thrust forward and asked questions by the likes of Solent and Sky that he couldn't answer and didn't have the terminology to appear even remotely credible. That was a massive mistake by someone. He should never have been doing those interviews and the one after the Man Utd game set the media frenzy off.

 

But it looks like they learned from it, and credit to him, in the second raft of interviews he was much better, more experienced and appeared more comfortable talking about football - which is a key requirement of a football chairman.

 

They were definitely naive at the start of the summer, no question.

[LGTL]

I for one am glad now that Poch, Lallana, Shaw and Lovren left, and I never thought I'd be saying that.

[Bucks Saint]

no' date=' non, neon.... Greenridge, we must not doubt or question anything, and all accept that to doubt is bet wetting, and symptomatic of er... Er... Crap fans ..or other such Bol lox .... Shoving concern over something you are passionate about is frowned upon apparently...[/quote']

 

Concern is fine, sensible, logical even. Thats not what the issue is here. Small example, the various posters who insisted Ralph was lying and that Morgan would 100% be gone, probably with Jay too, come yesterday. Not concern, or even speculation, just total insistence that our board was deliberately out to mislead and that the direct promises they made about Morgan were crap

[jasonb]

Against all better judgement I find myself agreeing with you for once.

 

Very happy with where we are over where we were immediately after the World Cup. Think the new board have mis-handled a few things but they've certainly put my mind at rest over their intentions for the club.

 

On paper it's now looking like a cracking transfer window, how it looks on the pitch we'll have to wait and see, but already the signs are promising.

 

A difficult situation that the board have done a good job of rectifying.

 

If this summer has taught me anything it's that players are very transient in the modern game.

 

Sadly I will view them totally as commodities and without emotion. What a fantastic position Markus Leibherr left us in tho. We contract players, improve them, sell them on for OUR valuation. The footballing world knows we are ready to do business but it will cost ya'. No longer pushovers for Spurs et al.

 

If anything else this summer proves we are competitive in a monopoly. Not many clubs in Europe can say that.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Colinjb]

We appear to have made the best of a bad situation. The board laid down the law with Morgan and Jay, a vitally important measure that put in the foundations for bringing further new blood in, we were looking to build on what we still had.

 

Our signings look on the whole to be fairly shrewd, time will naturally tell but I am feeling a lot more enthused about the season now.

[pap]

You're more than welcome, but your obsession with upcoming soft-porn films isn't germane here.

 

Warning. Potential strawman approaching.

What is perhaps germane is your tolerance of debate, and your apparent refusal to respect the right of others to hold differing opinions from yours.

 

So given your new position, can I assume that you'll stop having a go at those that, seeing all shades the grey you've been talking about all summer, simply reached a different conclusion from you?

 

I think you're being slightly unfair here bletch.

 

CB Fry has put in hundreds of hours to effort to tell us all that it wasn't a firesale, even though most of us didn't need telling. Given his innumerable and interminable posts on the issue, it is his legal right* to embark on a six-month campaign of tiresome told-you-so's.

 

Personally, I think your initial post stems from envy. Sure, you turn up every now and then and write a fúcking excellent post which cuts to the heart of things, but such insights are surely no substitute for months of saying the same fúcking thing.

 

Right now, CB Fry is preparing to turn all of his 2014 no fire sale told-you-so's into a digest that'll fit on a single sheet of A4. Once he gets that framed, he can show that to anyone on Earth, and they'll be so impressed with his skills that they'll offer him a nosh, right there and then.

 

So yeah, keep trucking with this intelligent post crap, kidda. You're a long way from mongboard insta-nosh glory.

 

* I'm not a lawyer

** There is no precedent for forum posts leading to universal blow job action

[Frank's cousin]

Concern is fine, sensible, logical even. Thats not what the issue is here. Small example, the various posters who insisted Ralph was lying and that Morgan would 100% be gone, probably with Jay too, come yesterday. Not concern, or even speculation, just total insistence that our board was deliberately out to mislead and that the direct promises they made about Morgan were crap

 

To be fair.... There was history there. The almost 'read my lips' type history.... We were told one thing, yet another happened, so you can see why some may have lacked faith/ trust in what came out of the official mouths. Sure we can understand the logic of some of the moves, even the paler power issues that have driven much of the departures, but surely than means the Board should have taken more care with those public statements ? To many the concern over the board was not a question of 'deliberate policy' but a concern that their inexperience and nativity contributed to the departures and placed question marks over the future.

 

they ppear to have learned quickly which is great, but weather we still have ambition and desire to progress beyond a mid table side, will by seen not now, but next summer.... Will we build on what we have, or go through the whole turnover again? If they are serious about progress, they will. Yield, not dismantle every summer.

[Wes Tender]

 

But it's still a fair comment to ask why dismantle a team that had more potential - with maybe one or two extras,- and go with a more risky approach which is to start again with players who we still don't know how they will fair?

 

The 'they all wanted to leave' argument does not tell the whole story IMHO - despite many on here seemingly happy to believe that it does.

 

 

Why dismantle the team? Do you really believe that the board chose to do that of their own volition, rather than having events thrust upon them? Of course in a fairy tale world, we would keep all of our best players and fine-tune the team by strengthening in the areas that were weak. I'm disappointed in you, Frank, for inferring that the board somehow chose to go down the route of dismantling the team and that you don't accept that if those players chose to leave for massive increases in their earnings at the glory clubs that we could have prevented them going, or that we should have resisted the hugely inflated fees we got for them and had disgruntled players who wanted to be elsewhere.

 

If it all happens again next year, one hopes that the majority of sensible fans will expect that it is a possibility and have more trust in the manager and the board to deal with the situation effectively, as indeed they have done this season.

[verlaine1979]

Better defensive options and the potential for more pace in the first XI than at any time in the last five years, both things the squad has probably needed stretching back as far as our relegation season. Disappointed at some of the departures, and certainly a bit disillusioned about the possibility of ever really building and keeping hold of a decent XI for more than a year or two, but looking forward to seeing Aldeweireld's range of passing to Tadic and Mane on the flanks.

[Avenue Saint]

It might be convenient to paint this black and white picture of a polarised fan base, but that's just lazy CB Fry. There's grey. Lots of grey.

 

I remember sitting on a train coming back from London and a mate had just texted me that we had sold our iconic striker, and I struggled to believe this was possible. Then many other players were rumoured to want a move or were refusing to sign new contracts, and the same players used backchannels to the press and on here to paint Les Reed as the villain of the piece.

 

At the same time many of those players were out of club control on holiday or with the England squad in Brazil, where they either made no comment or refused to give reassurances about their future in interviews.

 

At first, what the fans got to address their growing concerns was zero communication from the club - a club whose new Board had just made being more communicative with fans a central tenet of their new administration.

 

Les Reed was put forward as a spokesperson, but given that many felt that Les Reed might be the problem, this didn't carry much sway at the time.

 

Les Reed gave assurances about players leaving, but the language he used was interpreted by many as disingenuous when important players started to be sold.

 

Questions were asked of our new and inexperienced Chairman who seemed to have disappeared on 'vacation' for the entire summer. "Where's Ralph" was asked again and again, and instead of the Chairman we were given more Les Reed.

 

Rumours started to appear that the Chairman had left and gone back into ice hockey, whilst articles in certain parts of the press spread rumours that our enigmatic (some might say secretive) owner wanted to divest herself of her father's plaything. This again was set against a backdrop that our previous Executive Chairman, who had delivered amazing success during his time, was rumoured to have moved on over financial tensions with the owner.

 

Given that backdrop you must be rightfully proud that you instantly saw the truth through all the emotion, contradiction, silence and obfuscation.

 

Perhaps you are simply better than us all?

 

That being the case, perhaps you could see through the hubris to cut some slack to the rest of us that didn't have your prescience?

 

For the avoidance of doubt, I'm simply saying that at times during the summer there was cause for concern and debate. And at times, arriving at the fire-sale hypothesis was a valid theory on route to understanding the facts, given the communication vacuum from the club. I'm also delighted with the dealings the club has done over the summer given where we were, and I'm starting to build some trust in the new Board.

 

I also fully understand that certain personality types might need to rub a few noses in a few wet duvets.

Excellent post. Echo my thoughts exactly.

[alpine_saint]

Yes you have. I know that we have had our differences, but you have been consistent in taking a fairly balanced view during the silly season.

 

Perhaps his message might have been better listened to if it hadnt been accompanied on every occasion by sneering, heavy sarcasm and abuse.

[alpine_saint]

It might be convenient to paint this black and white picture of a polarised fan base, but that's just lazy CB Fry. There's grey. Lots of grey.

 

I remember sitting on a train coming back from London and a mate had just texted me that we had sold our iconic striker, and I struggled to believe this was possible. Then many other players were rumoured to want a move or were refusing to sign new contracts, and the same players used backchannels to the press and on here to paint Les Reed as the villain of the piece.

 

At the same time many of those players were out of club control on holiday or with the England squad in Brazil, where they either made no comment or refused to give reassurances about their future in interviews.

 

At first, what the fans got to address their growing concerns was zero communication from the club - a club whose new Board had just made being more communicative with fans a central tenet of their new administration.

 

Les Reed was put forward as a spokesperson, but given that many felt that Les Reed might be the problem, this didn't carry much sway at the time.

 

Les Reed gave assurances about players leaving, but the language he used was interpreted by many as disingenuous when important players started to be sold.

 

Questions were asked of our new and inexperienced Chairman who seemed to have disappeared on 'vacation' for the entire summer. "Where's Ralph" was asked again and again, and instead of the Chairman we were given more Les Reed.

 

Rumours started to appear that the Chairman had left and gone back into ice hockey, whilst articles in certain parts of the press spread rumours that our enigmatic (some might say secretive) owner wanted to divest herself of her father's plaything. This again was set against a backdrop that our previous Executive Chairman, who had delivered amazing success during his time, was rumoured to have moved on over financial tensions with the owner.

 

Given that backdrop you must be rightfully proud that you instantly saw the truth through all the emotion, contradiction, silence and obfuscation.

 

Perhaps you are simply better than us all?

 

That being the case, perhaps you could see through the hubris to cut some slack to the rest of us that didn't have your prescience?

 

For the avoidance of doubt, I'm simply saying that at times during the summer there was cause for concern and debate. And at times, arriving at the fire-sale hypothesis was a valid theory on route to understanding the facts, given the communication vacuum from the club. I'm also delighted with the dealings the club has done over the summer given where we were, and I'm starting to build some trust in the new Board.

 

I also fully understand that certain personality types might need to rub a few noses in a few wet duvets.

 

This is a great post.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

I was going to create a separate thread for this, but will post it here:

 

Now obviously there has been a little turmoil over the Summer with the manager and 5 important players leaving. This is unprecedented in the modern game, and certainly something that the new board (who had little football experience) would not have thought would await them when appointed in January/February.

 

However, I believe Kat, Ralph and Les have done an outstanding job to guide the club to where it is now, post September One, and they should be congratulated for doing it. Now it is down to the Managers and Players to do us proud, to gel and push on from last season.

 

I also believe that there should be a place for those football fans who insulted and consistently undermined the club and board over the Summer to bare their sins and apologise for the accusations levelled at them over the Summer. The worst part of it all was the sickening insults and accusations of a lack of integrity of Kat, who should feel proud of what the club have achieved this Summer from what looked like a bleak situation.

[shurlock]

I was going to create a separate thread for this, but will post it here:

 

Now obviously there has been a little turmoil over the Summer with the manager and 5 important players leaving. This is unprecedented in the modern game, and certainly something that the new board (who had little football experience) would not have thought would await them when appointed in January/February.

 

However, I believe Kat, Ralph and Les have done an outstanding job to guide the club to where it is now, post September One, and they should be congratulated for doing it. Now it is down to the Managers and Players to do us proud, to gel and push on from last season.

 

I also believe that there should be a place for those football fans who insulted and consistently undermined the club and board over the Summer to bare their sins and apologise for the accusations levelled at them over the Summer. The worst part of it all was the sickening insults and accusations of a lack of integrity of Kat, who should feel proud of what the club have achieved this Summer from what looked like a bleak situation.

 

You are one proper weirdo.

[Fowllyd]

Perhaps his message might have been better listened to if it hadnt been accompanied on every occasion by sneering, heavy sarcasm and abuse.

 

And perhaps the same might apply to yours.

[alpine_saint]

And perhaps the same might apply to yours.

 

Utter b*ll*cks. I might be overly negative, but I rarely apply sarcasm and sneering to my responses, and I dish out a fraction of what I get in terms of abuse.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

It might be convenient to paint this black and white picture of a polarised fan base, but that's just lazy CB Fry. There's grey. Lots of grey.

 

I remember sitting on a train coming back from London and a mate had just texted me that we had sold our iconic striker, and I struggled to believe this was possible. Then many other players were rumoured to want a move or were refusing to sign new contracts, and the same players used backchannels to the press and on here to paint Les Reed as the villain of the piece.

 

At the same time many of those players were out of club control on holiday or with the England squad in Brazil, where they either made no comment or refused to give reassurances about their future in interviews.

 

At first, what the fans got to address their growing concerns was zero communication from the club - a club whose new Board had just made being more communicative with fans a central tenet of their new administration.

 

Les Reed was put forward as a spokesperson, but given that many felt that Les Reed might be the problem, this didn't carry much sway at the time.

 

Les Reed gave assurances about players leaving, but the language he used was interpreted by many as disingenuous when important players started to be sold.

 

Questions were asked of our new and inexperienced Chairman who seemed to have disappeared on 'vacation' for the entire summer. "Where's Ralph" was asked again and again, and instead of the Chairman we were given more Les Reed.

 

Rumours started to appear that the Chairman had left and gone back into ice hockey, whilst articles in certain parts of the press spread rumours that our enigmatic (some might say secretive) owner wanted to divest herself of her father's plaything. This again was set against a backdrop that our previous Executive Chairman, who had delivered amazing success during his time, was rumoured to have moved on over financial tensions with the owner.

 

Given that backdrop you must be rightfully proud that you instantly saw the truth through all the emotion, contradiction, silence and obfuscation.

 

Perhaps you are simply better than us all?

 

That being the case, perhaps you could see through the hubris to cut some slack to the rest of us that didn't have your prescience?

 

For the avoidance of doubt, I'm simply saying that at times during the summer there was cause for concern and debate. And at times, arriving at the fire-sale hypothesis was a valid theory on route to understanding the facts, given the communication vacuum from the club. I'm also delighted with the dealings the club has done over the summer given where we were, and I'm starting to build some trust in the new Board.

 

I also fully understand that certain personality types might need to rub a few noses in a few wet duvets.

 

A good post.

 

However, one thing I have a problem with is that you belittle the fact that some of us were well aware of what has happening, and facetiously use the statement "Perhaps you are simply better than us all?".

 

For some of us, this wasn't prescience and we tried to tell people to stay calm.

 

But hey, I'm sure you'll find a way of discrediting anything us 'happies' have said over the summer.

[alpine_saint]

A good post.

 

However, one thing I have a problem with is that you belittle the fact that some of us were well aware of what has happening, and facetiously use the statement "Perhaps you are simply better than us all?".

 

For some of us, this wasn't prescience and we tried to tell people to stay calm.

 

But hey, I'm sure you'll find a way of discrediting anything us 'happies' have said over the summer.

 

I'm wondering if I have ever read a more smug post on here...

[Unbelievable Jeff]

You are one proper weirdo.

 

Then why do you follow me around? Put me on ignore and live blissfully.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

I'm wondering if I have ever read a more smug post on here...

 

With the **** I have got this Summer, I have every right to be.

[DT]

Excellent post. Echo my thoughts exactly.

Me too

[Tokyo-Saint]

Please don't encourage Bletch. He'll only write longer posts.

[dorsetdave]

Good bit of profitable business done

[DT]

Ha! beardy Lallana Liverpool's most expensive flop, sorry, signing

[brmbrm]

Thank god we are not run by internet savants. i do not mean this disparagingly, but to be honest there are so many ill-informed self-promoting people that the general sense-ibility of posts is somewhere between 13 and 17%.

 

All transfers do not work out well. If you look at every transfer everywhere i would think that 50% are good, 25% are neutral and 25% are bad. So some loanee gets sent back after a few weeks? One of the 25% and at next to no cost. There is no doubt that Osvaldo has a lot of talent, but he didnt work out. Etc etc. rant rant is not really good enough.

 

IMHO we are in a significantly stronger position than 3 months or so ago. Sure it might not work out, but manager is a great plus, and the strength AND DEPTH of the squad is significantly better. OK, all of the incomings will not work out well, but that will never happen. i hope i can tolerate a few disappointments along with the many delights.

 

Having also blocked so many looney ranters/WUMs, maybe this site will return to being something other than mostly blank pages...

[shurlock]

Then why do you follow me around? Put me on ignore and live blissfully.

 

Follow you around? That's called projection, pal. Paranoid as well as weird it seems. While you're rolling around like a self-satisfied pig in s**t, perhaps you'll concede your many mistakes and misjudgments over the past few months.

Edited 2 September, 2014 by shurlock

[Puddings and Monkeys]

 

For the avoidance of doubt, I'm simply saying that at times during the summer there was cause for concern and debate. And at times, arriving at the fire-sale hypothesis was a valid theory on route to understanding the facts, given the communication vacuum from the club. I'm also delighted with the dealings the club has done over the summer given where we were, and I'm starting to build some trust in the new Board.

 

I also fully understand that certain personality types might need to rub a few noses in a few wet duvets.

 

A bit of rewriting of history going on here.

 

You are trying to make it sound reasoned and reasonable - if only it was just "concern and debate" as you put it, but it clearly wasn't. It was nasty and vindictive with plenty of personal abuse thrown in as well - I'm sure you remember the awful comments directed at KL and LR; well done to those who said them, you must feel very proud. And it wasn't a communication vacuum from the club - how many times did you want them to say the same thing?

 

Despite your well-written post, what happened was people (some of them the usual "suspects") jumping to illogical conclusions in a frenzied way, reminiscent of the residents of Paulsgrove hounding out that Paediatrician a few years back. It was a "me, me, me", "I want and demand it now" response when something a bit more considered was required; it was arrogance and self importance and OTT outrage. It was the Jeremy Kyle show at its very best and I fully understand the need for some of those involved to be "too busy at work to post on the forum at the moment".

[SB]

5th highest spenders, but with a profit of 30 million, I see what you did there saints..*rollyeyedsmilything

[mitch01]

A satisfactory window, and considering where we were six weeks ago it's been an excellent recovery that has averted my fear that we might plunge to 15th or below.

 

However, I would say that talk of our squad and management being 'better by all accounts' is probably presuming too much.

 

Management - Koeman has undoubtedly instilled a calm and steely authority to the management of our squad when vitally needed. Whether or not Schneiderlin and Rodriguez were on their way out the door before Krueger responded to the furious outcry from fans we may never know, but Koeman has clearly done a good job since then of dealing with the situation diplomatically and stabilising things. I was satisfied rather than excited when he first took over, as I saw MP as one of the most exciting managerial talents in the sport, but he seems quite an impressive figure and 2 of the first 3 games have been very good. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's an upgrade on Poch, who I think will go right to the very top, but it's an encouraging start.

 

Goalkeeper - A certain improvement here, for me. Very impressed whenever I watch Forster. Great handling, and more than a bit of the Schmiechel about him (as seen with his superb block vs WBA). At 26 he has years left at the top and we got him for a very decent price, I feel, for somebody who will earn us quite a few points this season.

 

Defence - Our strength in depth has almost certainly improved here, with two good players for each position in the back four. Excited by the signing of Alderweireld, although I'm unsure of where £6m Gardos fits in now since captain Fonte is unlikely to be dropped. Our first choice back four though, is weaker than last year. Whatever you think of Lovren, he is a fantastic CB and will likely develop into one of the best in the country and go on to win major honours. Shaw was superb last year and will play at the top level of the game for the next 15 years. Losing him was inevitable given his potential and while Bertrand is a sound replacement, he won't offer as much as Shaw did in my opinion - and the gap between them will widen every year for the next 5/6. As many predicted on here, Chambers looks very comfortable at CB so it's a real shame to lose him as it didn't feel at all necessary and he could conceivably have improved our back four and partnered Lovren this season. A drop in quality over last season, but hardly surprising since we took £63m for three of our defenders this summer.

 

Midfield - Keeping Schneiderlin was massive, and my hope would be he takes on new levels of responsibility and leadership on the pitch now others have gone. I think we could even expect him to raise performance levels now he seems to have come to terms with the disappointment of the summer. He'll likely be gone by this time next year, but it was vital he stayed here during this current transition.

 

Certainly a huge blow to lose Lallana. His performance levels last season were extraordinary and I feel some on here may be underestimating how hard he'll be to replace - by all rights he came from nowhere this time last year and should have ended up in the England starting lineup in Brazil. Tadic looks good so far and could well be a great signing at £10m but I'd be very surprised if he matched Lallana's contribution this season or next. I'm disappointed we've lost Gaston, I thought the time was right for him to really push on, but I can't say it will effect the team massively since he didn't play enough for whatever reason.

 

Overall, I feel our midfield may be slightly weaker than last season, mainly due to the loss of our best player in our best ever PL season, although it still looks very reasonable.

 

Strikers - I loved every second of watching Rickie play, and I was gutted when he left. However, this would have been one of the positions I'd have had us prioritise, and at 32 he wasn't a key part of our future. Pelle was wholly unimpressive in games 1 & 2, but it can't be easy stepping into this league at age 29 - maybe he'll surprise us. My gut feeling would be that he'll struggle to hit more than 10 goals, and his touch isn't close to Lambert's, but only time will tell.

 

We still have Rodriguez, whose form at the time of his injury was really taking off. Hopefully, like Schneiderlin, he can take on a more senior role now others have left and hit new heights. What little I know about Mane I saw on a 5 minute youtube video, so it is hard to comment on how much he improves us. Shane Long I do know a bit about and I think he's a very solid player. At £12m we have been taken for a ride, but regardless of value for money he definitely improves our options up front where last season we only had the raw Gallagher and the absent Osvaldo. As with Pelle, I think he'll struggle to score many goals - but hopefully that burden can be shared with Mane and Rodriguez too. Judging our strike force compared to last season's overall is difficult - we'll know more in a month or two - but I'm cautiously optimistic.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

Follow you around? That's called projection, pal. Paranoid as well as weird it seems. While you're rolling around like a self-satisfied pig in s**t, perhaps you'll concede your many mistakes and misjudgments over the past few months.

 

Call it what you want, we both know what's going on here.

 

I have made mistakes. I was told the 2 players that we were looking at to finish it off were British although I did know the RB was on loan and we were paying for the winger. I apologise for that.

 

In general though, if you look through, for the most part I was bang on. If you can point out my many mistakes then please go ahead and I'll apologise for it.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

A bit of rewriting of history going on here.

 

You are trying to make it sound reasoned and reasonable - if only it was just "concern and debate" as you put it, but it clearly wasn't. It was nasty and vindictive with plenty of personal abuse thrown in as well - I'm sure you remember the awful comments directed at KL and LR; well done to those who said them, you must feel very proud. And it wasn't a communication vacuum from the club - how many times did you want them to say the same thing?

 

Despite your well-written post, what happened was people (some of them the usual "suspects") jumping to illogical conclusions in a frenzied way, reminiscent of the residents of Paulsgrove hounding out that Paediatrician a few years back. It was a "me, me, me", "I want and demand it now" response when something a bit more considered was required; it was arrogance and self importance and OTT outrage. It was the Jeremy Kyle show at its very best and I fully understand the need for some of those involved to be "too busy at work to post on the forum at the moment".

 

Excellent post, you articulated that better than I ever could.

[SW5 SAINT]

TA for £6.3m!! Lovren for £20m............Tadic for £10m! Lallana for £25m.

We have a stronger squad IMHO.

Only wish we had signed a few more English lads, but the youth team can provide that.

 

I'm glad we don't sign many English lads, seem far better value abroad. I was sooo relieved that Townsend didn't come.

[eelpie]

great job done after all the negativity surrounding our club

personally I think we are a stronger and better team than last season.

lets see how results go now,good cup run and try to equal or better last seasons 8th

maybe mopo leaving was the best thing that happened for us

coys

 

It will be interesting to see if the press and media's negative attitudes to saints since the early exodus improves/ Certainly so far in too many sections of the media there has continued to be an attitude that Saints' promising start to the season has been mainly due to Schneiderin who they regard as being already a pre-big club signing on 'temporary loan' to Saints, with further insiduous comments to other want-aways playing for us. As if we have no right to be fielding the best players.

 

Let's see Saints prove them wrong.

 

Let's see of

[eelpie]

It will be interesting to see if the press and media's negative attitudes to Saints since the early exodus improves. Certainly so far in too many sections of the media there has continued to be an attitude that Saints' promising start to the season has been mainly due to Schneiderin who they regard as being already a pre-big club signing on 'temporary loan' to Saints, with further insiduous comments of other want-aways playing for us. As if we have no right to be fielding the best players.

 

Let's see Saints prove them wrong.

 

(typo error deleted)

[shurlock]

Call it what you want, we both know what's going on here.

 

I have made mistakes. I was told the 2 players that we were looking at to finish it off were British although I did know the RB was on loan and we were paying for the winger. I apologise for that.

 

In general though, if you look through, for the most part I was bang on. If you can point out my many mistakes then please go ahead and I'll apologise for it.

 

Nice try. Your endlessly repetitive assertion that we were powerless to resist the encroachments of the bigger clubs; in reality, the club decided as a matter of choice, not necessity to let certain players go -and when that was disproved -most notably by our stance over Morgan, you conjured up red herrings like release clauses to explain the other sales.

 

It appears that the club had a change of heart regards the timing and magnitude of player departures. Undoubtedly it remains when, not if, remaining players leave; but dare I say it, the public and media backlash -which you dismissed- helped in a small way to induce that change.

Edited 2 September, 2014 by shurlock

[The9]

Cautiously optimistic. It's all a bit speculative that we're in a better place imo.

 

This is true. But it's a long way from "selling off all the assets to sell the club to someone who doesn't want to pay the going rate", isn't it?

[tajjuk]

I think overall the squad is stronger if the replacements can live up to those departed (if you say Tadic = Lallana, Bertrand = Shaw, Pelle = Lambert, TA = Lovren) then the addition of Gardos, Mane and Forster improve the squad, Long offers a (not as good mind) replacement whilst Jay Rod is out and him coming back will be like a new signing.

 

I'm still disappointed with the Chambers sale, think that one was unnecessary, can't see the player having agitated for that move and whilst we scrabbled around for a defender we sell a guy who is starting centre-back for Arsenal and getting an England call up. Also shame about Gaston, was hoping he'd be here this season and establish himself, lets hope he has a good season at Hull and wants to be here next year.

 

Sort out contracts for Cork and Jay Rod as well would cap a very successful end to a turbulent summer.

 

It's still a shame overall MO, as last year we had a very promising squad of homegrown and english players and we looked like we were on cusp of something, I still do not think we would ever have got into the situation in the first place had Cortese been in charge, so I don't think the board deserves too much congratulation for clearing up a mess they created themselves.

[Unbelievable Jeff]

Nice try. Your endlessly repetitive assertion that we were powerless to resist the encroachments of the bigger clubs; in reality, the club decided as a matter of choice, not necessity to let certain players go -and when that was disproved -most notably by our stance over Morgan, you conjured up red herrings like release clauses to explain the other sales.

 

The fact is that the club appears to have had a change of heart regards the timing and magnitude of player sales. Undoubtedly it remains when, not if, remaining players leave; but dare I say it, the public and media backlash -which you dismissed- helped in a small way to induce that change.

 

Where did I come up with release clauses as a fact, I speculated that perhaps Chambers had one based on information that one of our players had a release clause linked to Cortese, no more, no less. Others certainly said it as fact I believe.

 

For the most part the club was powerless, but that isn't even something that can be proven either way, as we don't know what would have happened had we forced them to stay. It's all conjecture on your part that I am wrong.

 

If that is the worst you can come up with then I apologise.

 

Your turn, schmuck.

[pap]

A bit of rewriting of history going on here.

 

You are trying to make it sound reasoned and reasonable - if only it was just "concern and debate" as you put it, but it clearly wasn't. It was nasty and vindictive with plenty of personal abuse thrown in as well - I'm sure you remember the awful comments directed at KL and LR; well done to those who said them, you must feel very proud. And it wasn't a communication vacuum from the club - how many times did you want them to say the same thing?

 

Despite your well-written post, what happened was people (some of them the usual "suspects") jumping to illogical conclusions in a frenzied way, reminiscent of the residents of Paulsgrove hounding out that Paediatrician a few years back. It was a "me, me, me", "I want and demand it now" response when something a bit more considered was required; it was arrogance and self importance and OTT outrage. It was the Jeremy Kyle show at its very best and I fully understand the need for some of those involved to be "too busy at work to post on the forum at the moment".

 

Aren't you just doing the inverse, with less of a basis to do so?

 

Some people were out of order with personal attacks on Kat, etc. Compared to those showing concern (of which I was one), they were a teeny minority, normally called up at the time.

 

Of course, the funny thing is that many of the posters that characterised the Kat-directed fat jokes as vile have no problem calling Alps a chubster.

[dubai_phil]

I have said it before & I will say it again.

 

The squad and the Manager were ONLY good enough to get us into 8th place last year. That is not Happy Clappy or an Opinion, it is a fact.

 

For many fans the only way forward in their opinion was to add depth to the squad that had gone as far as it could go.

 

'Well, perhaps there is a different way. Perhaps we went out and found better players and still added some depth.

 

Saturday's 2nd half showed BFS and those of us watching dodgy streams that we have a good team. NONE of us imagined we could look so strong without Wanyama in the side!

 

People gave their opinions over the summer which they were entitled to do. Unfortunately, a lot of people showed major personality failings by repeating the same drivel every 10 minutes on every thread about every subject. Just fook off and renew your skate ST's the lot of you.

 

Anyways, you watch them all now chip in with their I told you so's and their I was just concerned. Must be really sad going through life so concerned that you have to repeat that every 10 minutes.

 

Sod the lot of them. This is going to be a great season, we are STILL moving forward as a club and unlike Villa we aren't stuck in some weird 2009 time warp.

[Secret Site Agent]

I think we have done well with this window. We now have a decent squad going forward and the replacements make up for the ones that have departed, plus a few quid in the bank.

 

We have also kept hold of Morgan, Jay rod and Boric. I am alos in the WTF camp regarding Gaston but, lets be honest, he's better than he has played and we expected so much from him, and I like when he comes on and changes a game, but he should be starting them, and playing for 90 + minutes, not coming on as an Impact sub. Imagine the response if we bought a player for 12 million, and ROKO said, 'Oh, he's not for the first team, he's just going to sit on the bench'.We would be storming the gates of St Mary's. So him going I suppose would make financial sense.

 

With the loans, well I think we can all agrree that Osvaldo and perhaps Gaston, in hindsight, might have been better on a try before you buy, as neither of them have set the Premiership alight like we hoped they would. I would like to say one thing though. It would be interesting to see if ROKO would have bought them if they were offered? remember he is rebuilding a team, and is looking to provide what he believes are compatible units to the Saints Machine. After the taider affair this may also account for why they are just loans, with an option to buy.

 

So, in summery, all in all, pretty happy with the team now, hope they can, (WARNING

 

So stick that in your kazoo, the associated press and TV media, we aren't in melt down, but have shrewed players in the board room. Mane to Spurs ina last minute deal? I ask ya. Morgan to Arsenal, what are they on. Morgan to Manure with 10 minutes to go? And what is the colour of the sky on your planet. they did get one thing right, Radamel Falcao from Monaco to Man Utd, on Loan. How do we know? Well the BBC and Sky told us, sixty three million ****ing times.

That's the top mix we were all talking about.

[saintalan]

...

 

However, I believe Kat, Ralph and Les have done an outstanding job to guide the club to where it is now, post September One...

 

I believe a big thank you is due to our owner, she wasn't happy the way her money was being managed and wanted some control (can anyone blame her?).

 

This lead to the departure of NC and a lot of fans thought this meant a sell out. TBF it was hard to determine what the outcome would be but I believe she has played a straight bat throughout this saga and been true to her word and supportive through those words and her appearances.

 

She appointed a new Chairman and board and yes there was a bit of mayhem but gradually through the appointment of Ronald up to transfer deadline day she has been proved to be true to her word and I think most are thinking "mm this isnt so bad is it"

 

I personally am now happy we are where we are.

 

Thank you Katharina, your Dad would be proud of you!

 

COYR

Alan

[Super_Uwe]

Everything is potentially in place now for us to kick on this season. I still wish there was a way we could have kept more of our favourite players from the past few years, but that is football.

 

To keep Morgan as we have managed to do is really extraordinary. Hopefully he will keep up his high standards and then both parties can review at the end of the season. If we have had a blinding season then you never know what might happen with him over the next few years.

 

Still bit disappointed to see several posts whinging about Long's fee and whether he's good enough. His partnership last year with Jelavic (for the few months they were together) was one of the best in the PL. I think he will complement our forward line perfectly. Of course he could do with chipping in with a few more goals than he has managed to date in his career, but he is a player that will genuinely trouble the back line of any Prem defence. At £12m - well, that's the sort of fee you have to pay for an established Premier League striker in contract nowadays. It's totally obscene but I do not for one second believe we have completely overpaid for him.

[saintbletch]

A good post.

 

However, one thing I have a problem with is that you belittle the fact that some of us were well aware of what has happening, and facetiously use the statement "Perhaps you are simply better than us all?".

 

Thanks Sarb/Jeff/DPS, but surely IF I was belittling anyone it was CB Fry that I was belittling?

 

Forgive me if I've got you all wrong, but what you appear to have done is wrap a like-minded comfort blanket of other people's posts around you to somehow validate your commonly held views. By then representing yourself as a group and no longer an individual you then appear to have gone on to take offence on behalf of another poster.

 

That's OK, we've all done it when we feel threatened and I would imagine it's human nature to band together in such times, but I really was only replying to CB Fry about the posts of his that I'd read.

 

So if my post gave you some sort of problem, then I apologise. It wasn't my intention to compel you to post - unless of course you are CB Fry's official spokesperson.

 

But hey, I'm sure you'll find a way of discrediting anything us 'happies' have said over the summer.

 

Again, not sure why you feel so defensive about my reply to another poster, and I also, wonder why you would try to cast me in a camp other than the "happies", let alone why you think I would want to discredit any of the individuals you've grouped in that nebulous camp.

 

I do actually have a theory why you might try to throw a ring around yourself and other posters and cast me as outside of that ring. You see, by doing that, it makes it easier to superficially ignore the grey so that you can debate with me on easier, black and white terms. My advice to you would be to read the words I use, assume I'm an individual with complex and sometimes contradictory views and emotions, and reply to me on that basis.

 

You really do come across as an intelligent bloke, but do you really think it's possible to draw a line of demarcation such that posters on one side are always "happies" on all issues, and that those on the other side are always "bedwetters"?

 

I'd actually say that if those camps did exists, then I'd likely be in the "happy" camp with you, rubbing balm into your tense and hunched shoulders whilst giving you a slightly disconcerting look with a queer smile on my face.

 

x

[ant]

Staying balanced throughout the turmoil was never about point scoring or acting superior - it's about acting like an adult. Pragmatism and emotion need not be mutually exclusive.

 

Some have said that you can only work with the information you're given but that goes both ways. So many ridiculous assumptions were made and conclusions jumped to about who would be leaving; Katharina Liebherr's intentions; the board's and staff's competencies etc. All without the possession of facts or substantiation. Basing opinions and emotions on diddly squat is instantly setting yourself up to look daft.

 

Over-use of terms such as 'fire sale' and 'meltdown' were media constructs as much as anything. Incorrect terminology angled towards crafting a narrative and - if you believe the conspiracies - carefully targeted by friends of the 'big boys' towards destabilising our remaining playing personnel. It's been an interesting contrast to see how little we've been talked about since the signings started rolling in.

 

The so-called 'silence' from the club was punctuated by relatively frequent statements. When they talked, it was claimed they said the wrong things. When they remained silent and asked for our patience that was wrong too. Some of the comments and slurs directed towards our club's owner and board were nothing short of shameful. Even on the less extreme end of the scale, the sense of entitlement and constant need to have metaphorical heads patted was frankly embarrassing. Perhaps that's just indicative of modern society.

 

A difficult situation was dealt with by maximising return from the disruptive want-aways and carefully reinvesting it in quality replacements. Minimal panic buys and a relatively steady flow of incumbents spread across the entire transfer window. Krueger and Reed asked for patience. They have delivered us a strong, charismatic manager and a strong, deep squad in an incredibly short space of time. A squad whose performances so far have hinted towards a continuing stability and cohesion. In my eyes they have been vindicated and deserve immense credit.