02 Sep 2015 15:25:20
As the window closes I would like to thank Les Reed for sticking to his words.
How Saints deal with Wanyama, West Brom with Berahino, and Everton with Stones, could act as a catalyst for future transfer complications regarding bigger clubs poaching the 'lesser' clubs' best players. For so long the big teams have done this plenty of times, unsettling players, getting the media to support them, so it makes a change to see 3 teams standing their ground in the same transfer window.
Of course, I would love to have Big Vic back if he clears his head and apologizes like Spider, but I'm afraid he'll have to leave January or end of season if he's not committed. Shame if that happens. A midfield 3 of Romeu, Wanyama, and Clasie would be quality.
02 Sep 2015 17:53:03
I do agree Vick , I just don't think it will make any difference to players attitudes . Too much money ( by an absolute million miles ) in the game now and it has become almost obscene to most of us watching these greedy people , the players and the clubs making a mockery of what used to be a great sport . The football we watch might be the best ever but the principles of how it has all spiralled out of control due to the silly money being thrown around is all too plain to see . It makes an absolute mockery of the so called FFP rules which seem to favour the big boys and penalise the rest .
03 Sep 2015 00:28:58
It may or may not make any difference to the attitudes of players, that part is true. Whether we like it or not, football is also a business where players get paid to play football. So when a better offer comes in it's only natural if he wants to leave. Similar to us leaving our current job for another job that provides bigger salaries. I do however, expect professionalism from players when handling this matter. But unfortunately, as you said, waving the big paycheck around can turn a player's head in a flip of a dime and turn him desperate. We've seen this plenty of times. I deem FFP as a joke, nothing to say more really. And as long as it's still around I'm afraid the gulf between the big boys and the rest of the league would just get bigger.
03 Sep 2015 14:09:25
I want to see a few more Under 21s players joining the main squad on match days - if we get a decent start to the season we need to give them time to play and develop as players and grow into being full squad players.
If we are going to shout about our academy and its progression into prem squad football then we have to walk the walk / these young men need to see that they can progress into the main squad - it will motivate them into training and playing at the top of their games.
If there is a big glass ceiling in place then their motivation will be to get loaned and sold on into Div1 and Championship teams. Its not as high.
So yes - I get putting the best squad out - but gaps need to be found for developing players as well.
04 Sep 2015 10:33:16
Aside from cup fixtures and a injury crisis I think this season will see a drop off in new talent breaking into the first team. There's lots of players with potential, but if you think about the older crop of youth players we have now the only ones consistently in the first team are Matt Targett, JWP and Harry Reed.
On top of that the squad size has increased almost to the point where we are going to have some first team players not even making the match day squad if we are at full strength!
04 Sep 2015 13:04:26
Target and reed aren't exactly the older crop. I think it's better not to blood them in too early or they just get poached like shaw ,chambers, the ox and Theo. cup games and loan deals until they are ready to join the likes on jrod, Juanmi and co on the bench .