Fans Forum

[CWD]

someone needs to ask why we've heard so little from Gao and what the hell he's done since buying us

[stevegrant]

I just feel asking about specific player-related decisions will be a waste of time. They aren't going to say, "yeah, Forster is ****e and god knows what we were thinking". They'll just say they did their best to tie players to long term deals, to keep the squad together, blah, blah, blah.

Perhaps, but as much as many of the more vocal fans in any club's fanbase tend to make it seem like the majority are idiots, the reality is that most people can see beyond the platitudes and bull**** that are often offered up in this sort of situation.

 

The reality that we can all see is that we've got one of the - if not the - club's highest earners now with the status of third choice in a position where only one gets to play each week, and our two biggest transfer signings are out on loan because they're either nowhere near good enough or have fallen out with the manager, and we can't get shot of any of those three on permanent deals because they're costing a combined conservative estimate of £150k a week and nobody else in their right mind will pay that sort of money.

 

I don't think there are any new constraints within the club as a result of the takeover - to my knowledge, which may obviously be incorrect, the whole club has had a feel of "business as usual" the whole time, whether it was before, during or after the takeover. The club doesn't spend what it doesn't have, and when we generate additional revenue (as we have done in the last couple of years with new sponsorship and TV deals) that will be used towards the first team. The problem is that, in certain areas, that money hasn't been spent anywhere near as wisely as it used to be.

[SuperSAINT]

someone needs to ask why we've heard so little from Gao and what the hell he's done since buying us

 

Somebody will ask that. Ralph will answer. We won't be any the wiser afterwards.

[shurlock]

someone needs to ask why we've heard so little from Gao and what the hell he's done since buying us

 

Gao's probably more concerned about his leveraged-to-the-eyeballs real estate empire.

[Turkish]

There's no point picking over past mistakes. I want information on what Gao's strategy is, why he bought the club and what investment he might make. I want a developing feeling within the club that fans aren't prepared to be taken for mugs indefinitely (even though lots are).

 

Correct. Why were we told that we would be sold to someone who has the finance to move the club forward yet it seems absolutely nothing has changed, the only trophy we are going to be competing for is the Net spend one.

[IOWSaintDaz]

Forum will probably be made up of lots of Yes men and women (just like the clubs board) without anyone allowed to ask the real questions everybody wants to ask

 

The board needs to be held accountable for the shambles it had precided over for the past 2 seasons, how Kruger, Reed, Ross Wilson are still in a job is beyond a joke

 

I was hoping to listen to them squirming to explain why we didn't act sooner in sacking MoPe and just how the Carrillo signing for a club record £20M can be justified when you sack the main reason for him being recruited in the first place a few weeks later knowing he wasn't scouted correctly and why player recruitment quality generally has been spiralling downwards since MoPo & Paul Mitchell's departure

 

I doubt we'll get in meaningful answers but we can hope

[doddisalegend]

Correct. Why were we told that we would be sold to someone who has the finance to move the club forward yet it seems absolutely nothing has changed, the only trophy we are going to be competing for is the Net spend one.

 

I think a lot of people knew that was bollix from the start don't tell me you actually believed it...

[doddisalegend]

Forum will probably be made up of lots of Yes men and women (just like the clubs board) without anyone allowed to ask the real questions everybody wants to ask

 

The board needs to be held accountable for the shambles it had precided over for the past 2 seasons, how Kruger, Reed, Ross Wilson are still in a job is beyond a joke

 

I was hoping to listen to them squirming to explain why we didn't act sooner in sacking MoPe and just how the Carrillo signing for a club record £20M can be justified when you sack the main reason for him being recruited in the first place a few weeks later knowing he wasn't scouted correctly and why player recruitment quality generally has been spiralling downwards since MoPo & Paul Mitchell's departure

 

I doubt we'll get in meaningful answers but we can hope

 

That's not really true though is it? If anything the team got better after MoPo left which coincided with our best two seasons, in league terms, in modern times. If anything it was Koeman leaving that saw our recruitment go down hill.

[saint77]

That's not really true though is it? If anything the team got better after MoPo left which coincided with our best two seasons, in league terms, in modern times. If anything it was Koeman leaving that saw our recruitment go down hill.

 

Fully agree with you on that

[RedArmy]

That's not really true though is it? If anything the team got better after MoPo left which coincided with our best two seasons, in league terms, in modern times. If anything it was Koeman leaving that saw our recruitment go down hill.

Poch only signed 3 players. One of those headbutted the captain and was never seen again. One had his head kidnapped by the victims after 1 season and Wanyama threw his toys out of the pram in the end.

[Turkish]

Can someone ask Where are the five pledges ffs.

[Saint in Paradise]

Can someone ask Where are the five pledges ffs.

 

Have a look on here....lots to choose from.

 

https://www.pledge.com/en-us/products

 

.

[Charlie Wayman]

Keep questions short and open do not lead answers even if you think you know what others might say. Remember the key question words are "Why?" "How?" "When" Not much wriggle room with these.

 

The club's main failure has been in communication which may be illustrative of their attitude towards fans and this is one theme that on which they could challenged.

 

These guys are politicians and will expect and be prepared for low level technical questions from fans so asking about stadium expansion or transfer targets will prove to be a waste of time as they will have their slick politicians answers ready. Questions need to address policy issues that will make them uncomfortable

 

e.g. "Are you satisfied with the current level of communication with the fanbase?"

"How would you rate our activity in the transfer windows of the last few seasons?"

 

I might go but then again I might not, can I really be Rrsed to spend an evening listening to people who would never have attained remotely equivalent positions to the ones they hold in a Footsie 200 company.

[LGTL]

Ask them when the **** they’ll do an away season ticket so I don’t have to have the ballache at 9am every Monday morning of buying them.

[LGTL]

Oh and safe standing.

[stevy777_x]

Don t ask about Gao intentions again you ll just end up with a political answer.

Ask what the ambitions are for the next five years within the club

Based on the answer they give, ask how they intend to do it? What is the strategy?

Ask how they see the team playing, style of play high pressing pushing up? Is style of play part of the southampton way? If so where has it gone in the last 2 years?

Ask if they intend to be part of england would cup 2030 bid, wich would mean all stadium improvement expantion costs would be covered.

Do they have the intention of redevelopping the surrounfing areas and waterfront? If so, what is the timeframe? Are they ongoing discussions?

[Avenue_Saint]

Correct. Why were we told that we would be sold to someone who has the finance to move the club forward yet it seems absolutely nothing has changed, the only trophy we are going to be competing for is the Net spend one.

 

This should be the first question!

[Lord Duckhunter]

Forum will probably be made up of lots of Yes men and women (just like the clubs board) without anyone allowed to ask the real questions everybody wants to ask

 

The board needs to be held accountable for the shambles it had precided over for the past 2 seasons, how Kruger, Reed, Ross Wilson are still in a job is beyond a joke

 

I was hoping to listen to them squirming to explain why we didn't act sooner in sacking MoPe and just how the Carrillo signing for a club record £20M can be justified when you sack the main reason for him being recruited in the first place a few weeks later knowing he wasn't scouted correctly and why player recruitment quality generally has been spiralling downwards since MoPo & Paul Mitchell's departure

 

I doubt we'll get in meaningful answers but we can hope

 

Course you’re not going to get meaningful answers because that would mean undermining people. It’s not a particularly good idea to go to public forums and run down employees however much they deserve it. How’s it going to look to our new signings if after one week of their first season the hierarchy are agreeing our recruitment has been spiralling downhill. Do people really think they’re going to chuck Frasier under the bus and agree he didn’t deserve his new contract. State **** knows how Les, Freddie and Ross are still in post. The papers will be full of “Club in meltdown” headlines if they do. How on earth is that going to help the season. People need to get real, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a load of waffle because the alternative will be self defeating.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[alehouseboys]

With the usual type of audience present it will be like a tea party. Ralph 'Waffle/5 Pledges' Krueger and Les will experience more grief picking what colour socks to wear that morning.

[Faz]

With the usual type of audience present it will be like a tea party. Ralph 'Waffle/5 Pledges' Krueger and Les will experience more grief picking what colour socks to wear that morning.

 

Perhaps the "usual type of audience" is more in keeping with our "usual type of fan". If only they could see what we can see, eh?

[alpine_saint]

I'd to know :

 

what they think the lessons from last season are.

 

Do they have any idea how to free up the 50m-odd equity tied down in sh*t transfers (more if Forster goes) that have gone to loans.

[GGalpin]

I'd to know :

 

what they think the lessons from last season are.

 

Do they have any idea how to free up the 50m-odd equity tied down in sh*t transfers (more if Forster goes) that have gone to loans.

 

If they could get rid of them permanently (and not at a stupidly reduced fee), do you seriously think they'd have gone out on loan?

[suewhistle]

If they could get rid of them permanently (and not at a stupidly reduced fee), do you seriously think they'd have gone out on loan?

 

That's not the point of the question though, is it? It's really to highlight the issue without specifically naming names, and if any lessons have been learnt. I probably wouldn't use the word 'sh*t' mind you.

[nta786]

I’d like to ask whether we are the only club that has to sell before we buy- given all our signings this summer was financed by VVD sale.

 

However this forum needs to highlight in essence the recent failures of ‘the blackbox’

[hypochondriac]

I'd like to know what changed from our statements about aiming for champions league to Ralph in December emphasising what a small club we are. Did ambitions change? Or was there less finance available under Gao than we had previously. If this is the case then why did Kat sell?

[alpine_saint]

I'd like to know what changed from our statements about aiming for champions league to Ralph in December emphasising what a small club we are. Did ambitions change? Or was there less finance available under Gao than we had previously. If this is the case then why did Kat sell?

 

Yep. That's the $64,000 dollar question.

 

But you wont get an answer to that. He'll probably pull out the privacy joker again, like he did in that Echo interview.

[RedArmy]

Ask when Les Reed is to be relieved of his duties after failing to provide champions league within 5 years. Twice.

[ALWAYS_SFC]

Ask when Les Reed is to be relieved of his duties after failing to provide champions league within 5 years. Twice.

 

[saint michael]

Ask if they have Usmanov’s phone number to sell him a new wonderful project and relieve Mr Gao

[Forester]

Perhaps, but as much as many of the more vocal fans in any club's fanbase tend to make it seem like the majority are idiots, the reality is that most people can see beyond the platitudes and bull**** that are often offered up in this sort of situation.

 

The reality that we can all see is that we've got one of the - if not the - club's highest earners now with the status of third choice in a position where only one gets to play each week, and our two biggest transfer signings are out on loan because they're either nowhere near good enough or have fallen out with the manager, and we can't get shot of any of those three on permanent deals because they're costing a combined conservative estimate of £150k a week and nobody else in their right mind will pay that sort of money.

 

I don't think there are any new constraints within the club as a result of the takeover - to my knowledge, which may obviously be incorrect, the whole club has had a feel of "business as usual" the whole time, whether it was before, during or after the takeover. The club doesn't spend what it doesn't have, and when we generate additional revenue (as we have done in the last couple of years with new sponsorship and TV deals) that will be used towards the first team. The problem is that, in certain areas, that money hasn't been spent anywhere near as wisely as it used to be.

Spot on. I am not a serial critic of the club management, far from it in fact and think Les has done a good job over the years. But there is no avoiding that recruitment wheels have well and truly come off, and Forster extension was madness

[St Louis]

I have 2 tickets for the Fans Forum on Thurs, and we now cant make it.

So if anybody would like them, please let me know.... Free to a good home

I'm based in Bournemouth and work in West Parley/Ferndown, if anybody this way fancies going and wants to collect.

[davefizzy14]

Is anyone else having any difficulty logging into buy tickets for the forum. I am a season ticket holder so I put my support number in along with my password and it keeps saying incorrect one of them but it isn't? It's really annoying can anyone help me

[benjii]

Ask if they have Usmanov’s phone number to sell him a new wonderful project and relieve Mr Gao

 

He can't own Arsenal, Everton and Saints!

[danjosaint]

Doesnt own Arsenal and only ahem allegedly part of Everton

[benjii]

Doesnt own Arsenal and only ahem allegedly part of Everton

 

Yeah, fairdos, looks like he's sold most of his Arsenal stock to Kroenke. I missed that.

 

Still owns Everton though! Allegedly.

[holepuncture]

Keep questions short and open do not lead answers even if you think you know what others might say. Remember the key question words are "Why?" "How?" "When" Not much wriggle room with these.

 

The club's main failure has been in communication which may be illustrative of their attitude towards fans and this is one theme that on which they could challenged.

 

These guys are politicians and will expect and be prepared for low level technical questions from fans so asking about stadium expansion or transfer targets will prove to be a waste of time as they will have their slick politicians answers ready. Questions need to address policy issues that will make them uncomfortable

 

e.g. "Are you satisfied with the current level of communication with the fanbase?"

"How would you rate our activity in the transfer windows of the last few seasons?"

 

I might go but then again I might not, can I really be Rrsed to spend an evening listening to people who would never have attained remotely equivalent positions to the ones they hold in a Footsie 200 company.

 

(FTSE)

 

Absolutely agree with the style of questioning

[VectisSaint]

Keep questions short and open do not lead answers even if you think you know what others might say. Remember the key question words are "Why?" "How?" "When" Not much wriggle room with these.

e.g. "Are you satisfied with the current level of communication with the fanbase?"

So why do you ignore your own (good) advice?

Forum "Are you satisfied with the current level of communication with the fanbase?"

Krueger: "Yes"

[Deeps]

What about the Home Strip being released/sold in other places throughout the world but the British Fans having to wait a lot later for it to be released to them.

[Dusic]

What about the Home Strip being released/sold in other places throughout the world but the British Fans having to wait a lot later for it to be released to them.

This is exactly the problem. You have rare access to the leadership of the club.

 

But Creepy Barry, a season ticket holder for 25 years from Romsey who goes with his wally of a Son will waste it with **** like this.

[shurlock]

This is exactly the problem. You have rare access to the leadership of the club.

 

But Creepy Barry, a season ticket holder for 25 years from Romsey who goes with his wally of a Son will waste it with **** like this.

 

Are you going charlie? The forum needs straight-shooters like you - plus you don’t have a ST.

Edited 13 August, 2018 by shurlock

[Miltonaggro]

I think Ralph as host should go down the Jeremy Kyle route and force Les to undertake a live lie detector test in front of the fans. Hearts and minds.

[suewhistle]

I take it all those who are so worried about fellow fans such as "Barry from Romsey" asking anodyne questions are taking the opportunity themselves to go? Or is it all so beneath them, and they'll just sit back and carp on here, a la match day threads?

[ALWAYS_SFC]

I have 2 tickets for the Fans Forum on Thurs, and we now cant make it.

So if anybody would like them, please let me know.... Free to a good home

I'm based in Bournemouth and work in West Parley/Ferndown, if anybody this way fancies going and wants to collect.

 

Come on Heisenberg here is your chance..... you have a big mouth on here so go and use it there......

[Dusic]

Are you going charlie? The forum needs straight-shooters like you - plus you don’t have a ST.

Haha, not going to this one as live too far away but have been in the past, actually to the Poortvliet one which was quite funny on hindsight. Remember him talking about converting Lloyd James to a RB because he was one of our best passers and full backs get a lot of the ball under less pressure.

 

I do have a ST though...

 

Always think it would be good if they had more pre-submitted questions which would be higher quality. Lots of good talking points that don't have to come across as ultra critical (which just causes club reps to get defensive).

 

Ultimately though its a good thing that the club do these kind of things and usually you find out something interesting that was previously unknown.

[Crab Lungs]

I take it all those who are so worried about fellow fans such as "Barry from Romsey" asking anodyne questions are taking the opportunity themselves to go? Or is it all so beneath them, and they'll just sit back and carp on here, a la match day threads?

 

It’s the sad truth but the saps will have the floor more than likely.

 

Still, be a nice easy ride for the turds behind the table if that proves to be the case.

[whelk]

Quite funny how many sad sacks see themselves as the forum cool kids.

[ericb]

I take it all those who are so worried about fellow fans such as "Barry from Romsey" asking anodyne questions are taking the opportunity themselves to go? Or is it all so beneath them, and they'll just sit back and carp on here, a la match day threads?

 

God no. I think it's an absolutely pointless endeavour and a massive waste of everyone's time. The football club is a private company with no need or desire to answer questions about it's finances or structure to paying customers.

 

At best you'll get media trained professionals not answering poorly constructed questions from people with no training in journalism or ability to ask quality probing questions.

 

At worst you'll get self congratulatory backslapping and terrible "jokes" to form soundbites and give the fake impression that we're not customers but instead one big happy family.

 

Personally i'd prefer it if they hadn't bothered with this at all and just got on with their jobs.

[Batman]

the Cortese dinners were much better.

But that was cortese doing it so we must hate the idea and luckily, we now have our club back

[pluto]

To Ralph Krueger

 

Why did you back Pellegrino, when it had been clear for over three months, he was totally out of his depth and putting the club into a relegation battle ?

 

Why was the club sold to someone, who clearly doesn’t have any commercial partners to improve on the Liebherr legacy? Fans were told the club would only be sold in the club’s interests, it’s not happened.

 

Did you vote at the Premier League chairman’s meeting to stop the likes of Gao Jisheng to own a football club, due to secondary claims of criminal corruption ?

 

Fans are not happy with what’s happened with the selling of the club, to someone that has not stated any future plans one year on from the takeover.

 

Why is there no Chinese representation on either the football or holding company boards?

 

To Les Reed

 

The purchase of Guido Carrillo, I think most fans would agree, whoever responsible should be sacked.

 

The recruitment in recent seasons has been a total disaster and we are now stuck with high wage earners on transfer fees we can’t recoup. We sold quality players and brought in players that are not the same and that’s why things have downgraded.

 

Why was Dusan Tadic sold for such a small fee ? When he was clearly worth around £20Million at current rates.

 

 

To both

 

Is it right that when the Chinese takeover happened, you two were wired into the deal to remain for just two seasons ? So who will be chairman next season ?

[for_heaven's_Saint]

Not going but last time Ralph was asked about backing Pellegrino (at a London Saints event) he apparently said that every time they thought about sacking him, MP did well in his next couple of games. This obviously makes no sense whatsoever as they wouldn’t have known our next results in advance when they were considering sacking him. Point being can we please push for answers that make sense and actually answer the question?