Southampton Banter Archive June 15 2013

15 Jun 2013 23:39:07
Just wondering with bueno, what is the work permit situation like?

He's not got anything like a criminal record or anything specific which should prevent one being given so I'd imagine it'd be granted unless their is something hidden we don't know about. His work permit should be one of the easier things to work out really if this transfer is happening.

He also has a Portuguese passport

With footballers they have to have played in 75% of international matches (youth or first team) over the last two years to be granted a work permit in England. If rejected club can appeal on grounds of player being an exceptional talent. Don't think criminal records are the main issue for footballers getting a work permit, lol

Well yes but in order to gain a working visa you need to not have record of criminal activity. If you don't have that kind of record it's easy to appeal regardless of real international status on a grounds of the talent.

I don't think chocolate bars need a work permit

15 Jun 2013 20:27:37
It may be me, but everything rumour about lamela has seemed to die down, I know he has been quoted as saying he wants fo stay at roma, but I have heard this fron many players over the years and they have gone on to sign for clubs later on in the transfer window. i'm not saying it will happen but it all seems quiet and isn't that the way NC likes it, I maybe classed as optimistic but I am just wondering if maybe aimething is going on behind closed doors but hey in other news heard thatthe spanish pair we are interested in was just agent talk to try and boost transfer fees, but can anyone let me know anything this? Or if we are actually in for these two because they are actually really good IMO

EastSaint

I think you are being overly optimistic here. Cortese is very good at what he does but I am not sure he will manage getting Lamela. However it was said by an Ed previously we did show interest so it's not beyond the realms of all possibility and Lovren was a bit of a surprise swoop so you never know for sure.

Spurs are reportedly in for lamela too. This would be a fantastic signing and fill a much needed position.

Napoli turned down an offer of 40M Euros for Lamela and Marquinous - not sure who the bidder was. my info is that it will cost 35 Million Euros to land Lamela.

I guess we won't be buying Lamela.
Tottenham may be possible though, if they see him as part of a package to replace Bale.

You mean Roma

15 Jun 2013 19:18:18
How many more players do you think we will realistically sign?

Anything up to 8 like last summer. Think it is quite likely we'll sign 2 or 3 relatively big deals (Lovren being included in that) and then we'll probably get some bargains to add depth to our squad. I expect we'll sign a minimum of 5 players as we will get a Centre Back (Lovren), a Right back, Winger and probably Striker. Then I think we'll get at least one more player to provide an option as well. But in all honestly anything within those kind of regions are relatively likely.

8 lol yeah! Get carried away and do a qpr I think we will TRY and bring in 3 maybe 4 also bringing threw a couple if youth players.

Personally I think we will be signing 4 more.

RB, CM, Winger, ST.

Preferably:
- RB Gamez
- CM Banega
- RW Bueno
- ST?

Bit worried we've not been concretely linked with a ST yet. Hopefully something wonderful happens out of the blue. Good ol' Cortese.

3-4, possibly 5 but no more than that, we don't need 8! We need, RB & LB, cover a CB (check), Winger, a DM and a Striker, and some of these will come from our academy, so I think 3-4 more signings and a few academy stars to break through

Dont be surprised if we go for Lewandowski he's german and the Liebherrs will be keen on this one

My point about 8 is that as a total that is pretty much the most we would go for. We brought in 8 last summer to add to the depth of the squad. Granted this season it's not as likely we'll take that many players hence why I developed my point to say we're likely to get at least 4 more signings (five total) to add to our options on the wings, up front, at right back for cover and potentially a further centre back with good left footed ability.

Since Markus bought Saints we have signed 3-4 first team players each transfer window. We have also signed kids with potential - ie Cody Cropper, Gazza etc.

Saints have a philosophy on protecting the team spirit, and allowing natural grow of the team, and they do this by purchasing quality players or players with quality potential.

15 Jun 2013 17:40:55
with the signing of lovren wats going to happen to jose fonte now he's been a class player over the yrs but with 3 right footed cb now and 2 left I think he may be sold on hooiveld will proberly remain left cb as well unless forren proves himself pre season

Hope not! Hooiveld cost us so many points last season, he's a liability and can't pass out from the back, too many aimless long balls. He's good in the air but that's about it

I hope we sell Hooiveld. I really like Fonte but I think you are right. We won't be holding onto him much longer. But we should get a good fee for Fonte. Hopefully we'll sign a left footed Centre back to replace Hooiveld soon too.

According to an article I read it said that the club didn't plan on letting him play in the first team this season due to him not playing for a few months as his season ended early they want him to get his fittness up, he hoped to pllay but it wasnt going to happen according to what the agent and Forren agreed with the club, Forren maybe annoyed about this but he will play alongside Lovren next season. Looks like a solid back four tbh

Clyne Lovren Forren Shaw

With hoover and Fonte as cover so can't see those to going anywhere

EastSaint

Your forgetting yoshida east saint

Yoshida is better in my opinion
than hoover and fonte with all respect

I couldn't agree more but we like too play with the left foot cb and right foot cb I carnt imagin us keeping fonte now

No sell, Hoiveld, Fonte and Yoshida will be good cover for Forren and Lovren

15 Jun 2013 10:03:55
In truth I'd never heard of Lovren before rumour feed. I've read mixed views since signing from slow, flat footed, overpriced, dropped by OL to huge future potential. Anyone shed any light? Is he one for future or good to go now?

Thats why he was the captain OL. nah he's a great signing

He did not have a good season this year and was hampered by injury, a few performances were well below par and he seemed to struggle against big physical forwards this can be put down to his relatively young age and the way the management went about dealing with his poor performances, they hung him out to dry basicaly. However that said he has been touted by many as having great potential and has put in some good performances for his national team. It is a good signing if he is well managed and trains on and I am very pleased with the signing a young player with great potential but be prepared for the odd dodgy game till he settles into the EPL.

He's got bags of potential. Is still very very young so needs to learn his trade - his weak points are to do with maturity as a CB (he can have the odd clanger, and lose concentration). But he's quick for a CB, solid in the air and loves a tackle. Very athletic.

Good signing for Saints, however we have paid over odds if I am honest. Could go either way - if he builds on his potential he could be a top CB in this division in a couple of seasons. However if he doesn't build and loses confidence will be average. So the £8.5m rumoured is a big big risk.

Summary: Good signing, potentially great player, probably overpaid, could go either way.

I don't know a lot about him. But have read nothing but envy from other fans and that Inter Milan, Liverpool, Tottenham and others were linked. £8.5m, I'd expect he's the new rock at the back.

He was a very good player pre injury. I think the pre-season will get him to adapt with us and he'll hopefully become fully fit again. Then I think he'll show us he is a very good defender.

He does sound like a bit of a gamble on a couple of fronts but the word 'potential' keeps coming up so fingers crossed.

I'd hardly say he was slow or flat footed. Why not do a search on the internet and watch some video clips of him, and make up your own mind, rather than some fans bitter about the fact he's leaving them.

He's been tracked by top teams throughout Europe, and a poll of Barca fans showed that he was their preferred choice of CB.

On a Personal note, I think he'll be a great signing for us.

15 Jun 2013 06:27:14
Wouldnt mind aaron cresswell joining but getting anyone to sign on as a bench warmer is difficult, but just want to sign so it reminds our English talent that we're not going for just foreign imports.

I too would prefer if we didn't just sign foreign players as well. Lovren will be the composed rock that we need at the back, but I hope that we use the potential of layers like Ward Prowse and Chambers etc well

Totally agree with you there, prowsey is a captain in the making! he'll be our frank lampard or young gerrard in a few years and seeing as Richardson got released, sub rb has to be Chambers this lad could be best rb in England before he hits 21! wouldn't mind seeing the hoover sold and bringing in Lescott at a cut price (obviously a wage reduction as well) just to offer some prem experience at the back even if forren or Maya get the nod before him.

Naah now we have Lovren, there's no need for another CB, but would love to see some English players, Danny Rose, to cover LB and LW would be nice, Austin or Rhodes or Mcmanaman would be good cover up front, scot sinclair, ince or phillips on the wings?

Danny Rose will not leave spurs to go to us to be cover for Luke Shaw. Get real

He'll also be covering LW so it's not likehe'll have a lack of game time, and plus Cortese wouldn't exactly sell it like that would he? Luke needs decent competition and apparantly there's a site that says he has made the most prem mistakes leading to goals last season? Can't imagine it to be true but still

Chambers in a right mid

15 Jun 2013 00:05:05
Thats signing just silenced all the doubters, we are on the up! Now bring on the next signing let's hope it beats that one!
COYR's

EastSaint