Sport Republic

[Saint86]

We just dropped 1 space nearer to the relegation zone ^_^

[Matthew Le God]

3 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

We just dropped 1 space nearer to the relegation zone ^_^

It doesn't help them between now and January. Plus I doubt they'll be buying a new team in January. 

[Saint86]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

It doesn't help them between now and January. Plus I doubt they'll be buying a new team in January. 

I don't think its a stretch to say they can buy enough quality players to lift them above saints over half a season sadly. Wonder who the new manager will be? I feel for Brucie, but can't imagine he's long for that job. Suspect they can attract some interesting names. I wonder if someone like Conte would be tempted with the money and opportunity that project would offer.

Edited 7 October, 2021 by Saint86

[Matthew Le God]

Overly optimistic view...

Perhaps the Newcastle takeover will reveal to Saints groups looking for a club who were hoping the Saudis wouldn't get Newcastle and look to Saints now as a second choice.

[cloggy saint]

13 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

We just dropped 1 space nearer to the relegation zone ^_^

"I've never seen a bag of money score a goal"  J Cruyff.

[CB Fry]

They'll go out and get a top class elite manager like the boss of Barcelona or something.

[Jeremy Corbyn]

18 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

I don't think its a stretch to say they can buy enough quality players to lift them above saints over half a season sadly. Wonder who the new manager will be? I feel for Brucie, but can't imagine he's long for that job. Suspect they can attract some interesting names. I wonder if someone like Conte would be tempted with the money and opportunity that project would offer.

I expect if Newcastle only started the season in January with that load of cash it would be enough to end up above this current Southampton side.  Sadly.

[Rickman42]

Considering Newcastle are currently shite, it will take them at least 2/3 transfer windows to become a decent side. 

[whelk]

Will also struggle to attract players to a shithole part of the country

is it Badger who will defend the north?

Edited 7 October, 2021 by whelk

[nta786]

So how does FFP work then now?

I can see them spending the sorts of money Everton have consistently in the £35m-£50m ie Iwobi, Sigurddson, Bolasie, Gueye, Pickford, Digne, Mina... i could go on 

but can they really just spend £400m next transfer window or whatever to buy whoever they want and pay whatever wages they want?

I won’t deny that money bloody helps the survival cause, but it’s not the be all and end all. 
it just means our margin of error has decreased and scouting, coaching and recruitment needs to be spot on.

i do think though this’ll signal the end of us ever reaching the top 6 barring major luck....

too many PL clubs are now spending more just to stay still whilst we’re not.

[Matthew Le God]

9 minutes ago, whelk said:

Will also struggle to attract players to a shithole part of the country

What about living in or near Newcastle would tip the balance to forfeiting a multi million pound contract?

[Alanh]

3 minutes ago, nta786 said:

So how does FFP work then now?

I can see them spending the sorts of money Everton have consistently in the £35m-£50m ie Iwobi, Sigurddson, Bolasie, Gueye, Pickford, Digne, Mina... i could go on 

but can they really just spend £400m next transfer window or whatever to buy whoever they want and pay whatever wages they want?

I won’t deny that money bloody helps the survival cause, but it’s not the be all and end all. 
it just means our margin of error has decreased and scouting, coaching and recruitment needs to be spot on.

i do think though this’ll signal the end of us ever reaching the top 6 barring major luck....

too many PL clubs are now spending more just to stay still whilst we’re not.

In simple terms FPP rules limitthe amount a club can lose over a 3 year period to approx £100M.  That means a club can spend £33.3M each year more than they make.  That money would have to come from their owner.  Newcastle have made a profit of approx £100M over the last 3 years so they have the potential to specd £200M pretty much immediately if they wanted to.  There's more to it but that's a rough guide.

[whelk]

5 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

What about living in or near Newcastle would tip the balance to forfeiting a multi million pound contract?

It is not a forfeit though is it. Good players often have options of more cosmopolitan places with better weather. I mean look at footage of their fans at ground. Seen less inbred looking sorts at Portsmouth 

[saint lard]

Hypothetical question……

if Ashley were to make a bid to buy Southampton,how would you react if it meant Gao was gone?

[egg]

Just now, saint lard said:

Hypothetical question……

if Ashley were to make a bid to buy Southampton,how would you react if it meant Gao was gone?

Now that's a question! Personally, I'm OK with Gao. He keeps out of the way, doesn't take money out of the club, and has appointed some decent people (Semmens, Crocker). Just a shame he's potless. I'm not sure what Ashley would bring to the party. 

[HarvSFC]

Man City brought in players such as Jo, Ben Haim, Wright-Phillips, ageing Bridge, Bellamy and Given, alongside the big name signings of Kompany, De Jong and Robinho and the ever consistent Zabaleta in their first window after the big takeover. Taking them from 9th to 10th under the guidance of Mark Hughes. The next summer they brought in more Premier League experience in Barry, Santa Cruz, Tevez, Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Lescott and Vieira. So, it took two seasons before they worked their strategy out and targeted mostly star names such as Boateng, Yaya Toure, Silva and at that time Balotelli.

The current Newcastle team is also worse than the one Man City started with and even Everton, who went on a spending spree the summer of taking Koeman, so it doesn't guarantee them any success at the moment. Everyone thought QPR were here to stay when they were signing Ferdinand, Kranjcar, Hoilett, Cesear, Park, Remy, Bosingwa and Samba, but they were all over the hill and looking for one final pay day.

[Lighthouse]

9 minutes ago, saint lard said:

Hypothetical question……

if Ashley were to make a bid to buy Southampton,how would you react if it meant Gao was gone?

Interesting idea. The dislike for Gao stems largely from his financial neutrality in a league when clubs are bankrolled by entire Arab nations. If Ashley were to simply continue as is, I can’t really see it being much different, if at all.

[whelk]

 

[whelk]

 

[SuperSAINT]

Just now, whelk said:

 

You… posted a tweet?!  

[whelk]

Just now, SuperSAINT said:

You… posted a tweet?!  

Touché 

[Daft Kerplunk]

22 minutes ago, whelk said:

 

Idiots. Idiots everywhere 

[Weston Super Saint]

2 hours ago, Fan The Flames said:

Again, there is no equivalence. Nice try Weston, your services gag earlier was good, stick with the comedy.

You're right, they've given assurances to the PL that the Saudi Govt won't have any dealings with the club (and the PL fell for it).

[badgerx16]

8 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

Not literally at all! 😉

Old Trafford is in the Greater Manchester metropolitan borough of Trafford

Etihad stadium is in the city of Manchester

City's fans live within 30 miles of their stadium, United's live south of Watford.

 

( OK, I know that is an exaggeration; my wife is a blue and lives 55 miles away from the Etihad, my D-i-L is a red and lives in Ashton-u-Lyne, but it is a fairly accurate statement for the rest of them ).

Edited 7 October, 2021 by badgerx16

[stevy777_x]

Sigh any takeover news for us?

[Turkish]

37 minutes ago, stevy777_x said:

Sigh any takeover news for us?

Afraid not. Whilst Newcastle celebrate a takeover saints have some really exciting breaking news hidden that I fear has been lost https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2021-10-07/southampton-fa-diversity-leadership-code

 

[ecuk268]

55 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

You're right, they've given assurances to the PL that the Saudi Govt won't have any dealings with the club (and the PL fell for it).

Apparently the Saudi Public Investment Fund will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the club. The head of the PIF is a certain Sheikh Mohammed Bin Salman who, co-incidentally also happens to run Saudi Arabia.

[kyle04]

23 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Afraid not. Whilst Newcastle celebrate a takeover saints have some really exciting breaking news hidden that I fear has been lost https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2021-10-07/southampton-fa-diversity-leadership-code

 

 

Gosh we really are making progress aren't we. I think the pious text translates as "whites need not apply".

[hypochondriac]

3 minutes ago, kyle04 said:

 

Gosh we really are making progress aren't we. I think the pious text translates as "whites need not apply".

Extending beyond race and gender. What does it mean? Disability? Bmi? 

[kyle04]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

Extending beyond race and gender. What does it mean? Disability? Bmi? 

Maybe we're gonna start engaging with the spirit world, meandering through substrates of time and conciousness. It's almost comical that someone earns a living writing this stuff.

[Dorchester Saint]

This is a nailed on clusterfuck. Newcastle United is a basket case and their fans are some of the most deluded in the land. This will 100% go Pete Tong. 

[Wade Garrett]

2 hours ago, Rickman42 said:

Considering Newcastle are currently shite, it will take them at least 2/3 transfer windows to become a decent side. 

I bet the supporters are gutted about that.

[Wade Garrett]

2 hours ago, Matthew Le God said:

What about living in or near Newcastle would tip the balance to forfeiting a multi million pound contract?

Nothing stopping them having a training base anywhere in the country.

[Warriorsaint]

2 hours ago, whelk said:

Will also struggle to attract players to a shithole part of the country

is it Badger who will defend the north?

Pot, kettle! I left Southampton nearly 20 years ago. Came back for a visit about 6 months ago.
Sad to say it but what character there was had been hollowed out of the city. Its a chav, student infested grothole with chicken shops and bars everywhere. 
I certainly don’t think Southampton can gloat over Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and the like.

[Turkish]

2 hours ago, whelk said:

Will also struggle to attract players to a shithole part of the country

is it Badger who will defend the north?

You’re kidding me? Newcastle is a much better city with far more going on for a young footballer than Southampton. Then outside of Newcastle 45 minutes or so north you’ve got Bamburgh area which is stunning, beautiful beaches, golf courses and some nice towns and villages. I was up there a few weekends ago and it’s a great part of the country. In fact that whole coast line from Whitby upwards is superb. It’s a great part of the world. 

[kyle04]

8 minutes ago, Warriorsaint said:

Pot, kettle! I left Southampton nearly 20 years ago. Came back for a visit about 6 months ago.
Sad to say it but what character there was had been hollowed out of the city. Its a chav, student infested grothole with chicken shops and bars everywhere. 
I certainly don’t think Southampton can gloat over Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and the like.

You obviously haven't visited Shirley High St recently.

[Turkish]

13 minutes ago, Warriorsaint said:

Pot, kettle! I left Southampton nearly 20 years ago. Came back for a visit about 6 months ago.
Sad to say it but what character there was had been hollowed out of the city. Its a chav, student infested grothole with chicken shops and bars everywhere. 
I certainly don’t think Southampton can gloat over Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and the like.

I quite agree. Moved away 8 years ago to the north and cities up here are miles ahead of Southampton for many reasons. There are parts of the north that are shitholes, mainly the old mill towns but the countryside and coast is stunning and the big cities miles better. Makes me laugh how people down south dismiss everything north is a shit hole. I wouldn’t move back to Southampton now, if I moved back south it’s been Winchester, Brighton or Bournemouth. 

Edited 7 October, 2021 by Turkish

[Lighthouse]

I doubt either Southampton or Newcastle, as cities, have anything which would entice any reputable players, particularly from abroad. I’d say Southampton has the significant advantage of being close to London, which is clearly going to be an attraction for a lot of younger players and their WAGs.

[whelk]

4 minutes ago, Turkish said:

You’re kidding me? Newcastle is a much better city with far more going on for a young footballer than Southampton. Then outside of Newcastle 45 minutes or so north you’ve got Bamburgh area which is stunning, beautiful beaches, golf courses and some nice towns and villages. I was up there a few weekends ago and it’s a great part of the country. In fact that whole coast line from Whitby upwards is superb. It’s a great part of the world. 

 

11 minutes ago, Warriorsaint said:

Pot, kettle! I left Southampton nearly 20 years ago. Came back for a visit about 6 months ago.
Sad to say it but what character there was had been hollowed out of the city. Its a chav, student infested grothole with chicken shops and bars everywhere. 
I certainly don’t think Southampton can gloat over Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds, Manchester and the like.

There are shitty parts of London too but millionaire footballers tend not to live above fried chicken shops.  There are beautiful parts of the north but it is out the way and cold and wet.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, whelk said:

 

There are shitty parts of London too but millionaire footballers tend not to live above fried chicken shops.  There are beautiful parts of the north but it is out the way and cold and wet.

Exactly, just like a Newcastle player won’t be living in a council house in Gateshead. 

[stevy777_x]

3 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I doubt either Southampton or Newcastle, as cities, have anything which would entice any reputable players, particularly from abroad. I’d say Southampton has the significant advantage of being close to London, which is clearly going to be an attraction for a lot of younger players and their WAGs.

It doesn t really matter as we are skint and its very unlikely we will be taken over by someone rich.

[whelk]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

I doubt either Southampton or Newcastle, as cities, have anything which would entice any reputable players, particularly from abroad. I’d say Southampton has the significant advantage of being close to London, which is clearly going to be an attraction for a lot of younger players and their WAGs.

Exactly it isn’t a slight on the area. Ok, well a bit but WAGs big influence

[Turkish]

2 minutes ago, stevy777_x said:

It doesn t really matter as we are skint and its very unlikely we will be taken over by someone rich.

Why though? Why isn’t an oil gazillionaire buying us with our fanbase and catchment area and history and rainbow shirts? I just don’t understand.

[whelk]

11 minutes ago, Turkish said:

I quite agree. Moved away 8 years ago to the north and cities up here are miles ahead of Southampton for many reasons. There are parts of the north that are shitholes, mainly the old mill towns but the countryside and coast is stunning and the big cities miles better. Makes me laugh how people down south dismiss everything north is a shit hole. I wouldn’t move back to Southampton now, if I moved back south it’s been Winchester, Brighton or Bournemouth. 

You’d need a fucking big pay rise to move from the north back to Winchester. Bournemouth? You aren’t that old are you?

[Badger]

10 minutes ago, Turkish said:

You’re kidding me? Newcastle is a much better city with far more going on for a young footballer than Southampton. Then outside of Newcastle 45 minutes or so north you’ve got Bamburgh area which is stunning, beautiful beaches, golf courses and some nice towns and villages. I was up there a few weekends ago and it’s a great part of the country. In fact that whole coast line from Whitby upwards is superb. It’s a great part of the world. 

Agreed. Very underestimated part of the country.

Southampton remains my home town although long since exiled - and I have an attachment to it for that reason - but hand on heart would I want to live there (or surounds) again ? Probably not. Son looked closely at going to Uni in Southampton some years ago, St Mary's of course a great attraction but the trip around the place to be shown the town by the Uni was quite an eye opener. Saw a Police car parked up at one point, and when we got home found out there at been a stabbing !!

[Warriorsaint]

1 minute ago, whelk said:

 

There are shitty parts of London too but millionaire footballers tend not to live above fried chicken shops.  There are beautiful parts of the north but it is out the way and cold and wet.

The North is not “ out of the way” 😂 The Uk is a small Island. 
The multi millionaire players can commute to training in helicopters. 
Di you think the best players in the world have a hard time living in the north have a problem playing for Man City, Utd and Liverpool. Behave.

Geography matters not. Money talks. Nothing else.

Newcastle will have Mbappe and the rest within 3 years.

Good luck to the Newcastle fans. I hope they enjoy the next few years. The Premier league has been a closed money shop for years. I was gutted the ESL didn’t go through as we might have got a domestic league back based on merit not the WW premier league.

 

[Badger]

6 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Exactly, just like a Newcastle player won’t be living in a council house in Gateshead. 

I think Darras Hall has the monopoly on the better players nearby. Shearer could be your neighbour.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, whelk said:

You’d need a fucking big pay rise to move from the north back to Winchester. Bournemouth? You aren’t that old are you?

No I wouldn’t 😜

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, Badger said:

Agreed. Very underestimated part of the country.

Southampton remains my home town although long since exiled - and I have an attachment to it for that reason - but hand on heart would I want to live there (or surounds) again ? Probably not. Son looked closely at going to Uni in Southampton some years ago, St Mary's of course a great attraction but the trip around the place to be shown the town by the Uni was quite an eye opener. Saw a Police car parked up at one point, and when we got home found out there at been a stabbing !!

agreed, wouldn’t move back now. Obviously my home town and love it for that reason but wouldn’t want to live there.
 

Last weekend of September in Bamburgh. Show me something better in Southampton. I’ll wait 

Edited 7 October, 2021 by Turkish

[verlaine1979]

Norway's sovereign wealth fund is almost 3x the size of the Saudis' (about $1.3 trillion). Maybe Claus can put in a good word.

Edited 7 October, 2021 by verlaine1979