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Saints in China

Professor

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Professor

Professor

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According to the OS, the squad flies out tonight, 30 June. A very positive statement from Mark Hughes. Some of what he says about the bonding from a two-week training camp would be true wherever they were based but with a country as huge as China, they've had a lot of choice about where to go but not sure they've picked a comfortable climate. Kunshun, where they are for the first week is near Shanghai and about 100m from the coast, which in China is almost on the beach but the weather forecast suggest there could be a lot of rain and temperatures in the low 30s. Xuzhou for the second week is further north and much more inland but a similar weather forecast and high humidity in both places. Although these training weeks away are always 'camps' its not as if they'll be under canvass. We can assume the facilities will be top quality with indoor training if necessary.

In his statement, Hughes makes the point that by being appointed so early in the close season, and because he already had 8 weeks knowledge of the players, he sees things getting off to a very rapid start. All looking good, but with squad refreshment going on, I wonder if any new player or players will be flying out during these two weeks and whether any others will be coming home early. Haven't seen the list of who has travelled, so if anyone knows of any names left behind, other than who are or have been at the World Cup it would be interesting to know.

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Batman

Batman

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Every interview I have seen of Hughes this summer, it is like he is very up for the job and raring to go. All very positive and you can tell he is itching to make a success of it

 

I know all managers want to be successful... but you get my point

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Heisenberg

Heisenberg

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I've got a good feeling about this season.

 

Samsies mate.

 

Couple of early (decent looking) signings + new contract for our GK. Hughes making all the right noises n Big Leslie's 1st team influence reduced.

 

Feels far more positive than the last 2 summers - fo'sho

 

Tadic leaving cheaply could still hurt us, but if we add a couple more and keep key players we could be back in business.

 

 

giphy.gif

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VectisSaint

VectisSaint

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According to the OS, the squad flies out tonight, 30 June. A very positive statement from Mark Hughes. Some of what he says about the bonding from a two-week training camp would be true wherever they were based but with a country as huge as China, they've had a lot of choice about where to go but not sure they've picked a comfortable climate. Kunshun, where they are for the first week is near Shanghai and about 100m from the coast, which in China is almost on the beach but the weather forecast suggest there could be a lot of rain and temperatures in the low 30s. Xuzhou for the second week is further north and much more inland but a similar weather forecast and high humidity in both places. Although these training weeks away are always 'camps' its not as if they'll be under canvass. We can assume the facilities will be top quality with indoor training if necessary.

In his statement, Hughes makes the point that by being appointed so early in the close season, and because he already had 8 weeks knowledge of the players, he sees things getting off to a very rapid start. All looking good, but with squad refreshment going on, I wonder if any new player or players will be flying out during these two weeks and whether any others will be coming home early. Haven't seen the list of who has travelled, so if anyone knows of any names left behind, other than who are or have been at the World Cup it would be interesting to know.

Not seen a list of who is travelling but some notable omissions from the pre-season training photos/videos other than the expected WC absentees and the new guys of course: Bertrand, Long, Carillo, Hojbjerg, McCarthy. I think Davis is in the background of one picture (13) but not certain. Clasie is there. Can't read a lot into these media shots but strange that some of the senior players were not around.

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nta786

nta786

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Samsies mate.

 

Couple of early (decent looking) signings + new contract for our GK. Hughes making all the right noises n Big Leslie's 1st team influence reduced.

 

Feels far more positive than the last 2 summers - fo'sho

 

Tadic leaving cheaply could still hurt us, but if we add a couple more and keep key players we could be back in business.

 

 

giphy.gif

 

 

So does this mean you’ll bet positively on Saints or you hedging a load of ‘insurance bets’ as you say.

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Turkish

Turkish

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Of any club?

 

Got to be up there. A club record fee for a player who after a few weeks of being here couldn’t even get into a squad of a team with 3 other strikers scored less than 14 goals between them in a season. Then to cap it all sacked the manager who signed him a

Few weeks later. It’s not like there was even anything in his history to suggest he was going the cut it. Even now it beggars belief. You’d be hard pushed to find that level of incompetence anywhere in the footballing world.

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Daft Kerplunk

Daft Kerplunk

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So 29 players on the list plus New Mo, 3 still at the World Cup and the 2 not going.

I know a couple are young and won’t be too involved this season but that’s a lot of trimming needs doing before August

 

Is it still a rule that homegrown players don’t need to be included in that number? If so, that’s a chunk of players removed from the 29 listed

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saintsmike25

saintsmike25

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I think Carillo will go out on loan, Hughes doesn't rate him, and let's face it he didn't look like scoring.

 

I'd say Shane Long's days are numbered, although i feel okay with Gab/Austin being first choice strikers, we need someone young and hungry to be challenging them. I don't think we have that in our academy, although this is a real chance for Sam Gallagher to step up.

 

Although if Shane Long does go, then what he brings is pace and work-rate, we need someone similiar with more goal threat to replace him - Jack Marriot who banged in goals in league one for Peterborough would be ideal, although he is likely to join Bristol City.

 

It'll be interesting to see the lads in China, certainly a fairly tiring trip, and one which could exhaust the players before the season starts. I hope it will at least create a bond that could help us start our season quickly.

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VectisSaint

VectisSaint

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Is it still a rule that homegrown players don’t need to be included in that number? If so, that’s a chunk of players removed from the 29 listed

No that's not how it works. But I think I'm right to say there are 7 U21s on the trip. So assuming Boufal and Carillo are off and with 3 to come back from WC we are 1 over (26).

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ashnats

ashnats

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Carrillo definitely our worst ever signing, and we have had some stinkers over the years, but that truly was an awful decision.

 

No way, you could argue his signing contributed significantly to mope leaving, and our subsequent escape. Really, he saved us, so money well spent. If he had been a 7/10 player, we could have ended up scraping through the rest of the season with mope, and getting relegated.

 

If you want worst signings, maybe some of redknapps could be candidates, Jamie Redknapp maybe.

 

Or, tommy forecast was a pretty ****ty deal.

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Batman

Batman

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No way, you could argue his signing contributed significantly to mope leaving, and our subsequent escape. Really, he saved us, so money well spent. If he had been a 7/10 player, we could have ended up scraping through the rest of the season with mope, and getting relegated.

 

If you want worst signings, maybe some of redknapps could be candidates, Jamie Redknapp maybe.

 

Or, tommy forecast was a pretty ****ty deal.

 

What the hell are you on about?

Carrillo is by a mile out worst ever signing.

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doddisalegend

doddisalegend

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No way, you could argue his signing contributed significantly to mope leaving, and our subsequent escape. Really, he saved us, so money well spent. If he had been a 7/10 player, we could have ended up scraping through the rest of the season with mope, and getting relegated.

 

If you want worst signings, maybe some of redknapps could be candidates, Jamie Redknapp maybe.

 

Or, tommy forecast was a pretty ****ty deal.

 

 

Don't forget Antony Pulis either..

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Turkish

Turkish

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What the hell are you on about?

Carrillo is by a mile out worst ever signing.

 

Name a club that has had a record signing that has contributed less. What is it one assist and then couldn’t even make the bench of a team in terrible form who had 3 strikers who only scored 14 goals between them in a season. Pulis, Forecast, Ryan Smith etc may have been crap players but equally they cost nothing. You’d be hard pushed to find a player anywhere who pound for pound has contributed less especially in the circumstances we were in. The fact the manager who signed him was sacked only weeks later makes it even more bizarre.

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Cabbage_Face

Cabbage_Face

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We’ve had loads of bonkers signings. Kleber Chala, Fredrico Arias, Ali Dia, Calum Davenport, Latvian bloke we signed so Pahars didn’t cry, Pellegrino, Japanese Striker bloke who thought he was Robin Hood. List goes on.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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doddisalegend

doddisalegend

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Name a club that has had a record signing that has contributed less. What is it one assist and then couldn’t even make the bench of a team in terrible form who had 3 strikers who only scored 14 goals between them in a season. Pulis, Forecast, Ryan Smith etc may have been crap players but equally they cost nothing. You’d be hard pushed to find a player anywhere who pound for pound has contributed less especially in the circumstances we were in. The fact the manager who signed him was sacked only weeks later makes it even more bizarre.

 

 

In effect though he isn't being judged on ability just the fact he cost a fortune we have signed players with less footballing ability than Gudio but they cost **** all.

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