Sport Republic

[saintant]

16 minutes ago, sfc4prem said:

They do have a whiff of those suited hazelnut-and-oat-milk-latte tosspots that think they've seen a gap in the market, only to absolutely have their trousers pulled down by Deborah Meaden because their accounts are pie in the fucking sky.

Dragan's Den 🙂

[Master Bates]

One day.

[madge]

They’ve been a shambles

[CanadaSaint]

53 minutes ago, SouSaint said:

I wish they'd fuck off. Their whole plan is flawed to fuck. 

But we don't know what their business plan actually is, do we?

It's increasingly looking like relegation might actually be PART of their business plan, as it did at times during the Summer window. Not that they were going to admit to it when they're wanting to maximize their season ticket sales.

Appointing two dire managers, and then persisting with Martin months after all of football had him rumbled, gives the clear impression that they think being a yoyo club is a more sustainable business strategy than trying to compete up here. Seems crazy to me, but the longer this level of incompetence is permitted to exist, the more it starts to look intentional.

[trousers]

9 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

Appointing two dire managers, and then persisting with Martin months after all of football had him rumbled, gives the clear impression that they think being a yoyo club is a more sustainable business strategy than trying to compete up here. Seems crazy to me, but the longer this level of incompetence is permitted to exist, the more it starts to look intentional.

I floated this conspiracy theory in semi-jest earlier in the season. I'm also starting to wonder if it's not as far-fetched a notion as it originally seemed.... 

Edited 19 October, 2024 by trousers

[Dark Munster]

54 minutes ago, Suhari said:

Dragan must be fucking fuming with Razzer.

He ought to be, but there are no signs he is. In fact, he should've been fuming two years ago when that clown binned many of the staff and thought Mad Nate would be a good replacement for Ralph, before taking us down with an amateur coach as replacement.

I've been furious with Rasmus and his SR clown team since that Jones debacle, but now I've lost patience with Dragan too. He may not know much about football, but if he's incapable of seeing that a bunch of charlatans are destroying our club, why the hell did he buy a football club in the first place??

He needs to go, along with all the other clowns. 

Edited 19 October, 2024 by Dark Munster

[Dark Munster]

24 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

But we don't know what their business plan actually is, do we?

It's increasingly looking like relegation might actually be PART of their business plan, as it did at times during the Summer window. Not that they were going to admit to it when they're wanting to maximize their season ticket sales.

Appointing two dire managers, and then persisting with Martin months after all of football had him rumbled, gives the clear impression that they think being a yoyo club is a more sustainable business strategy than trying to compete up here. Seems crazy to me, but the longer this level of incompetence is permitted to exist, the more it starts to look intentional.

That makes no sense. They (and in particular Dragan) wouldn't have spent tens of millions on Ramsdale, etc. to meekly go down and sacrifice the PL riches. If they planned to be a yo-yo club they would've done a Sheffield Utd., save money and not bother to strengthen at all in the summer.

[Farmer Saint]

36 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

But we don't know what their business plan actually is, do we?

It's increasingly looking like relegation might actually be PART of their business plan, as it did at times during the Summer window. Not that they were going to admit to it when they're wanting to maximize their season ticket sales.

Appointing two dire managers, and then persisting with Martin months after all of football had him rumbled, gives the clear impression that they think being a yoyo club is a more sustainable business strategy than trying to compete up here. Seems crazy to me, but the longer this level of incompetence is permitted to exist, the more it starts to look intentional.

Yeah, I said last season that they are looking to make us a yo-yo club as investments in the PL are too high - I was sneered at then.

The plan (IMO) is to invest in low cost, young players to play in the Championship, get us promoted, then showcase them in the Prem to sell for good money. With PSR it's too expensive and difficult to stay up year after year if you don't want to invest in the ancillary hotels, marketing etc to allow for more spending.

Edited 19 October, 2024 by Farmer Saint

[Gloucester Saint]

4 minutes ago, Dark Munster said:

He ought to be, but there are no signs he is. In fact, he should've been fuming two years ago when that clown binned many of the staff and thought Mad Nate would be a good replacement for Ralph, before taking us down with an amateur coach as replacement.

I've been furious with Ramsus and his SR clown team since that Jones debacle, but now I've lost patience with Dragan too. He may not know much about football, but if he's incapable of seeing that a bunch of charlatans are destroying our club, why the hell did he buy a football club in the first place??

He needs to go, along with all the other clowns. 

I can’t get as worked up these days I’m afraid, but I agree the causal issues and viruses lie here and Russell Martin and Nathan Jones were the symptoms. To make their model work, they need both a new main investor along with Dragan firstly, you can’t do multi-club properly without £3-5BN in potential capital IMO.

Secondly, yes, Rasmus is a glorified scout managing databases and it’s becoming clear who really did the day to day leadership at Brentford, and who took the spotlight instead. He’s great at his own PR but based on what we’ve experienced, dreadful in practice. If they can get more financial clout behind them, then I can see a Moyes or bigger with the contacts seeing it as a good leadership opportunity as the tracksuit appeal wanes. 

[CanadaSaint]

2 minutes ago, Dark Munster said:

That makes no sense. They (and in particular Dragan) wouldn't have spent tens of millions on Ramsdale, etc. to meekly go down and sacrifice the PL riches. If they planned to be a yo-yo club they would've done a Sheffield Utd., save money and not bother to strengthen at all in the summer.

They’d get their money back on Ramsdale, no problem, and Dibling is already worth a fortune. We’ve already shed some of the worst millstones of the relegation season. It doesn’t make much sense to me either, but it explains them just watching this shit happen. An owner’s idea of success is very different to a fan’s.

[Gloucester Saint]

3 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Yeah, I said last season that they are looking to make us a yo-yo club as investments in the PL are too high - I was sneered at then.

Also see Pozzos and Watford - except when you fail to bounce back one time.

[Farmer Saint]

3 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Also see Pozzos and Watford - except when you fail to bounce back one time.

Agreed, it's not a safe way to do things - doesn't mean it's not being done though unfortunately.

Edited 19 October, 2024 by Farmer Saint

[FredVaFC59100]

1 hour ago, Dr. Kucho said:

am getting serious doubts about Dragan’s entrepreneurial skills. How can someone just sit and watch their hard earned money being squandered by a couple of cowboys? 

Tax write off and kick backs

[John Boy Saint]

24 minutes ago, FredVaFC59100 said:

Tax write off and kick backs

You’re not far off the mark - you don’t become a billionaire by luck (whilst being painted as an “enemy of the state”) - nor do you tolerate f**knuts and c*ckwombles with their fingers in your wallet….………unless you have a very cunning plan.

[Rebel]

58 minutes ago, CanadaSaint said:

They’d get their money back on Ramsdale, no problem, and Dibling is already worth a fortune. We’ve already shed some of the worst millstones of the relegation season. It doesn’t make much sense to me either, but it explains them just watching this shit happen. An owner’s idea of success is very different to a fan’s.

Unfortunately in Sulemana, Bereton-Diaz, ABK, Tall Paul, Fraser and Adam Armstrong with his new 2 year contract we still have quite a few millstones at this level of football.

Hopefully we can shift a few in January (Tall Paul, Sulemana, ABK and KWP with only 6 months left on his contract - but everyone of those will probably be at a loss) to recoup some money

I think Sports Republic’s priority is to make money by player trading - bringing in players on the cheap and selling them on at profit (flipping them if you like) - not having a successful football team on the pitch. Which is why I think we signed players like Edwards and Wood this summer and not the players we really needed - looking at their future resale value rather than players we actually needed to be competitive.

I can’t see us staying up this season - it’s already too late to save our season as the squad just isn’t good enough. 

We’ll make a lot of money on Dibling, a little bit on Fernandes and hopefully get our money back on Ramsdale in the summer but we will be stuck with a lot of them.

 

 

 

 

[Gloucester Saint]

8 minutes ago, Rebel said:

Unfortunately in Sulemana, Bereton-Diaz, ABK, Tall Paul, Fraser and Adam Armstrong with his new 2 year contract we still have quite a few millstones at this level of football.

Hopefully we can shift a few in January (Tall Paul, Sulemana, ABK and KWP with only 6 months left on his contract - but everyone of those will probably be at a loss) to recoup some money

I think Sports Republic’s priority is to make money by player trading - bringing in players on the cheap and selling them on at profit (flipping them if you like) - not having a successful football team on the pitch. Which is why I think we signed players like Edwards and Wood this summer and not the players we really needed - looking at their future resale value rather than players we actually needed to be competitive.

I can’t see us staying up this season - it’s already too late to save our season as the squad just isn’t good enough. 

We’ll make a lot of money on Dibling, a little bit on Fernandes and hopefully get our money back on Ramsdale in the summer but we will be stuck with a lot of them.

 

 

 

 

Watford mark 2. Ask their fans what they think of the Pozzos.

Thank you Martin Semmens - Gao and now these jokers. What a charlatan.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

1 hour ago, Dark Munster said:

That makes no sense. They (and in particular Dragan) wouldn't have spent tens of millions on Ramsdale, etc. to meekly go down and sacrifice the PL riches. If they planned to be a yo-yo club they would've done a Sheffield Utd., save money and not bother to strengthen at all in the summer.

They treat our club like a toy and they're all in it together. Don't think for one minute that Dragan is dipping in to his own pocket. Yes, they want success but ultimately to them it's a venture with sadly a lot to gain but very little to lose.

What I will say in their favour is that money has been spent on players. What they need to do now is realise Russ Martin is not the answer.

[Dr. Kucho]

2 hours ago, John Boy Saint said:

You’re not far off the mark - you don’t become a billionaire by luck (whilst being painted as an “enemy of the state”) - nor do you tolerate f**knuts and c*ckwombles with their fingers in your wallet….………unless you have a very cunning plan.

First I have zero knowledge of big billionaire business etc, but what plan could he possibly have? He’s letting Rasmus and his crew squander millions and make stupid decisions.

If they want to make money, why would they buy players like BBD, Fraser, Taylor etc? Why not only buy cheap young players and hope one turns out amazing? 

Then if it’s some kind of tax dodging scheme, why not just spend a couple of million on an apartment in Monaco and pay zero income tax? Invest your money in property, big businesses like Amazon, Meta, renewable energy etc? Why spend loads on a football club and make it worse than it was before? 

This all doesn’t make sense to me, maybe someone with knowledge of these schemes could share their ideas?

[Miltonaggro]

I don’t think that there is any grand plan master or ponzi, just some good old narcissistic ineptitude from those advising the investor. Have long thought that Solak would have a breaking point in terms of his ‘partners’ but that his tolerance levels would be higher than the fans. If he was there yesterday he sees saints unravelling and Martin unable to prevent defeat against one of maybe five ‘KPI’ sides in this league. Would be irresponsible not to act now, but he really needs to go for symptom and cause. 

[Football Special]

1 hour ago, Miltonaggro said:

I don’t think that there is any grand plan master or ponzi, just some good old narcissistic ineptitude from those advising the investor. Have long thought that Solak would have a breaking point in terms of his ‘partners’ but that his tolerance levels would be higher than the fans. If he was there yesterday he sees saints unravelling and Martin unable to prevent defeat against one of maybe five ‘KPI’ sides in this league. Would be irresponsible not to act now, but he really needs to go for symptom and cause. 

Agree I think they are more useless rather than planned but we definitely need to start planning for championship next season which might explain why they will stick with Martin. 

[saintant]

SR led by chief snake-oil salesman Rasmus is one of the worst things to happen to this football club. Not one of them has demonstrated that they have the first idea about running a football club. Until the lot of them are gone this shit-show will continue. RM shares much of the blame but the real charlatans responsible for the demise of Southampton FC are those hiding behind the banner of Sports Republic. Semmens made a huge mistake in deciding to let them get their grubby hands on the club we love.

[S-Clarke]

As I've always said, the intention financially has been sound - cannot moan about that, Dragan has put his money down.

The problem I have is that these guys have no idea about football or how to run a football club. Scouting is off the level shit, contract management is off the level shit, Managerial choices and recruitment of coaches is beyond shit, retainment of key staff is absolutley awful as well.

It feels that even though financially Dragan has backed us, we are utterly rudderless in a leadership sense and no one seems to have a clue at how to run a football club. Forget all the hipster-stats-based bollock scouting, it's time to go back to basics and buy good players because...you know...they're good players. We have wasted an extortionate amount of money on poorly scouted absolute trash.

Edited 20 October, 2024 by S-Clarke

[FarehamSaintJames]

My concern is that if SR pull the trigger on Russell Martin (which I don’t think they will), they’ll appoint someone far worse. 

Some bang average guy from the Championship.

 

[saintant]

6 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

My concern is that if SR pull the trigger on Russell Martin (which I don’t think they will), they’ll appoint someone far worse. 

Some bang average guy from the Championship.

 

Agree - the poison killing this club is SR. Time to cut the head off the snake.

[Wade Garrett]

Can’t believe he has still got a job.  Dragan Solak - how to give money to fuckwits and lose the fucking lot.

He needs to take personal charge of this situation now.  Rasmus is a fucking clown and Martin needs sacking.  The  club needs proper leadership, not a pair of arrogant fuckwits who think they have reinvented football.

[FarehamSaintJames]

They’ll probably give it to Wayne Rooney or Frank Lampard. 

[Wade Garrett]

3 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

They’ll probably give it to Wayne Rooney or Frank Lampard. 

Mickey Rooney or Frank Spencer would be an improvement.

Edited 20 October, 2024 by Wade Garrett

[Harry_SFC]

35 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

Can’t believe he has still got a job.  Dragan Solak - how to give money to fuckwits and lose the fucking lot.

He needs to take personal charge of this situation now.  Rasmus is a fucking clown and Martin needs sacking.  The  club needs proper leadership, not a pair of arrogant fuckwits who think they have reinvented football.

Sadly the fuckwits running the club will only go if they sell up. We are stuck with them I'm afraid.

Edited 20 October, 2024 by Harry_SFC

[Matthew Le God]

17 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Sadly the fuckwits running the club will only go if they sell up. We are stuck with them I'm afraid.

Same applies to every owner.

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

1 hour ago, S-Clarke said:

As I've always said, the intention financially has been sound - cannot moan about that, Dragan has put his money down.

The problem I have is that these guys have no idea about football or how to run a football club. Scouting is off the level shit, contract management is off the level shit, Managerial choices and recruitment of coaches is beyond shit, retainment of key staff is absolutley awful as well.

It feels that even though financially Dragan has backed us, we are utterly rudderless in a leadership sense and no one seems to have a clue at how to run a football club. Forget all the hipster-stats-based bollock scouting, it's time to go back to basics and buy good players because...you know...they're good players. We have wasted an extortionate amount of money on poorly scouted absolute trash.

Agreed. Couple that with this weird obsession of recruiting "genius" managers who have a philosophy that everyone has to buy into regardless of whether that philosophy actually works and you get the shit show that is currently playing out in front of our eyes

[LGTL]

Philosophy, philosophy, philosophy. That’s all these arrogant wankers are interested in. Obsessed with looking oh so clever. 

Here’s a philosophy for you all - how about winning football matches. That’s a philosophy I could get behind. 

The nonsense that we have to have a ‘style’ whilst sitting bottom with 1 point is beyond ridiculous. 

[Badger]

1 hour ago, saintant said:

Agree - the poison killing this club is SR. Time to cut the head off the snake.

Easier said than done. We’ve been here several times before.

Is this time for an open letter, and fly past message ? 

[Gloucester Saint]

9 minutes ago, Badger said:

Easier said than done. We’ve been here several times before.

Is this time for an open letter, and fly past message ? 

Large Albanian flag across the Northam wall might do it https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44586587

[Wade Garrett]

44 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

Sadly the fuckwits running the club will only go if they sell up. We are stuck with them I'm afraid.

I was referring to Rasmus, Kraft and Martin.  Dragan has the authority to get rid of them all. 

[Harry_SFC]

Just now, Wade Garrett said:

I was referring to Rasmus, Kraft and Martin.  Dragan has the authority to get rid of them all. 

I don't think he does unfortunately but I'm sure MLG will confirm. Rasmus and Kraft are the owners along with Solak himself, who provides the majority of the investment. 

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Large Albanian flag across the Northam wall might do it https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-44586587

Dragan isn’t the main offender though is he, he’s actually put money into the club? Rasmus has rightly (or wrongly in one poster’s eyes anyway) been identified as the (pantomime) villain. 

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, Badger said:

Dragan isn’t the main offender though is he, he’s actually put money into the club? Rasmus has rightly (or wrongly in one poster’s eyes anyway) been identified as the (pantomime) villain. 

I agree, but as someone else has posted, it’d be difficult for Dragan to sack Rasmus even though he is the main investor. Best way would be to bring other large investors on board so Rasmus and Kraft are outvoted.

Anyway, best way to vote is with our feet. The protests, memorable as they were, didn’t get rid of Branfoot, the 9,000 gate v Ipswich (less than that in the Dell that night too) and issues getting sponsors did. Empty seats hurts their business and revenue streams.

 

[Suhari]

I hope Dragan has made contact with some senior English football elder, for a chat and to get some advice.

[S-Clarke]

35 minutes ago, LGTL said:

Philosophy, philosophy, philosophy. That’s all these arrogant wankers are interested in. Obsessed with looking oh so clever. 

Here’s a philosophy for you all - how about winning football matches. That’s a philosophy I could get behind. 

The nonsense that we have to have a ‘style’ whilst sitting bottom with 1 point is beyond ridiculous. 

I've said it many times, but our most successful sides under Koeman and Adkins were never focused on a philosophy or style. We just recruited well and played the best players in roles and positions they were happy and comfortable in. Honestly, there is so much overthinking in modern football. Successful football truly boils down to recruitment (having good players) and using them within their means, not selling them out in roles they cannot do. The chat about philosophy and plans is bollocks and there for ego hunting people.

Edited 20 October, 2024 by S-Clarke

[Gloucester Saint]

5 minutes ago, Suhari said:

I hope Dragan has made contact with some senior English football elder, for a chat and to get some advice.

It’s what I’d do in his position, he must realise that things are not going well at all and his co-partners are miles out of their depth. 

[Wade Garrett]

19 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

I don't think he does unfortunately but I'm sure MLG will confirm. Rasmus and Kraft are the owners along with Solak himself, who provides the majority of the investment. 

He does Harry.  The directors list him as having over 75% of the shares, and the authority to remove and appoint directors of SR, who presently are Kraft and Rasmus.

 

[Harry_SFC]

38 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

He does Harry.  The directors list him as having over 75% of the shares, and the authority to remove and appoint directors of SR, who presently are Kraft and Rasmus.

 

If this is the case then he needs to get a move on. 

[saintant]

3 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I've said it many times, but our most successful sides under Koeman and Adkins were never focused on a philosophy or style. We just recruited well and played the best players in roles and positions they were happy and comfortable in. Honestly, there is so much overthinking in modern football. Successful football truly boils down to recruitment (having good players) and using them within their means, not selling them out in roles they cannot do. The chat about philosophy and plans is bollocks and there for ego hunting people.

RM knows he's not the sharpest tool when it comes to coaching - that's why he hides behind this philosophy of wanting to play possession football. It's nothing more than a con and a smokescreen to cover his shortfallings.

[Whitey Grandad]

3 hours ago, Suhari said:

I hope Dragan has made contact with some senior English football elder, for a chat and to get some advice.

I’m still waiting for the call 😎

[Weston Super Saint]

33 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

I’m still waiting for the call 😎

He said 'elder', not 'elderly'  

[Lee On Solent Saint]

4 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I've said it many times, but our most successful sides under Koeman and Adkins were never focused on a philosophy or style. We just recruited well and played the best players in roles and positions they were happy and comfortable in. Honestly, there is so much overthinking in modern football. Successful football truly boils down to recruitment (having good players) and using them within their means, not selling them out in roles they cannot do. The chat about philosophy and plans is bollocks and there for ego hunting people.

Don't forger getting behind projects etc too.

[skintsaint]

4 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

(having good players) and using them within their means, not selling them out in roles they cannot do.

Bollox - they need to be brave on the journey they are on, and learn game by game when things don't go well.

[Badger]

4 hours ago, Suhari said:

I hope Dragan has made contact with some senior English football elder, for a chat and to get some advice.

I read this week that Paul Tisdale has been appointed as head of football operations at Celtic.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/ced03v536qgo

made me think, he's possibly the sort of person that could have completed a similar role for us, has had practical management experience, and widely regarded as a fairly astute. If he can be entrusted with a role at club playing in Europe every season he clearly has something to offer. But of course probably wouldn't fit in with the Ted Talk, skinny jeans culture that our man behind a "philosophy" of reinventing the game has set in place.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

4 minutes ago, Badger said:

I read this week that Paul Tisdale has been appointed as head of football operations at Celtic.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/ced03v536qgo

made me think, he's possibly the sort of person that could have completed a similar role for us, has had practical management experience, and widely regarded as a fairly astute. If he can be entrusted with a role at club playing in Europe every season he clearly has something to offer. But of course probably wouldn't fit in with the Ted Talk, skinny jeans culture that our man behind a "philosophy" of reinventing the game has set in place.

Hopefully another link to be on the career path for some of their players in years to come.

[Dark Munster]

6 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

If this is the case then he needs to get a move on. 

I've been saying this for about a year now. If he doesn't soon we (and his money) are truly f**ked.

Here's a sobering thought: since that ex-Man City kid guru left the person who knows most about football at our club is Russell Martin. Actually that's unfair on some of the players (like Lallana).

Edited 20 October, 2024 by Dark Munster