Transfer Window blues

[david in sweden]

The time of the year when fans look forward to the signing of new talents ..(or old ones) who might hopefully change their clubs fortunes for the

better whilst  hoping  the deals don't bankrupt the club.  Saints haven't paid out much more that 20-odd million  (at least until Ramsdale signs)

whilst some other clubs have made panic buys that are already raising a few eyebrows - in surprise.   It's no real problem for those "rich clubs"

who regularly fork out  40 -50 million, which is virtually " par for the course " in their World , but for the rest of us the limits are more restrictive 

in a Prem. where .... " merely surviving can often be considered .... a successful season."

 

Some clubs pay out huge fees, in the hope that a new acquisition might just be that " missing piece " that will improve their teams performances

but that is not always the case, and we have recently seen the tragedy when a new arrival gets no further than the training ground. 

Our sale of Lavia to Chelsea last season recouped around 50 million for Saints, but an early injury put pay to his career ambitions with an  

injury from which he is still seeking to recover form.  This season, several top Prem. clubs have new signings who have barely made it through

their first " friendly games".    Man Utd paid out 52 million for Yoro, only for him to get a serious injury, as was the case with Arsenal's 40 million

signing Calafiori,  and it was Brighton's 25 million which was enough to sign ( Russel Martin's target ) Matt O' Riley from Celtic but who lasted  

less than 10 minutes .. before a reckless tackle sent him to hospital and the prospect of a long absence after some serious ankle surgery.

 

Saints now have the largest turnover in the club's history (and that's saying something) and have surpassed the record number of buys (10) that 

Ronald Koeman made when he arrived around 10 years ago.  Needless to say many of those players who got us back to the Prem. at the last gasp 

in May weren't anywhere near the required Prem. standard, and several more were out of contract, so that barely a handful of the remaining 

" regulars " are likely to be starting games this season.   Fortunately, we seem to have assembled a large number of new names, from some 

modest fees in the hope of creating some stability in our squad, and it's down to RM and the coaching staff to get the best out of them. 

 

Sadly, we have / will lose ...a few who once DAJFU, but simply - didn't fit the bill, or effectively play " Russ ball ", or who simply "wanted away ".

Thank you to Ché,  Stuey and Charly, and with the reminder that not all transfers work out as intended,  and the grass isn't always greener...

JWP's plight at WHam was somewhat unexpected, as their new manager doesn't value him as much as David Moyes obviously did, and our 

one-time U21  rising star  Kami Doyle (who demanded a move to Brighton) has suddenly found himself on the bench this season - at Exeter. 

Success is (in part) ...being the right person, in the right place, etc, etc, ...but the timing of such occasions is not theirs to command.