The Gao Thread

[benjii]

I had a great dinner at Nandos, tucked behind the bright and shiny new cinema and casino on Sunderland High Street and the banks of the River Wear after an EFL cup tie a few years back. Think there was a Frankie and Benny's too. Some vision and would be a proper statement, if Goa was up to the challenge.

 

Such a leisure development will really set us apart as a compelling global footballing proposition. We could be known the world over, like Coventry, Sunderland and Weston Super Mare.

[Turkish]

Interesting, Nick Illingsworth (is he an official club PR man these days?) suggests: "Gao is investing in the infrastructure, the goal is to build a global brand and develop the land around St Mary's namely the waterfront"

 

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/forum/250450/dont-believe-all-you-read-!/#9

 

the UI board consensus seems to be if Nick is not on the payroll then he's going mental. In Corteses day there were regular articles lambasting him for everything from wasting money on Mayuka to the low executive box sales, even a few empty advertising boards didn't go unnoticed. Yet since Kruger took control and now Goa we have regularly rallying calls about how great everything is and we should get behind the team, there was even a very patronising piece recently about how fans were wrong to criticise Goa as we didn't really understand what is going. It really is quite bizarre.

[Batman]

the UI board consensus seems to be if Nick is not on the payroll then he's going mental. In Corteses day there were regular articles lambasting him for everything from wasting money on Mayuka to the low executive box sales, even a few empty advertising boards didn't go unnoticed. Yet since Kruger took control and now Goa we have regularly rallying calls about how great everything is and we should get behind the team, there was even a very patronising piece recently about how fans were wrong to criticise Goa as we didn't really understand what is going. It really is quite bizarre.

 

Is Nick the modern day Keith Legg?

[tajjuk]

He does make a fair point about not blabbing publicly about having funds to spend.

 

We'll find out in January I suppose.

[Turkish]

Is Nick the modern day Keith Legg?

 

Without the scandal.

[Turkish]

He does make a fair point about not blabbing publicly about having funds to spend.

 

We'll find out in January I suppose.

 

Maybe but clubs and agents aren't stupid either, they will know that there is a good chance we will go down if we don't make a couple of quality additions, so I don't really see how an article saying we will make a couple of signings is going to influence a club or player trying to get a few extra quid out of us, knowing full if we don't it wil cost us more.

[tajjuk]

Maybe but clubs and agents aren't stupid either, they will know that there is a good chance we will go down if we don't make a couple of quality additions, so I don't really see how an article saying we will make a couple of signings is going to influence a club or player trying to get a few extra quid out of us, knowing full if we don't it wil cost us more.

 

Probably depends on the market, whilst I doubt any PL club wouldn't know our situation, clubs, players and agents in other leagues might not, so aside from appeasing the fans (and then you are creating false expectations if you can't find the right player or agree the deal) I can't see anything positive for the club to admit or boast they are going to sign players and have money to spend in January.

 

You could of course say nothing which probably would have been the better option.

[Turkish]

Probably depends on the market, whilst I doubt any PL club wouldn't know our situation, clubs, players and agents in other leagues might not, so aside from appeasing the fans (and then you are creating false expectations if you can't find the right player or agree the deal) I can't see anything positive for the club to admit or boast they are going to sign players and have money to spend in January.

 

You could of course say nothing which probably would have been the better option.

 

Course they do. Do you really think clubs and agents in other countries don’t know what is going on in the most watched league on the world? A simple google search of “Southampton results” shows it was only a few weeks ago we set a record for all the wrong reasons

 

It won’t help but then against it’s not exactly going to be news that we need to bring players in agents, clubs and players will be fully aware of this whatever league they play in.

[sadoldgit]

Book a disco for a party it is one price. Book it for a wedding and that price doubles or trebles because they know there is a bigger budget. If people know you are minted the asking price goes up which is why clubs outside the Premier league rinse those in the Premier League.

[shurlock]

He does make a fair point about not blabbing publicly about having funds to spend.

 

We'll find out in January I suppose.

 

You mean like we did with Walcott etc?

 

Whatever is printed in the press is yesterday’s news as far as agents and rival clubs are concerned pal. It’s a small world and information travels quickly. While rival clubs may not know the specifics of all our dealings, they’ll certainly know if we’re in the market or not.

[shurlock]

Is Nick the modern day Keith Legg?

 

Nick is Goa’s eunuch.

[Turkish]

You mean like we did with Walcott etc?

 

Whatever is printed in the press is yesterday’s news as far as agents and rival clubs are concerned pal. It’s a small world and information travels quickly. While rival clubs may not know the specifics of all our dealings, they’ll certainly know if we’re in the market or not.

 

Quincey Promes?

 

It’s ridiculously naive if people think an article in an English newspaper saying a struggling premier league club need a player is going to make the rest of the worlds agents and clubs sit up and take notice rubbing their hands in glee at the chance to fleece them.

[alehouseboys]

Proof of Gao's investment in infrastructure paying off, we're in the final!

 

https://www.stadiumdesignsummit.com/public_downloads/TDA19-WinnersBrochure.pdf

 

The Shortlisted Finalists

Credits: Populous

• New Bars at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia

• The (new) International Suite at Old Trafford (Manchester United FC), UK

• Theater Boxes and Seats at Chase Center, USA

• The High Street Concourse at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, UK

• Re-imagining Goodison Park Lounges at Everton FC, UK

• 1885 Lounge at Southampton FC, UK

[Tom & Gerry]

It doesn't matter how much money you have to spend if you are going to waste it. In league one with less money we bought the likes of Fonte and Lambert.We are now spending many times more money on the likes of Vestergard and Adams, players not fit to tie the aforementioned's bootlaces.

If you were owner wouldn't you be tempted to say - see what you can do with less

[verlaine1979]

It doesn't matter how much money you have to spend if you are going to waste it. In league one with less money we bought the likes of Fonte and Lambert.We are now spending many times more money on the likes of Vestergard and Adams, players not fit to tie the aforementioned's bootlaces.

If you were owner wouldn't you be tempted to say - see what you can do with less

 

I'm sure you realise this, but both Fonte and Lambert transfers were either record fees for League one, or very close to it.

[Tom & Gerry]

I'm sure you realise this, but both Fonte and Lambert transfers were either record fees for League one, or very close to it.

 

Of course, but they cost a fraction if what we are paying now and were far better players

[Toadhall Saint]

Of course, but they cost a fraction if what we are paying now and were far better players

 

Remind me what year we bought those 2. I get what you are alluding to but things have moved on considerably price wise since we purchased those 2

[Tom & Gerry]

Remind me what year we bought those 2. I get what you are alluding to but things have moved on considerably price wise since we purchased those 2

 

Good luck if your wages have gone up that much but I'm glad you get the point

[capitalsaint]

Without any doubt.

 

Still waiting for that pleasant surprise!

[Turkish]

Proof of Gao's investment in infrastructure paying off, we're in the final!

 

https://www.stadiumdesignsummit.com/public_downloads/TDA19-WinnersBrochure.pdf

 

The Shortlisted Finalists

Credits: Populous

• New Bars at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia

• The (new) International Suite at Old Trafford (Manchester United FC), UK

• Theater Boxes and Seats at Chase Center, USA

• The High Street Concourse at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, UK

• Re-imagining Goodison Park Lounges at Everton FC, UK

• 1885 Lounge at Southampton FC, UK

 

 

We didn't win. Disapointing not to scoop such a prestigious award but nonetheless great to be included in such glamourous company. This is evidence of our development as a club and despite the on the field struggles shows just how much we have to be proud of that we can complete with the likes of the Melbourne cricket ground and Old Trafford for such awards. All credit to the owner. Nelly Goa and the board for the incredibly hard work that has gone in behind the scenes to make this possible.

[alehouseboys]

We didn't win. Disapointing not to scoop such a prestigious award but nonetheless great to be included in such glamourous company. This is evidence of our development as a club and despite the on the field struggles shows just how much we have to be proud of that we can complete with the likes of the Melbourne cricket ground and Old Trafford for such awards. All credit to the owner. Nelly Goa and the board for the incredibly hard work that has gone in behind the scenes to make this possible.

 

Always the bridesmaid.....

[CB Fry]

We didn't win. Disapointing not to scoop such a prestigious award but nonetheless great to be included in such glamourous company. This is evidence of our development as a club and despite the on the field struggles shows just how much we have to be proud of that we can complete with the likes of the Melbourne cricket ground and Old Trafford for such awards. All credit to the owner. Nelly Goa and the board for the incredibly hard work that has gone in behind the scenes to make this possible.

I think I'm right in saying the whole ground applauded during the 18th and 85th minutes this evening in recognition of the fantastic work the club has done with that executive lounge.

[benjii]

"As long as the money reaches our account in Pounds Sterling, that's all that matters".

[SuperSAINT]

"As long as the money reaches our account in Pounds Sterling, that's all that matters".

 

That quote put my mind at ease, completely

[DT]

I think I'm right in saying the whole ground applauded during the 18th and 85th minutes this evening in recognition of the fantastic work the club has done with that executive lounge.

 

Also, it’s very naff

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SuperSAINT]

I'm not there today but apparently there's a bloke sat with the directors wearing a Red Bull coat!

 

Anyone on earlobe watch?

 

Red Bull representatives and technical people have been at St Mary's and Staplewood for 2 days.

 

Anyone know anything about this?

[saint lard]

Anyone know anything about this?

 

All I know is,I want it to be true.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Convict Colony]

We are under 0 net spend for the last 5 years

[CB Fry]

Surely we now all agree that anyone who slagged off the owner, or our transfer activities or new signings in the summer were just impatient and fickle fans who didn't have a clue what they were talking about?

 

Because, as I understand it, everything is great now meaning everything was always great the whole time and anyone who complained earlier this season was a fickle impatient idiot with no long term view. That's right isn't it?

[Micky]

We are under 0 net spend for the last 5 years

Which, unfortunately, is how the owner insists the club is to be run. Self sustainability means we have to sell in order to generate funds to buy. There it's no cash injection coming from the owner any time soon, and given our recent rise up the league table I'm sceptical about doing any business in this transfer window.

 

Sent from my SM-T590 using Tapatalk

[Ultimatt]

Which, unfortunately, is how the owner insists the club is to be run. Self sustainability means we have to sell in order to generate funds to buy. There it's no cash injection coming from the owner any time soon, and given our recent rise up the league table I'm sceptical about doing any business in this transfer window.

 

Sent from my SM-T590 using Tapatalk

There's two levels of this. The first is being self sustainable by reinvesting what the club earns from all sources: sponsorship, tickets, merchandise, prize money, tv.

 

The 2nd is only buying players with money made from player sales and pocketing the rest. Kat and Gao are guilty of this. We're beyond self sustainable, we're a year on year profit maker for our owners. They're milking us.

 

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[Convict Colony]

There's two levels of this. The first is being self sustainable by reinvesting what the club earns from all sources: sponsorship, tickets, merchandise, prize money, tv.

 

The 2nd is only buying players with money made from player sales and pocketing the rest. Kat and Gao are guilty of this. We're beyond self sustainable, we're a year on year profit maker for our owners. They're milking us.

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

Yes if we have netted out all our player transfers with outgoings in the last 5 years what has the roughly 100mil a year in tv money etc gone each year ?

[Convict Colony]

Yes if we have netted out all our player transfers with outgoings in the last 5 years what has the roughly 100mil a year in tv money etc gone each year ?

 

There is no way our wages take it all up

[Dark Munster]

There is no way our wages take it all up

If I remember correctly wages alone are £80+ million per year.

I stand to be corrected.

[Gordon Mockles]

Surely we now all agree that anyone who slagged off the owner, or our transfer activities or new signings in the summer were just impatient and fickle fans who didn't have a clue what they were talking about?

 

Because, as I understand it, everything is great now meaning everything was always great the whole time and anyone who complained earlier this season was a fickle impatient idiot with no long term view. That's right isn't it?

 

I think that’s about right. The only club in the league to make a profit and the only club in the league to go into three successive relegation battles with pretty much the same defence. Some may call it abject neglect while others may call it making a profit and

operating a successful, fluid, well run business. Others may call us idiots for expressing any form of dissatisfaction because we know nothing and we have to assume everything in the background going on is brilliant and progressive and ambitious. Don’t ever display signs of inherent negativity.

[Gordon Mockles]

If I remember correctly wages alone are £80+ million per year.

I stand to be corrected.

 

I once brought up a similar thing about the television money which is around circa 130 million for a club in the lower part of the table. I was systematically harangued for it by the club accountants, told that wages took up everything. It may well be as it’s the largest outlay of all PL clubs but I definitely think there is some form of disparity considering we made a profit on certain players (we have asset stripped & cleared out a lot of players and put all previous or overspending blame on an individual which im not totally comfortable with), we made profit in the league, the television money is a big wedge & I have no idea about sponsorship and marketting revenue. I appreciate marshalling & police on match days and the operating costs of a Premier League football club are very high and I’m just asking the question before you ritually start going apoplectic.

 

I’m talking layman’s accounting from a distant overview but there does seem to be a disparity in some of the large figures quoted and transfer budgets cited (or not applied)

 

We brought in Adams, Danso, Djenepo and Ings (earlier agreed loan in 18/19). A worrying lack of defenders which was the glaring problem. Danso does not even start.

 

We cleared out so many players then still purported to the echo we need to sell to be able to buy. Granted, we put out a lot of loans but I’m sure some of those loans involved fees if we are happy to pay out 3.5 million loan fee for a defender that doesn’t even play.

 

We shed:

 

Matt Targett Aston Villa Aston Villa £13.95m

Sam Gallagher Blackburn Rovers Blackburn £5.04m

Charlie Austin West Bromwich Albion West Brom £3.87m

Mario Lemina Galatasaray SK Galatasaray Loan fee: £900k

Steven Davis Rangers FC Rangers Free transfer

Jordy Clasie AZ Alkmaar AZ Alkmaar Free transfer

Jack Rose Walsall FC Walsall. Loan

Josh Sims New York Red Bulls NY Red Bulls Loan

Fraser Forster Celtic FC Celtic Loan

Mohamed Elyounoussi Celtic FC Celtic Loan

Guido Carrillo CD Leganés CD Leganés Loan

Wesley Hoedt Royal Antwerp FC Royal Antwerp Loan

Jake Hesketh Lincoln City Lincoln City Loan

Harrison Reed Fulham Loan

 

Season before that:

 

 

Manolo Gabbiadini Sampdoria £10.71m

Dusan Tadic Ajax £10.26m

Cédric Soares Inter Loan fee:

£450k

Florin Gardos CS U Craiova Free transfer

Jérémy Pied LOSC Lille Free transfer

Ryan Seager Yeovil Town Free transfer

Jake Hesketh MK Dons Loan

Josh Sims Reading Loan

Harrison Reed Blackburn Loan

Steven Davis Rangers Loan

Sam McQueen Middlesbrough Loan

Jordy Clasie Feyenoord Loan

Sofiane Boufal Celta de Vigo Loan

Ryan Seager Telstar Loan

Guido Carrillo CD Leganés Loan

Wesley Hoedt Celta de Vigo Loan

Jake Hesketh Burton Albion Loan

Stuart Taylor Retired -

 

We need to start seeing some transfers coming in or serious questions need to be asked of our board and the board apologists can whistle if they think any media propaganda will wash. I appreciate some of the outgoings are loans but they aren’t available to Ralph (unless recalled, like Sims)

 

In case the bedwetters moan, the incoming players for the 18/19 season were:

 

Jannik Vestergaard Bor. M'gladbach £22.50m

Mohamed Elyounoussi FC Basel £16.20m

Angus Gunn Man City £10.17m

Stuart Armstrong Celtic £7.16m

 

Reading the fee paid for Vestergaard is depressing. Ings was a loan at this time so you decide which season you attribute the spend to but we have stripped our squad down massively so it is fair to say, we should expect additions but I’m sure the apologists will bang on about our glut of central defenders & senior pros despite a handful being out of contract in the summer including Yoshida, Hoedt, Long and Soares and we will then we really will be absolutely threadbare. In Ralph we trust. In everyone else, I have distrust and suspicion.

 

I want to know who our record transfer is that cost £28.98 million? Ings?!

[Gordon Mockles]

That post is extra long because of all the players in the transfer list, M’kay?

[verlaine1979]

As of the last published accounts (to Jun 2018), Wages were £85m and had dropped from the previous year against a reduced turnover of £152m. Despite the drop in turnover, the club still posted a profit of £35m.

 

A new tv deal has kicked in since, so presumably turnover will be receiving a boost this season, while I'd put money on the wage bill being even lower these days.

[Alain Perrin]

 

I’m talking layman’s accounting from a distant overview but there does seem to be a disparity in some of the large figures quoted and transfer budgets cited (or not applied)

 

Layman's accountancy doesn't work. The quoted figures aren't ever accurate (inflated by the selling club to soften the blow, low balled by the buying club to show they got a steal).

 

Plus agent fees, taxes, bonuses, loan fees, percentage salary's subsidised on loans.

 

I don't know what facts and figures are published as a private company but the leaders of the club have stood up in a fans forum and said we are self sustaining and I believe that to be broadly true.

 

Is Gao pumping money in? No.

Is Saints a vehicle for him to get money out of China? Yes.

Are Kat and Gao in this to make money? Yes, undoubtedly by growth and dividends etc.

Is it some kind of secret plan? No.

[Depressed of Shirley]

There is another issue to take into account and that is the maximum squad size for a PL team.

 

Whilst I share the general dissatisfaction with the lack of transfers, I can also understand why we will not buy more players that would mean someone already in the squad on £30k - £40k per week cant play for six months.

[Gordon Mockles]

Layman's accountancy doesn't work. The quoted figures aren't ever accurate (inflated by the selling club to soften the blow, low balled by the buying club to show they got a steal).

 

Plus agent fees, taxes, bonuses, loan fees, percentage salary's subsidised on loans.

 

I don't know what facts and figures are published as a private company but the leaders of the club have stood up in a fans forum and said we are self sustaining and I believe that to be broadly true.

 

Is Gao pumping money in? No.

Is Saints a vehicle for him to get money out of China? Yes.

Are Kat and Gao in this to make money? Yes, undoubtedly by growth and dividends etc.

Is it some kind of secret plan? No.

 

This was another point I was discussing tonight but I totally overlooked the fact that transfer fees are vastly over inflated to soften the blow with the fans. It’s interesting to look on the transfer market and go back 10 years and we pretty much always make a profit on selling players over buying players. Not every season but when we don’t it’s a very small margin. I guess that’s how we have the reputation of being a selling club. Some would say it’s good business which, in effect, it is to good to balance the books but it’s not always that black and white in football.

 

It isn’t good to continually sell off all your best talent But that’s an old, over referenced and boring story. The best way of looking at it I suppose is considering all the players we sold to Liverpool and look where they are now. Then look at our past 3 seasons since that mass exodus and look where we ended up after constantly cost-cutting and diluting looting down the quality.

 

For a club that is often appears complacent and never seems to learn and often pushes our luck, I sincerely hope we have learnt from this and I hope a sense of optimism is not misplaced in hoping that we can turn the corner and galvanise our squad between now and the subsequent season.

 

We definitely have potential and finally have a good attacking throng but unfortunately we seem to have neglected the rest of the squad. Let’s hope next season we address the glaringly obvious defence and midfield and we can start a new campaign with a fresh and revitalised squad whom are much better equipped to take the match to the opposition and, in turn, entertain the fans. I bloody love football when you take away all the bullsh*t money side of things.

[Tamesaint]

This was another point I was discussing tonight but I totally overlooked the fact that transfer fees are vastly over inflated to soften the blow with the fans. It’s interesting to look on the transfer market and go back 10 years and we pretty much always make a profit on selling players over buying players. Not every season but when we don’t it’s a very small margin. I guess that’s how we have the reputation of being a selling club. Some would say it’s good business which, in effect, it is to good to balance the books but it’s not always that black and white in football.

 

It isn’t good to continually sell off all your best talent But that’s an old, over referenced and boring story. The best way of looking at it I suppose is considering all the players we sold to Liverpool and look where they are now. Then look at our past 3 seasons since that mass exodus and look where we ended up after constantly cost-cutting and diluting looting down the quality.

 

For a club that is often appears complacent and never seems to learn and often pushes our luck, I sincerely hope we have learnt from this and I hope a sense of optimism is not misplaced in hoping that we can turn the corner and galvanise our squad between now and the subsequent season.

 

We definitely have potential and finally have a good attacking throng but unfortunately we seem to have neglected the rest of the squad. Let’s hope next season we address the glaringly obvious defence and midfield and we can start a new campaign with a fresh and revitalised squad whom are much better equipped to take the match to the opposition and, in turn, entertain the fans. I bloody love football when you take away all the bullsh*t money side of things.

 

I think that I agree with the main gist of what you say but it is not as easy as you claim. Yes lets look at the players we have sold to Liverpool. VVD and Mane have become world class but Lambert's and Clyne's careers nose dived after they left us. Lallana has lost his England place and Lovren is out of the Liverpool team more often than he plays. The money from Lallana gave us the money to buy Mane. We havent done too badly from our sales to Liverpool and not many of the players we have sold to them have fulfilled their potential.

 

Football has a hierarchy. I want us to get higher in the hierarchy and I am sure that you do as well. We need however to be realistic and understand that without the owners of the likes of Chelsea and Man City sometimes you need to take one step backwards to take two steps forward.

Edited 15 January, 2020 by Tamesaint

[Gordon Mockles]

I think that I agree with the main gist of what you say but it is not as easy as you claim. Yes lets look at the players we have sold to Liverpool. VVD and Mane have become world class but Lambert's and Clyne's careers nose dived after they left us. Lallana has lost his England place and Lovren is out of the Liverpool team more often than he plays. The money from Lallana gave us the money to buy Mane. We havent done too badly from our sales to Liverpool and not many of the players we have sold to them have fulfilled their potential.

 

Football has a hierarchy. I want us to get higher in the hierarchy and I am sure that you do as well. We need however to be realistic and understand that without the owners of the likes of Chelsea and Man City sometimes you need to take one step backwards to take two steps forward.

 

That’s a sensible and well reasoned post. Sometimes I wear my heart on my sleeve and fire off without stopping to consider fully. I think in this case I standby what I say and I do think we have done well to balance the books and make a profit but unfortunately making a profit in this league isn’t always beneficial for league success and it’s a very difficult thing to do. We have done some very good transfer business which has been praised in the papers but unfortunately a new owner has come in and asset stripped and sold everything and put absolutely nothing in under false pretences so I am now his biggest critic of Gao until he does otherwise.I think most clubs in the league would go absolutely mental if they were in a similar situation. Our fans are very patient and often very very low in ambition or have a standard that is much lower than mine. That’s fine, we are all different but we all share a love for the club but I don’t like deceit and misleading people hence why I absolutely detested Lowe but he was another level with his arrogance and destructive path. When he came back and put us nto administration, It felt like he was coming back to spite the fans but let’s not talk about that or the sell on clause he wrote off. I remember him talking to Gareth Bale just before he was sold and Gareth’s dad told us of the deal Lowe offered which was laughable. Not even financial figures just the norm on the shoulder and saying “we will really look after you”. Then they can say they wouldn’t sign the contract so we had to sell them. The Askham school of transfer behaviour

 

I really miss Markus and Cortese (not his personality) and how they ran our club. We would just identify the top target and pretty much always land them. No silly rumours, no social engineering. We would go out, make an offer, adjust terms if needed but not get played and quite often get them with no messing around. Cortese was a hard man but a brilliant negotiator. He kept everything in check. Money talks. Many people don’t realise this but you get what you pay for and throwing money at a problem can often be a good tactic, if you have it. I appreciate the large figures of money and it is not my money so I can never truly talk laterally. But this is my club and I’m a Saints fan so I’m going to be fickle and talk cr*p!!

[saint77]

That’s a sensible and well reasoned post. Sometimes I wear my heart on my sleeve and fire off without stopping to consider fully. I think in this case I standby what I say and I do think we have done well to balance the books and make a profit but unfortunately making a profit in this league isn’t always beneficial for league success and it’s a very difficult thing to do. We have done some very good transfer business which has been praised in the papers but unfortunately a new owner has come in and asset stripped and sold everything and put absolutely nothing in under false pretences so I am now his biggest critic of Gao until he does otherwise.I think most clubs in the league would go absolutely mental if they were in a similar situation. Our fans are very patient and often very very low in ambition or have a standard that is much lower than mine. That’s fine, we are all different but we all share a love for the club but I don’t like deceit and misleading people hence why I absolutely detested Lowe but he was another level with his arrogance and destructive path. When he came back and put us nto administration, It felt like he was coming back to spite the fans but let’s not talk about that or the sell on clause he wrote off. I remember him talking to Gareth Bale just before he was sold and Gareth’s dad told us of the deal Lowe offered which was laughable. Not even financial figures just the norm on the shoulder and saying “we will really look after you”. Then they can say they wouldn’t sign the contract so we had to sell them. The Askham school of transfer behaviour

 

I really miss Markus and Cortese (not his personality) and how they ran our club. We would just identify the top target and pretty much always land them. No silly rumours, no social engineering. We would go out, make an offer, adjust terms if needed but not get played and quite often get them with no messing around. Cortese was a hard man but a brilliant negotiator. He kept everything in check. Money talks. Many people don’t realise this but you get what you pay for and throwing money at a problem can often be a good tactic, if you have it. I appreciate the large figures of money and it is not my money so I can never truly talk laterally. But this is my club and I’m a Saints fan so I’m going to be fickle and talk cr*p!!

 

 

Yes have to agree with you your definitely fickle and talk so much crap

[Noodles34]

do we still hate him?

Heard a lot when we were losing but now we are winning, well, are just fickle football fans then?

[GDog07]

do we still hate him?

Heard a lot when we were losing but now we are winning, well, are just fickle football fans then?

 

No, we still don't like him.

 

I want someone who attends regularly and actually shows some enthusiasm and interest in football. He's got none of that.

 

I wonder if he could actually name his own players. I'd be inclined to say he wouldn't have a clue about a vast majority of our squad.

[verlaine1979]

do we still hate him?

Heard a lot when we were losing but now we are winning, well, are just fickle football fans then?

 

I still think he's potless and that this will ultimately hurt us in a league where almost all other owners are prepared to put in funds.

[sir_fred]

I just checked the LD Sport web page and it really does not look like a company who can afford to sponsor a Premier League Team. It is in Chinese but the the content on the page seems to very limited and Southampton focused. What details do we have on the sponsorship deal? Is it confirmed that Gao is the owner of LD Sports? It is really tricky to find any information on the case which is odd on a Premier League sponsor.

 

https://www.ldsports.uk/

[Turkish]

I just checked the LD Sport web page and it really does not look like a company who can afford to sponsor a Premier League Team. It is in Chinese but the the content on the page seems to very limited and Southampton focused. What details do we have on the sponsorship deal? Is it confirmed that Gao is the owner of LD Sports? It is really tricky to find any information on the case which is odd on a Premier League sponsor.

 

https://www.ldsports.uk/

 

For a media company that website is an embarrassment. I think you are being unfair though, the first thing any small start up company would do is spend millions sponsoring top flight football clubs in England and Spain.

[hypochondriac]

do we still hate him?

Heard a lot when we were losing but now we are winning, well, are just fickle football fans then?

Yes he's complete ****.