Well done Les Reed and the Scouting department...

[Unbelievable Jeff]

Have to say a MASSIVE well done to the football development and scouting department for the players they have managed to find and bring in, and also a massive well done to Katharina for having the balls to back them after the Osvaldo debacle.

 

The players we have brought in look a big step up compared to those had last season, and have ever had in my lifetime to be honest, and i think credit where it's due.

 

It gives me faith that next season if/when we lose Morgan and possibly one other we have the right people in place to find a suitable replacement.

 

#Wemarchon

[Batman]

Long being the only iffy one, I would say

[Avenue Saint]

Les Reed was a genius appointment.

[farawaysaint]

Long being the only iffy one, I would say

 

Long was needed to prove we could attract players. We over-payed but he hasn't looked bad in a single game yet.

[S-Clarke]

Long was needed to prove we could attract players. We over-payed but he hasn't looked bad in a single game yet.

 

Umm. He was actually signed to offer us an option and an alternative in the attacking 3. He may be seen as iffy due to his goal return, but as I've seen, I'm certain he wasn't just signed for goals. As we saw against Sunderland and even Newcastle, his movement pulled those sides all over and opened the games up. He is a good signing and will prove to be a good, albeit, expensive option to rotate.

[Batman]

Long was needed to prove we could attract players. We over-payed but he hasn't looked bad in a single game yet.

 

you dont sign shane long as a way of showing you can attract players

he is a good player, i like him but £12m is waaaay over priced

[farawaysaint]

you dont sign shane long as a way of showing you can attract players

he is a good player, i like him but £12m is waaaay over priced

 

You are right, I'm overthinking it.

[Batman]

Poorly phrased, I mean I think we overpayed so much because the board wanted to bring someone in to prove to the fans we can attract players. I'm sure we could have found a cheaper alternative on the continent. Maybe I'm over-thinking it though, wouldn't be the first time.

 

we paid that much as we signed a premier league player with a long contract to run from a club with no financial need to sell

just look at our outgoings to see that.

[hasper57saint]

Long was needed to prove we could attract players. We over-payed but he hasn't looked bad in a single game yet.

Long is classified as a 'nuisance player' and he's certainly been that in every game he's played for us.I like him and hope he gets included against Stoke on Wednesday.

[Smirking_Saint]

He was always an excellent signing despite the mongs who made hilarious names up to ridicule him. Ok, he had a horrendous appointment at Charlton but ultimately was not brought in to coach but to develop the support functions at St Marys. He has had a hand in the training ground, academy, scouting, sport science and preparation before ganes etc including travel and accomodation.

 

He was an excellent appointment by Cortese at the time and Katherina made an excellent job of keeping him on.

 

Deserves his praise

[Smirking_Saint]

Long is classified as a 'nuisance player' and he's certainly been that in every game he's played for us.I like him and hope he gets included against Stoke on Wednesday.

 

Yup, definately needs a goal. But he is a hard worker and a decent player, got a lot of time for him, great option

[Ohio Saint]

Les Reed was a genius appointment.

 

Being too lazy to research the subject at the time, I bought into the mantra that he was a disruptive influence and a general bag of w ank.

 

Glad to see I was so wrong!!

 

Certainly better than Lou Reed too.

[hutch]

He was always an excellent signing despite the mongs who made hilarious names up to ridicule him. Ok, he had a horrendous appointment at Charlton but ultimately was not brought in to coach but to develop the support functions at St Marys. He has had a hand in the training ground, academy, scouting, sport science and preparation before ganes etc including travel and accomodation.

 

He was an excellent appointment by Cortese at the time and Katherina made an excellent job of keeping him on.

 

Deserves his praise

Talented lad, that Long.

[Saint Charlie]

Have to say a MASSIVE well done to the football development and scouting department for the players they have managed to find and bring in, and also a massive well done to Katharina for having the balls to back them after the Osvaldo debacle.

 

The players we have brought in look a big step up compared to those had last season, and have ever had in my lifetime to be honest, and i think credit where it's due.

 

It gives me faith that next season if/when we lose Morgan and possibly one other we have the right people in place to find a suitable replacement.

 

#Wemarchon

 

Good post Simon. Fully agree the players we have brought in are class.

 

Re Pelle and Tadic I wouldnt underplay Koeman's role in it which was obvious very key in them coming here. But it doesnt matter who identified them really.

 

Looking forward to seeing more of Gardos too, early signs look good.

 

We are watching the highly rated 19 year old Maribor right back too so obviously thinking ahead all the time.

 

Fair play and when you see the squad lists of the likes of Stoke it makes you realise how lucky we are to be fans of a forward thinking club.

[cellone]

 

Certainly better than Lou Reed too.

Is he bllx!

[Ohio Saint]

Is he bllx!

 

Well, yes, that was bllx. Lou Reed was a god to me......Probably crap with his footy knowledge though. That's what Lisa says, anyway. (Did I redeem myself?)

[cellone]

sure Ohio

[david in sweden]

Les Reed (appointed by Cortese) really does seem to know his stuff. Despite the bad press and stupid remarks on this site about his past " failures ", he does seem to have landed on his feet at SMS.

 

Having watched those few interviews he's done, I learn more and more about the impressive set-up at SFC, the scouting network and the all round support group that the players have at their disposal.

 

.....what a good job he didn't decide to " jump ship " when Cortese left. Look forward to seeing who on his /RK's next shopping list in January. (I think there's a few quid left in the transfer kitty.)

[Ohio Saint]

Les Reed (appointed by Cortese) really does seem to know his stuff. Despite the bad press and stupid remarks on this site about his past " failures ", he does seem to have landed on his feet at SMS.

 

I suppose management appointments are just the same as player appointments. Sometimes they gel for a particular club, and sometimes they are toxic. he certainly seems to be gelling for us!

[SarniaSaint]

Have to say a MASSIVE well done to the football development and scouting department for the players they have managed to find and bring in, and also a massive well done to Katharina for having the balls to back them after the Osvaldo debacle.

 

The players we have brought in look a big step up compared to those had last season, and have ever had in my lifetime to be honest, and i think credit where it's due.

 

It gives me faith that next season if/when we lose Morgan and possibly one other we have the right people in place to find a suitable replacement.

 

#Wemarchon

 

OK I agree

[Professor]

Of the players that left, only Lambert looked replaceable so it is massively to the credit of Koeman and Les Reed's scouting department that none of the defectors are now thought good enough to have a place in the present starting XI but it is always risky to make historical comparisons unless you were there. UB's lifetime may be too short to include 1980, but the signing of Kevin Keegan must be the most impressive the club has ever made. Keegan was twice the European Footballer of the year and had appeared in the European Cup Final for Hamburg in the year that he signed for Southampton. It was the 1980 equivalent of signing Messi or Ronaldo and was completely out of the blue.