Alex McCarthy

[ErwinK1961]

15 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

As predicted by some of us (not CoT), the club is financially strapped and has to take some difficult decisions in terms of financial balance. I’d argue that there are more pressing positions to fund than GK and Alex is an acceptable risk. Of course it does indicate the club are still focussed on the Baz experiment which will be a disaster if he’s put back in as no.1 - we shall see.

The club aren’t financially strapped. They are PSR strapped.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 hour ago, goodymatt said:

I wonder if a decent loan option becomes available, if we would go for it?

Alex is as good a number 2 as we would be able to attract, knows the club well and has shown he has the mindset to be out of the team and still come back in and deliver. 

Until Alex is confirmed as number 1, I’m not concerned.

McCarthy hasn't signed to be a number 2. He's been told he is number 1 until Baz returns. I would imagine he could have got just the same kind of deal, if not better by being a number 3 at somewhere like Liverpool. The only reason he's extended with us is to be number 1.

[Saint86]

He seemed to be good in Martin's system at the end of the season - and he stepped in at a pressure period and delivered big time. He's not the NO.1 we'd all love for the prem, sure, but he's a free keeper for all intensive purposes (given he was out the door), and we've got plenty of other glaring holes to fill without much money by all accounts. Its a compromise end of the day.

[saintant]

2 hours ago, goodymatt said:

I wonder if a decent loan option becomes available, if we would go for it?

Alex is as good a number 2 as we would be able to attract, knows the club well and has shown he has the mindset to be out of the team and still come back in and deliver. 

Until Alex is confirmed as number 1, I’m not concerned.

How much money do you think we have offered McCarthy for a new 2 year contract? There'll be no more keepers coming after committing that amount to the overall salary bill.

[CylonKing]

I like Alex the Donkey and am glad he's extended his deal with Saints. I like loyalty to the club and stepping up when called upon. This is what makes a football club what it is. I personally think Alex deserved this for the end of the season performances and if the club are happy, they've earned the right to prove that they know best. Worse case, we get relegated and then have another great season in the Championship that most people seemed to enjoy more than the slog of the Prem. The worst part will be the Forest fans up here gloating if we go down and they don't, but I'll live.

[the colonel]

2 minutes ago, CylonKing said:

I like Alex the Donkey and am glad he's extended his deal with Saints. I like loyalty to the club and stepping up when called upon. This is what makes a football club what it is. I personally think Alex deserved this for the end of the season performances and if the club are happy, they've earned the right to prove that they know best. Worse case, we get relegated and then have another great season in the Championship that most people seemed to enjoy more than the slog of the Prem. The worst part will be the Forest fans up here gloating if we go down and they don't, but I'll live.

Agree totally regarding Alex. If he can sort out not getting beat on his near post, I'd relax a bit more. 

I know a couple of Forest fans as well, that keep telling how good they are compared with us. I reminded them that they are saying now the same as they said this time last year that. They think they will comfortably finish top half!!!

[goodymatt]

1 hour ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

McCarthy hasn't signed to be a number 2. He's been told he is number 1 until Baz returns. I would imagine he could have got just the same kind of deal, if not better by being a number 3 at somewhere like Liverpool. The only reason he's extended with us is to be number 1.

 

14 minutes ago, saintant said:

How much money do you think we have offered McCarthy for a new 2 year contract? There'll be no more keepers coming after committing that amount to the overall salary bill.

Perhaps the other clubs were only offering a 1 year deal? Maybe after 8 years living on the south coast his family would rather not move. 

Baz is basically out for the season. Lumley is 3rd choice quality for the prem. Loaning in a keeper has got be be something we are considering? If not, then Lumley will end up playing to cover injuries/suspensions. He wasn’t even trusted for Preston at home?

Edited June 29 by goodymatt

[davefizzy14]

Pleased to see Alex sign a new contract 😊 

[Oldandtired]

People rattle on about top keepers blah blah, but all keepers have one thing in common, they have a mistake in them.Witness Allison and Edison, probably about the best there is,but look at the mistakes they make here and there. 
Actually, top keepers do usually have another thing in common, they have a top defence in front of them. We don't have that so I would hazard a guess that if by some magic we could have either of the aforementioned keepers then our goals against wouldn't be so very different than having AM in goal. For me he is a competent shot stopper and seems okay on crosses, and for a club of our standing at the moment I think that's going to have to do.

 

 

[Badger]

33 minutes ago, Oldandtired said:

People rattle on about top keepers blah blah, but all keepers have one thing in common, they have a mistake in them.Witness Allison and Edison, probably about the best there is,but look at the mistakes they make here and there. 
Actually, top keepers do usually have another thing in common, they have a top defence in front of them. We don't have that so I would hazard a guess that if by some magic we could have either of the aforementioned keepers then our goals against wouldn't be so very different than having AM in goal. For me he is a competent shot stopper and seems okay on crosses, and for a club of our standing at the moment I think that's going to have to do.

 

 

I don’t think our supporters demand a ‘top keeper, blah, blah’ , but most would expect and like to see one that is  competent for the level we play at.

That doesn’t seem unreasonable, but it’s an area the club have failed to adequately address for a number of seasons. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

3 hours ago, goodymatt said:

 

Perhaps the other clubs were only offering a 1 year deal? Maybe after 8 years living on the south coast his family would rather not move. 

Baz is basically out for the season. Lumley is 3rd choice quality for the prem. Loaning in a keeper has got be be something we are considering? If not, then Lumley will end up playing to cover injuries/suspensions. He wasn’t even trusted for Preston at home?

I'd be putting in a cheeky bid for Mesler at Leeds. Not sure what their finances are like, but you would imagine a deal could be struck.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

5 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

This is the part I take issue with - this should have been about admitting a mistake and replacing Bazunu with a long-term decent starting GK, keep Bazunu around and have a situation where he'd have to really, really fight for his place when he's fit. All we've done is basically nothing, which means Bazunu will be back automatically without having to fight for a place whenever he is deemed fit enough.

I'd say 90% of fans wouldn't have taken this approach, so the guy who heads the GK department at the club has had a total brain fart if he feels this is a suitable way of going about this.

Obviously this is all fixed if the club sign another GK...!

And all a fair point to make. I agree that the window has barely begun opening , and they could be looking at anyone.

As it stands, they don't see Baz as a mistake. If anything, they seem determined to put the guy front and centre until he becomes heir apparent to Man City's 'keeper's jersey. Had we gone up with him injury free, he'd have been our first choice in the PL. (I was actually looking forward to seeing that a bit - with a few weeks of the window open, just in case). McCarthy would have gone, and we'd have been looking for hopefully a challenger.

Agree, it doesn't look as though we're looking on wholesale changes there. They'll see a doing nothing brain fart as signing known cover of a level they are comfortable with, until their number 1 returns. And yes, that looks as though a fit Baz comes straight back in (unless Macca is sold for a replacement then).

Financially great, but obviously not without all the risks we've watched over the last few seasons.

I've mentioned before that I do think Baz's strengths have made a real difference to Martin's system bedding in. Just as Macca's strengths really helped confidence in getting over the promotion line.

Around the time Baz signed, there seemed to be a load of keepers available of a higher standard to both.  Flush with Lavia and Livramento, we went down this path instead.

[Saint Fan CaM]

5 hours ago, ErwinK1961 said:

The club aren’t financially strapped. They are PSR strapped.

Really…and how do you know this? Whatever the answer, it’s semantics and the same end game. What do you predict the highest spend on one player will be this window? I wager it’ll not be above £20m. It will be interesting to see how other bottom-half clubs spend.

[ErwinK1961]

27 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Really…and how do you know this? Whatever the answer, it’s semantics and the same end game. What do you predict the highest spend on one player will be this window? I wager it’ll not be above £20m. It will be interesting to see how other bottom-half clubs spend.

I have no idea what the highest spend will be, but on the basis we allegedly have about a £50m net spend limit under PSR, which needs to go quite along way, we’re not going to be spending £25-£30m of that in one go.

[S-Clarke]

42 minutes ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Really…and how do you know this? Whatever the answer, it’s semantics and the same end game. What do you predict the highest spend on one player will be this window? I wager it’ll not be above £20m. It will be interesting to see how other bottom-half clubs spend.

And just to throw this back at you, how do you know the club are financially strapped? You've been saying this for months, if we didn't get promoted we'd be ruined financially, and now we're promoted we're still ruined financially. Not sure I totally buy it. PSR is what's making it look like clubs are skint, but we do probably have more resources than we did the last time we came up. We just can't use them.

Edited June 29 by S-Clarke

[Holmes_and_Watson]

7 hours ago, gio1saints said:

Thanks for clearing that up.
 

Do you have any detail? Such as what was the match day squad bonus and was that included in his reputed £50k pw salary ( Google) - or was that match day bonus on top? 
 

reason asking is if the bonus was £15kper match then his basic was less than I thought - and it may be his new epl basic.

Somehow I think it was on top and if it was a small figure- say £5k - I can’t say im Pleased that he could not make the squad let alone play for certain matches - just to give Baz a much needed rest. Not good management there I’m afraid cos Baz was obviously below his levels latter part of season and a turnover would have been proper and sensible  - as it was we relied on bad luck for Baz good luck for Saints to see Alex in goal.

Hope RM notes that. 

There's all sorts of clauses in player contracts, and goalkeeping ones will be specifically geared towards certain aspects (higher getting in the squad as opposed to sub bonus, considering how often they are likely to come on).

But in McCarthy's case, it was reported that:

1) He was one of the club's top earners. A contract negotiated when he was being considered nationally and taking over international Forster's also highly paid jersey. Forster got a big deal, in part, because the club had seen an exodus of its talent. To the point they wanted to ease the flow of that, at least a bit. So Forster, and then McCarthy, benefitted.

A lot of of the other top earners have now gone. I read he was in the JWP basic ball park.

2) Beyond saving on all the match day bonuses, it was reported that there was a clause that would reduce that salary if a threshold of games played wasn't met. The club we're making very sure that this would come into effect. Prudent to make sure that goes on as long as possible, to make sure it isn't activated even in the case of injury.

The basic wage was substantial enough that McCarthy chose to stay even though he'd not get playing. Staying through the last year even when no longer in the squad.

[Obstacle1]

The goalkeeping situation at this club has been absolute mess for the last decade.

[Chez]

8 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

I'd be putting in a cheeky bid for Mesler at Leeds. Not sure what their finances are like, but you would imagine a deal could be struck.

I don't watch Leeds every week, so don't know for sure, but every time I watch Meslier, I see a young , and quite `lightweight' keeper that is not too dissimilar too Baz. He doesn't dominate, instil much confidence or make worldie saves. There may be worse keepers, but there are certainly a lot better.

[CamSaint]

I see that Ollie Wright has gone on a season-long loan to Yeovil. So at the moment it seems that with Baz injured we only have two senior keepers in AM & Lumley. Would we really be prepared to take a risk like that? If we need 3 senior keepers, my guess is that while we'd all like to see a new 'No.1' we will just bring in another back-up on a one or two year contract. The contract extension for Lumley was, I think, for only one season, so this time next year we could get rid of him and would also know how Baz has recovered from his injury, so I think that might be the time the keepers get a major overhaul. We'll also know if we're still in the PL, of course!

[Saint Fan CaM]

10 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

And just to throw this back at you, how do you know the club are financially strapped? You've been saying this for months, if we didn't get promoted we'd be ruined financially, and now we're promoted we're still ruined financially. Not sure I totally buy it. PSR is what's making it look like clubs are skint, but we do probably have more resources than we did the last time we came up. We just can't use them.

Those are your emotive words, not mine. It’s true that no promotion would have seen the club in a very difficult financial position. It’s true that we’re seeing some very ‘careful’ player trading and there will be no big multi-million pound spending spree as many are predicting. Im sure that disappoints you, but it is what it is.

[david in sweden]

20 hours ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

McCarthy hasn't signed to be a number 2. He's been told he is number 1 until Baz returns. I would imagine he could have got just the same kind of deal, if not better by being a number 3 at somewhere like Liverpool. The only reason he's extended with us is to be number 1.

..and that having lived in the areas for some years, he won't have to uproot his family and move and try to settle in elsewhere. 

Money isn't everything, peace of mind and a contented wife and family count for a lot, too. 

[Paulwantsapint81]

Testimonial in coming for AMC? 
 

Am I being overly optimistic hoping that like buying a house there is a chain & we are about link 4 or 5 with 1st links being expected to be involved to end of euros then big clubs allowing players to move on

[Charlie Wayman]

This is the sort of decision that fills me with dread and a sense of hopeless despair and questions my love of our club. A cynics delight.

We're down, no question.

[The Cat]

50 minutes ago, Charlie Wayman said:

This is the sort of decision that fills me with dread and a sense of hopeless despair and questions my love of our club. A cynics delight.

We're down, no question.

Nothing like a truck load of hyperbole on a Sunday morning.

[S-Clarke]

7 hours ago, Saint Fan CaM said:

Those are your emotive words, not mine. It’s true that no promotion would have seen the club in a very difficult financial position. It’s true that we’re seeing some very ‘careful’ player trading and there will be no big multi-million pound spending spree as many are predicting. Im sure that disappoints you, but it is what it is.

You speak as if you know the finances though and that we're in a difficult position whatever the situation. I just threw the question back at you to ask why you feel so sure that we are in a financially tricky position?

I don't think it's as black and white as that at all. PSR will dictate how we operate and that's why we're seeing freebies and nothing major. If we could spend and weren't governed by these rules we would spend a decent chunk, I'm sure.

We can still get good value from free's though, get ourselves safe and then go again properly next with with less financial red-tape around us.

[david in sweden]

On 28/06/2024 at 20:17, Turkish said:

we got lucky with Boruc. Unlikely a keeper of that quality will be available on a free again. 

Oh but we've just signed a keeper on a free ....his name is ....oops ! 

.....at least he will know the way to Staplewood without a GPS.

[Dank]

Maybe I'm reading too much into it but the RM quote on Alex extending his contract talks about being part of a goalkeeping union rather than necessarily being first choice. Having Alex as an option allows us to take our time (and less financial pressure) when finding a new number one, perhaps waiting for a bargain towards the end of the window. If it hadn't been for the Baz injury the club would have been prepared to let him go and even though Alex did well I hope/expect they're still looking for another keeper to strengthen "the union".

Here's the RM quote on Alex:

"He’s an integral part of the goalkeeping union Dean has here and knows the values associated with this football club.

“I’m delighted he’s decided to sign, as he brings significant Premier League experience alongside his ability as a goalkeeper, and that will be important next season.”

 

[Saint Fan CaM]

6 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

You speak as if you know the finances though and that we're in a difficult position whatever the situation. I just threw the question back at you to ask why you feel so sure that we are in a financially tricky position?

I don't think it's as black and white as that at all. PSR will dictate how we operate and that's why we're seeing freebies and nothing major. If we could spend and weren't governed by these rules we would spend a decent chunk, I'm sure.

We can still get good value from free's though, get ourselves safe and then go again properly next with with less financial red-tape around us.

I can only relay what I’ve been told by someone close to the club - it may be misguided but I don’t think it is based on the detail. It would be great to think we’ve got some spending power, but as some on here have reflected, every indication is that weee not dipping into the £15m + player market.  Yes, there’s value in the free market…sometimes there are experienced players that can help, but too many and there’s no flair, no pace and no imaginative skill. It’s early days of course, but the indications so far are we’re going to have an uninspiring window and a very tough season ahead. But who knows, Martin maybe able to knit together enough of a decent squad to get us through.

[OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint]

On 29/06/2024 at 15:12, Lee On Solent Saint said:

I'd be putting in a cheeky bid for Mesler at Leeds. Not sure what their finances are like, but you would imagine a deal could be struck.

I wouldn't. More overrated than Baz. I somehow think our recruitment has decided the goalkeeper situation is now sorted. AM will be our no 1 goalkeeper next season. Time to move on and find a striker.

[farawaysaint]

On 30/06/2024 at 09:33, Charlie Wayman said:

This is the sort of decision that fills me with dread and a sense of hopeless despair and questions my love of our club. A cynics delight.

We're down, no question.

This seems rather over the top. 

[Ralph Fastenbüttl]

I don't especially like contributing to the overly-negative sentiment that riddles these boards, but surely everyone understands by now that neither AM nor GB are rounded enough to be No.1s in the Prem?

I'm perfectly happy with AM being our No.2, but it's hard not to remain unconvinced by Bazunu, no? I do tire of our ongoing inability to get a 1st choice keeper of sufficient quality into the club.

I'm generally a pro-Russel Martin guy, but I do get the impression he's a bit of a pack animal - fiercely loyal to the tribe and attributing perhaps a little too much importance into the idea of "keeping the gang wot got us back up togevver". It's the sort of thinking that means we're in danger of going into next season with AA and Che as our top strikers.

Loyalty is an admirable trait, but our Prem return necessitates fresh blood at both ends of the pitch. As has been the case for a while.

[S-Clarke]

2 hours ago, Ralph Fastenbüttl said:

I don't especially like contributing to the overly-negative sentiment that riddles these boards, but surely everyone understands by now that neither AM nor GB are rounded enough to be No.1s in the Prem?

I'm perfectly happy with AM being our No.2, but it's hard not to remain unconvinced by Bazunu, no? I do tire of our ongoing inability to get a 1st choice keeper of sufficient quality into the club.

I'm generally a pro-Russel Martin guy, but I do get the impression he's a bit of a pack animal - fiercely loyal to the tribe and attributing perhaps a little too much importance into the idea of "keeping the gang wot got us back up togevver". It's the sort of thinking that means we're in danger of going into next season with AA and Che as our top strikers.

Loyalty is an admirable trait, but our Prem return necessitates fresh blood at both ends of the pitch. As has been the case for a while.

I do somewhat agree, he does strike me as a very loyal guy - but I think he'll know when players need replacing due to the level.

 As a club we can be ruthless when we need to be, as we showed on our last promotion - we dumped our captain to start with, he went on loan. Out went Sharp, Chaplow, Harding, Butterfield, De Ridder!! (lol).

We evolved the starting 11 with Clyne (upgrade on Butterfield), Jay Rod (upgrade on Sharp), Maya (upgrade on Jos), Davis (upgrade on Hammond), Boruc (upgrade on Davis). Mayuka came in as well obviously as the comedy replacement for De Ridder.

We didn't spend that much on our last return, just fairly solid and clever additions - mix of experience and some young talent. I would say there are similar vibes to our window this time round. Be interesting to see how it pans out.

 

[Saint_clark]

7 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

I do somewhat agree, he does strike me as a very loyal guy - but I think he'll know when players need replacing due to the level.

 As a club we can be ruthless when we need to be, as we showed on our last promotion - we dumped our captain to start with, he went on loan. Out went Sharp, Chaplow, Harding, Butterfield, De Ridder!! (lol).

We evolved the starting 11 with Clyne (upgrade on Butterfield), Jay Rod (upgrade on Sharp), Maya (upgrade on Jos), Davis (upgrade on Hammond), Boruc (upgrade on Davis). Mayuka came in as well obviously as the comedy replacement for De Ridder.

We didn't spend that much on our last return, just fairly solid and clever additions - mix of experience and some young talent. I would say there are similar vibes to our window this time round. Be interesting to see how it pans out.

 

Not really relevant is it we're a completely different outfit now. 

[Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan]

Footage from training showing McCarthy and Lis training together, wonder if with Bazunu injured initially they are 1 and 2 for the start of the season

[SNSUN]

3 hours ago, Fabrice Fernandes no.1 fan said:

Footage from training showing McCarthy and Lis training together, wonder if with Bazunu injured initially they are 1 and 2 for the start of the season

I wonder if Lis is being considered as our number 1/2 while Baz recovers - would save money and by most accounts he had a pretty good spell for Goztepe last season. I'm not convinced it's the answer but I wouldn't be surprised if it's Lis/Alex/Lumley as the 123 until Baz is back. The link to Jason Steele does make sense, apparently he's excellent with the ball at his feet which is what Russ wants, but perhaps we're taking a look at Lis over pre-season just in case.

[hypochondriac]

19 minutes ago, SNSUN said:

I wonder if Lis is being considered as our number 1/2 while Baz recovers - would save money and by most accounts he had a pretty good spell for Goztepe last season. I'm not convinced it's the answer but I wouldn't be surprised if it's Lis/Alex/Lumley as the 123 until Baz is back. The link to Jason Steele does make sense, apparently he's excellent with the ball at his feet which is what Russ wants, but perhaps we're taking a look at Lis over pre-season just in case.

I get that but it seems like such an unnecessary risk to take when you can resolve our goalkeeping issues for such a small amount of money relative to the rest of the squad. 

[SaintsBarry74]

Angus Gunn, McCarthy and Bazunu.

When is the last time we've had a proper goalkeeper? It'll backfire on us again this season, McCarthy or Baz same end result. 

[HKsaint]

Both can single-handedly drag us to the relegation 

[ErwinK1961]

On 28/06/2024 at 17:24, ErwinK1961 said:

Shambles.

Still a shambles.

[hypochondriac]

I'm thoroughly fed up of shit keepers costing us points. It's not difficult. Bring in a keeper now! 

[sfc4prem]

We knew he wasn't good with his feet. It cost us just the one goal today, but we know he isn't suited to this style of play, like I said in a previous post.

He either needs to be replaced or we need to score a few more. I'm sure the club are on it.

[Harry_SFC]

Bazunu isn't a good enough shot stopper and McCarthy isn't good enough at passing. How about we sign a keeper who is competent, not amazing, just competent at both? 

[saintant]

Which joker decided to give McCarthy a new contract and how much is he earning?

[CSA96]

Giving McCarthy the contract to cover for this season wasn't the mistake. It's the fact he's starting. I guess we are playing the long game with getting the GK we want before the window shuts

[MarkSFC]

3 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Giving McCarthy the contract to cover for this season wasn't the mistake. It's the fact he's starting. I guess we are playing the long game with getting the GK we want before the window shuts

Let's hope so. Ramsdale or Johnstone would be decent. Hopefully sorted this week.

[saintant]

13 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Giving McCarthy the contract to cover for this season wasn't the mistake. It's the fact he's starting. I guess we are playing the long game with getting the GK we want before the window shuts

It was because he is certain to be on big money that could have been channelled elsewhere.

[6ft8saint]

Does Mccarthys contract state 1st team football. If so we might be stuffed on getting a replacement 

[AlexLaw76]

LOL

first game and McCarthy is already killing us

[Miltonaggro]

Fine margins. You can’t have an unreliable keeper if you’re going to take this league seriously. Need the new man in for forest before we drop more crucial points.

[Andy Hill]

Poor keepers cost you points, good strikers earn you points. We have a poor keeper and did last year but scraped through..