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Comment | Southampton Said To Have made Decision On Tyler Dibling's Transfer
at 15:58:52
Follow up storyline that Tyler Dibling " prefers " a move to Spurs !.
If we are insistent on demanding £55 million then I'd like to see us getting the full amount from Daniel Levy. A master negotiator he continues the tradition of screwing us with every deal we have historically made. Even back to the post war period deals with Spurs have always left us with a bad deal. Alf Ramsay was one of the first to leave Saints.
Later in 1967 we sold local boy Martin Chivers to Spurs for a (then) English record £125k, but they clawed back £45 k in giving us Frank Saul in the deal. Just 2 years later and barely 60 games to his name Saul was back in London.
Since when we had the unforgetable goalie Tommy Forecast (in a part deal) and he never made our first team and failed to impress even on loan to non-league sides. Later he was christened " Tommy Fourpast" by disappointed Saints fans. In desperate times for Saints Spurs "kindly" withdrew the sell-on clause from the Gareth Bale deal and gave Saints a paltry £1 million to help our finances, and preceeded to sell Bale to Real Madrid for £90 million and we lost our %. some years later they virtually "stole" Victor Wanyama.
More recently we made one good deal in getting Walker-Peter, but were screwed again when Spurs took Hojbjerg for a very cheap sum when he was worth far more. You can bet that any deal with Dibling going to Spurs will see us landed with an expensive Spurs reject
in the deal, and after a while he in turn will want back to London PDQ. |
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Comment | Southampton Said To Have made Decision On Tyler Dibling's Transfer
at 16:10:40
Here is the classic situation of a young talent taking a step-up to the first team and being a stand-out player in a team performing like a Sunday League outfit and he's looking good.
How good he MAY become is down to the club who are able to meet our asking price. If the recovery forecast is accurate, he will start getting game time by early March, and with some exciting runs, and a few more tap-ins (hopefully against some prominent clubs) - someone will cough up the cash, in the hope that he will rejuvenate yet another top club who have narrowly failed to win anything AGAIN, and whose new manager will see him as the answer to all their woes.
It's obvious that we will have to sell him, as he won't want to wake up in August in a newly-relegated side and where his value will drop if he continues to stay with Saints.
He is the " New Lavia ". Too good for Saints, but with the hope that some super-rich club are able to offer him a golden future - and help his agent to buy another smart car.
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Comment | Saints Defender Yet To Agree January Move Although Club's Agree Terms
at 15:42:46
I genuinely feel sorry for Charlie Taylor, an experienced LB who knows the Premier League and came on a free transfer (!) what more could you want? Meanwhile Russell Martin only ever wanted Ryan Manning and persevered with him - like they were joined at the hip - when Manning isn't the player he thought, and has never cut it at the higher level.
Charlie would be there in the event that Manning got an ACL, broke a leg or perhaps caught the flu', or a suspension. Now we see that KWP is the best choice in either FB spot, which leaves Manning on the bench and Charlie watching from the stands every match.
Charlie has reached 30 (not a bad age for an experienced defender) but deserves to play football whilst he has a career left to talk about. In reality he may now try to help Hull avoid relegation to L1, instead of merely watching Saints drop a division instead.
Talk about Catch 22.
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Comment | Southampton FC Fail To Learn The Lesson On FA Cup Ticket Pricing
at 14:53:35
Your comments have some validity (Nick) but the comparisons with Blackpool and Grimsby are a shade off, although I think we were a better side back then and attractive to watch.
However the pricing of Cup matches is down to economy as (I think) the away club might get a cut of the gate money which might decrease the income from the event. |
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Comment | New Saints Director Of Football Denied Work Permit
at 14:44:41
wonder which paragraph the Home Office are using for that decision?
Sport Republic are an international organisation operating in three countries, but only one
(France) is in the EU so perhaps H.O. are still smarting from the fallout of Brexit fiasco, unless there is information about other activities that might disbar him from approval.
A closer look at some of the foreign personnel employed by Prem. clubs might be opening up a can of worms unless the F.A / Premier League can come to our defence.
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Comment | Southampton Close To Two New Signings
at 09:44:02
(to City boy) I don't think you're alone with the comment about SR's transfer policy.
We see that EVERYONE (in all 3 clubs) are de facto employees of Sport Republic and buying in players "in Saints' name" makes sense as those good enough for English football can stay, whilst others are loaned out to cut their teeth on European football at " at a lower level ". Anyone who " makes the grade" may return to Saints - effectively for almost nothing - as they are already contracted to SR. The " Saints signings " who were loaned to Gotzepe in the summer have done well as that club is well-placed in the Turkish league.
We may eventually see one or two returning to us, but at best / worst they will have a career in a successful club, and everyone saves money on big transfer fees.
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Comment | Saints Confirm That Ben Brereton Diaz Will Rejoin Former Club
at 09:15:44
BBD was a last minute addition to Martin's squad in August on... a 4 year contract ( ouch)!
The deal was based on a simple formula, Who is still available and Can we afford him?
His debut game at Newcastle was a nightmare for everyone, and the red card (correctly given b.t.w.) left a bad taste in many mouths along with his play-acting that followed.
However, we know that given the right team and circumstances ANY player can look good. One can hope that he DAJF the Blades and - if they get promotion- the £7 million we paid out will be recoverable and a sum not prohibitive for a team newly-promoted to the Prem.
After the Newcastle incident, he slowly fell out of favour with RM and his game time dwindled down to a few minutes in the last half-a dozen games until Martin was sacked.
We can hope that this ends up well, as getting him off the salary bill permanently would be a win-win for both clubs - and the player. |
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Comment | Southampton Close To Two New Signings
at 10:20:55
These two sound like good investments as we lack both "bite" and creativity in midfield , and almost no-one in MF seems to show any consistency, except perhaps for Fernandes.
Your comments about the Dane (Gronbaek) makes him look good on paper, but his playing history includes Bodo/ Glimt who I think ...are a Norwegian club (?) not Danish. |
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Comment | Southampton At Manchester United The Verdict
at 11:35:22
United fielded a lot of expensive, talented individuals, but it wasn't "a Team". Far from it.
Saints played some of the best football I've seen since ..I don't know when, and many gave superb performances. Our goal was the result of a blanket siege of MU goal and the resulting panic it caused. United must have been glad they weren't 0-3 down as their keeper surely didn't know much about the double save he made. So what went wrong?
We were still controlling the game at 80 minutes but our man-for-man marking had eventually tired our lads, and one or two were running "on empty", and without Dibling, our attack became disjointed and sadly the subs. couldn't maintain our attacking prowess.
In the end we were beaten by one man who put on a "Mane type" display, whilst the rest of the MU side were only there to make up the numbers. The three points must have been the only joy their manager had on the night. If United continue in the same manner, their next 3 points may be some way away. Those teams who are yet to play United and who watched us giving them the run around will have learned a lot from that match.
I don't blame Juric for the defeat, (especially as the third goal was a reminder of the many (Martin-type fiascos") that keepers and CB's had been making all season. Juric may now want to keep Sulemana, having seen him in that form, and in the hope that a few minutes of seeing Onuachu may hasten his transfer elsewhere.
Nice display, shame about the result.
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Comment | Southampton At Manchester United The Preview
at 16:33:07
One of the most feared places in the Premier League for any team to visit but with our luck
so far this season ....this is the sort of game we might win, VAR permitting. |
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Comment | Sulemana To Stay At Southampton ! Amo-Ameyaw To Go Out On Loan
at 13:48:26
Juric has never seen Sam play (but then again most fans have only seen a little more).
This season he made one start in League Cup and had a few minutes more in later rounds, and a 15 minute spell at the back end of the game at Newcastle. Three games for U21 doesn't make this season's CV look any better. Admittedly, he had good spells last season, but then again so did a lot of others - at that level .
Three games till the end of the month may give both Sam A-A and Sulemana chances to get minutes and impress - especially looking at the quality of the opposition.
IF.. either of them steps up and DAJFU then it will be good for the players and the club. Sulemana may stay, and recover some of his enormous value, and Sam may get himself a good loan at a club and get experience in a league we may end up playing in-next season. I can't see him getting ahead of our "regulars " who are struggling in the Prem. at present.
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Comment | Southampton V Swansea City The Verdict
at 16:15:14
A good review ( Nick) but interestingly our dominance showed the obvious difference between the " worst team " in the Premier League, and a typically ordinary mid-table Championship side who were rarely in the game. The influence of Russel Martin's " possession style" still remains with Swansea who (despite the result) had more of the ball (51%) , but only managed 6 shots, and one hitting on the post.
The score might have been doubled in the second half with Armstrong and Archer both shunning chances that should have been easily converted. Burnley may provide stronger opposition unless Juric can generate a better all-round performance from a squad who have been lacking real finishing skills all season. |
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Comment | Southampton Tout Sulemana To European Clubs
at 15:59:38
For once Sulemana was given the chance to show his worth and Juric will surely have been encouraged at the result. IF ..he can show up in the coming games, he will attract attention from clubs more able to utilise his skill and pace but Saints will most certainly drop a packet on any eventual deal for someone who is " our most expensive failure" , and his worth will drop even more if /when we eventually drop a level. Better to cut a deal now that later.
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Comment | Southampton FC Chairman Stepping Down
at 15:49:19
Failure to replace Jason Wilcox was a major failing. Admittedly it will be a big challenge to find someone of his caliber (as his past record was unique in the game at this level), and he might not have left, had it not been for the lure of a prestige job at MU.
Ideally we need someone who is well-acquainted with the English game. Not necessarily a proven international, but someone who knows the game at the highest level and will not deterred by the impending prospect of Championship football for a season ( or two).
Sadly, the " family feel " that has clearly pervaded Saints for almost half-a-century has prevented the inevitable sacking of Martin much earlier, and the writing was on the wall side after his blatant refusal to change the system he was so dedicated to, when working with a squad that seemingly fell below the required level for Prem. survival.
RM may have been a " Mister Nice Guy" and popular in the dressing room, but like many of his ilk couldn't cut it at the highest level and should never been allowed to continue after the humiliation of the defeat (by what was essentially) Chelsea's B side.
Many Prem. chairmen would (and some already) have acted more quickly to make the changes to stop the rot. Sadly we may already have passed the point of no return and Dragan has now moved to try and protect his not insignificant investment in the club.
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Comment | Charlie Taylor Admits He Would Have Left If Russell Martin Had Stayed
at 10:57:22
On paper , Charlie Taylor was a good buy - for the right club - who could benefit from his experience but was an obvious non-starter for RM who had his own unchangeable plan.
The few apps. he made during Martin's reign showed that he was by no means " a dud" and
showed up well given the restraints of the formation and playing situation we were in.
In the event of injuries / transfers out, he may well give good service on the occasions he's given game time and IMHO...(much the same can be said for James Bree). |
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Comment | Saints In Talks To Move On Sulemana In The January Transfer Window
at 10:47:26
(Mytchett Saints) sadly it's typical of this type of deal. Clubs desperate to get new blood in and with an extra few millions to spend are always desperate and any player can look good if he's playing in a team or formation that suits him - even if it's in another country.
It was clear from Day 1 that Russell Martin's set-up was not going to suit Sulemana's abilities, and he's been in the wilderness ever since, and even the odd sub. appearance has done little to enhance his reputation, or his value. He joins the embarrassing list of expensive foreign signings (I call it the Carrillo list).. who clearly just can't cut it at the highest level and end up going cheap, or even on free transfer. RM had no Plan B and anyone who didn't fit his system and was left out in the cold to do training stints every week and seldom ever making the bench.
One has to feel for the lad who is still relatively young, but may well blossom in Italy where attacking formations are not shunned in favour of the English defensive dogma. |
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Comment | Dom Ballard Recalled To Southampton From Loan Spell But Not Striking Answer
at 11:20:43
Dom really was a good Academy prospect. He scored goals for the U18 and U21s even at age 16 and IMHO was a better prospect than Dibling at that age. He was certainly a big goal scorer after that and (think) he scored around 30 goals for U18 and U21 in the season before his first loan out to Reading. His goal tally was greater than Dibling and JJ Morgan (before he went to Chelsea. I rated Dom as the "best" of the three as a goalscorer.
Two unfortunate injuries hampered his progress, but now that he's back I hope he might be fit enough to get 45 minutes in the Swansea Cup game. There's a lot of space between U21 and senior football level but it will be good for the new manager to take a look at him, before " decisions " are made. |
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Comment | Southampton V Brentford The Verdict
at 11:05:29
Not a lot more to say really. The squad (overloaded by all accounts) is still incapable of finding a winning formula. Quite frankly, they weren't better than Leeds last season, and only the win in the play-off got us the promoted. That squad was composed of 5 loan players and a group of promising kids and was clearly not good enough for the Prem. and as of today we see that neither Ipswich of Leicester seem capable of getting clear of the drop zone either.
Martin's tactics may have worked for the best part of last season, but were totally unsuitable at the highest level, and the mentality of the players who suffered consecutive defeats week in and out has clearly affected their performances. The strike force is pitiful.
The most we can hope for is for some brave results before the end of the season, because most of this squad would likely find it difficult in a very competitive Championship league.
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Comment | Saints Confirm Signing Of Brazilian Left Back
at 13:05:09
It will be good to see if he is a defender - who can defend. For many years past we have been obsessed with attacking full backs who lack real pace to get back - and defend - when they come up against a fast winger.
It means that we have yet another left back on the books and obviously look to see who will depart in addition to KWP who is out of contract at end of season anyway.
A free transfer (wait for the groans from the back) doesn't mean he's no good but that we (hopefully) have got ourselves a player without having to pay a transfer fee to Brazil.
Historically, we' ve had some good deals - especially at the back. Stuart Williams and Peter Rodrigues cost us nothing in the 1960's...and Joe Kirkup was in a part/ex deal from Chelsea. Later, Ivan Golac came from Yugoslavia. McMenemy got a low cost deal to bring in Mark Dennis and later Dean Richards (R.I P. ) was a freebie from Wolves. Ironically we had some good FB's who cost next to nothing. David Peach from Gillingham. Jeff Kenna began as a trainee, Jason Dodd came from Bristol as a boy. Local lad Nick Holmes began as a full back and Frannie Benali only needed a bus fare to get to The Dell, and Wayne Bridge came by train from Winchester.
Never disparage free signings. They cost little and maybe you find a diamond in the rough.
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Comment | Do Southampton Cut Their Losses Now On This Season And Cash In On Kyle Walker Peters
at 17:00:59
Agree with.. landsdownsaint ( opening post) .
It's time for him to move NOW. He's too good for the Championship and in 6 months time he can walk away - for nothing. He will have to be replaced anyway so why not now?
Thanks Kyle, a good servant to the club in difficult times, but we need to get whatever we can for him in the January window. |
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