Southampton Rumours Archive January 31 2014

31 Jan 2014 20:55:33
Just curious whether Southampton are interested in signing ross McCormack from Leeds after the sacking of Brian McDermott. I know we are unlikely to sign someone but he would be an easy target

Six clubs are interested in him after his outburst on ssn earlier - "outburst" is probably over the top, but a little unprofessional. He clearly wants out.

Fits the mould.

Happy to bring him in, but we don't actually need him.

Mungochutney Saint.

Late attempt of the saints for the Livorno striker paulinho, refused

McDermott wasn't sacked anyway

31 Jan 2014 17:12:52
Southampton will be making no new signings this window. Mopo and the team are already on the way to London in advance of tomorrows game.

Let's hope that Gallagher and Targett can be as good as new signings.

Just because the team have left for london dosent mean we won't make a signing hopfully we do!

To confirm, MoPo has told the players and staff on the coach that there are NO players coming in. Source - straight from the man himself on the bus.

I know people will shout me down but I'm not impressed if this is the case.
We NEED someone who is going to get goals. Ricky hasn't had a great time, JR is missing more than he gets and we appear to have nothing else apart from youngsters. Whilst I applaud our youth set up, to succeed in this division we need a proven goal machine, some back up defence owing to the injuries and suspensions and we have nothing. I don't think we are going down before people say that and in Pocahontas I have faith. But I really hoped we would get something in.

But we don't NEED to buy anyone this window. why not give the youth a chance in the league and cup games and see how they get on, then re-evaluate in the summer and see exactly what we need! we're not desperate for players, so why buy now? maybe a loan striker would have been good, but what a confidence boost for gallacher! Poch is basically saying, we don't need anyone because I have sufficient talent in the youth team. so let's see how we get on, support the team, stop moaning and whining about not signing anyone and deal with it! some "fans" on here really wind me up

You never win anything with kids. Someone famous once said that, but for the life of me I can't remember who.

Why don't we put a little faith in what we have. We did just hold one if europes best to a 2-2 draw. COYR

So it apparently means we aren't true fans unless we think the same way as you?
I think our youth set up is fantastic. But you cannot rely on it. How can you say we don't need anyone until the summer? We are seriously lacking goals and our defence is currently paper think with the injuries we have had.

Some people who put others down when they don't agree with them really winds me up.

All i'm saying is, for this season the youth will suffice. Hooiveld is terrible, granted, but Yoshida IS capable of playing in this league, Lovren is injured, not dead, so he'll be back before then end of the season. Rodriguez needs to work on his finishing, ok, but at least he's getting in to the right positions, we're still making a lot of chances. it will come good. I'm saying we can wait till the summer when the right players are availble at the right prices. we don't need to panic buy. we're not getting relegated, we can't get in to Europe unless we win the FA cup. Why waste money on someone for the sake of it. Imagine being Sam Gallagher and your manager telling you that he's not getting a replacement in for a stroppy, £15 million pound Argie/Italian record signing because he thinks you're good enough to back up, and even challenge Rickie and J-Rod. What a confidence boost! Stoke have bought 3-4 strikers because they're desperate, West ham have loaned 3-4 players because they're desperate. we don't need it.

The defence is not 'paper thin' 2 great right backs, possibly the best English left back in the league and another young one who's stated to be better, Clyne can play LB too. 4 good CB's, yes, for where we are Yoshida and Hooiveld are good enough to be back up, juat because you have unrealistic expectations doesn't mean they're bad players. We also have 2 young CB's who would be ready with a bit more experience. We struggle to put chances away but let's give Gallagher a go, should have had a hat trick vs arsenal but once he settles into the team he'll start putting them away. This 'lack of goals' has put us 9th in the table, 7 points clear of 10th and with Wanyama coming back and Lovren ahead of schedule we should stop conceding the sloppy goals. So no, we don't 'need' to sign anyone

It makes me laugh the people have blind faith in the team even when it's apparent we are in need of help in some areas? And woh betide anyone who says different! Just Following there teams like blind sheep! Barrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Would many of the sceptics have taken where we are the moment, at the start of this season?. I think not.
We have got to where we are in the main by using the youth coming through mixed with what we had already + Lovren and Wanyama. (Forget about the Italian/Argentinian t****r)

We are ninth in the league and unlikely over the course of the next few games to go up or down so why not leave alone and give some of the youngsters a chance. let's blood a few more and give them some more experience. With less pressure on the squad in not needing to avoid relegation or to qualify for Europe, let's the Saints lads show what they can do without worrying about having to buy overpriced overrated foreign 'stars'.
Keep the faith boys and girls. Show everyone this 'Southampton Way' can work. COYS

Sheep? Says someone who's following the moany crowd. We just realise that we aren't going to sign all these fantastic players you seem to think we are. We we're in league one 3 seasons ago, nearly went out of business 5 years ago, now we're comfortably in the top half of the prem. Quality squads take time to build, we're not going to sign a whole new team in every transfer window like you seem to want us to, it would be foolish to sign a CB now anyway and would buying a striker be any better than someone who's been playing 'our' football for the last year? be patient, support the team and we'll get somewhere and probably have the backbone of the England team playing for us in a few years. Alternatively, if you don't like how the team is being built, save your money and stay at home on a Saturday.

You only "need" additions, if you can't achieve the team goals with what you have. Our goal this season must be top half, good cup run and consolidation. Reassess in the summer for next season's goals. We have injuries which we would only be panic buying if we felt we had to replace and would only do so if we were chasing something. We aren't. Come on boys. slow and steady. We are not Pompey. This is not the time to spend millions bringing in players we don't need.

Mungochutney Saint.

All interesting and valid opinions but to those that are saying calm down are you also not saying 'This season is over, there is nothing to play for so wait until next season'. Which as a Saints fan is bit crap isn't it? Don't bother to go to games or watch on the telly or look out for results because the results don't matter 'cause were not going to do anything.

That is not a good message in my book.

You never win anything with youngsters is also completely true - it was said about an exceptional bunch of youngsters at one the biggest and richest clubs in the world in 1992. Have they [or anyone else] done that since? Nope.

Why is everyone on about buying a striker the way hooveild puts the ball in the net i'd convert him into a striker

31 Jan 2014 16:20:24
Southampton have put a bid on Muriel for 13.5m and David astori for 11m

Source-a web site

I saw this on tv sport

What website?

Seems just to good to be true but if we hadthe bids accepted how would we get personal terms and a medical done in 6 hours when they are both in ITALY!?ed any truth in these?

{Ed001's Note - sorry not heard anything about that.}

I doubt we would get Muriel. Excellent striker for udinese. Would be chuffed as hell if he came.

We need to tie down astori if we want him. Others are sniffing apparently

Great more jackanory story's from the la la gang!
Team coach has already gone left for London?that the end of January tranfer new roll on summer!!!

There are a few clubs looking at astori according to the press, I would suggest that this is his agent trying to drum up business.

You know all the staff don't travel on the team coach right? Les Reed and KL will more than likely take over transfers without NC here, MoPo may have identified who he wants and left it up to them.

The manager won't travel to sign players! That will be done by suits! Jesus

To be fair MoPo did say 'other people' deal with transfers once identified BUT we ain't signing anyone on.

31 Jan 2014 16:08:20
From Gazzetta dello sport, we are chasing a late deal for Roma defender Mehdi Benati.

Very good defender and he scores a few goals.

I've never heard of him!

Hope so, one of the best defenders in the Serie A. Was one of the main reasons why Roma went on such a long unbeaten run.

If you mean Benatia he's been very good for Roma this season

That's why I had never heard of him - I'd spelt his name wrong.

This guy must mean benatia but he's only moved to Roma in the summer

Yes dani only joined us in the summer but even still that could be a good signing but doubt that will happen

Saint Hodgy

31 Jan 2014 13:47:06
Christian stuani from mopo's old rcd espanyol.
again just relayin what I have read.
Saint Gibbs

31 Jan 2014 10:03:12
It's done osvaldo is gone!

Adios . .

Good riddance

Best move for the club, and it shows the solidarity we have as a squad.

And yet it's going to be incredibly short-sighted and ultimately risky to not replace him - and yet that doesn't look likely. 3 strikers, one who's got 1 game's experience, 1 who's not getting any younger and has gone a bit off the boil, and 1 who whilst he is scoring could also be single-handedly winning us games if he was more consistent - we need another!

Glad he's gone, but seemingly with players only leaving St. Mary's I can't wait for May 12th.

Finally - someone else has posted this. Lambert or Rodriguez gets injured, Fonte gets injured and we could easily lose four or five on the trot. Then things aren't so rosy. After all we all know that we need to create about 8 chances to score, whilst generally the opposition take about 3.

No squad is so good that you couldn't do with strengthening it.

Feel like we MUST get in a striker, or even bring back Mayuka.

Wish Holtby came over. think he woulda been great if we have to put jrod up top when RL is injured etc.



Is the consensus that we won't bring anyone in at all? think we look thin.

Think we should get ings from burnley
in a bit quick
better than nothing and could
sirprise a few people

There's nothing from saints on the official site or twitter, he's not gone yet

There is vision/pics of him going into a medical facility in Italy.

The two times we make big exciting buys, they both end up being disasters.


ps. ings would be a great get for strengthening the squad. how much is rated to go for?

I think Saints business is all done for the day.

Osvaldo has gone (and best forgotten) and we have kept all our young stars and team spirit is intact.

Two more wins and we are safe and I can relax then.

Juventus' official twitter says Osvaldo is doing his medical by now. He's leaving for sure.

Swedish Saint

Don't forget Guly can play upfront! ;)

Osvaldo has failed the medical at juventus - he punched the running machine for beeping at him.

Apparently Osvaldo is straight into the Juventus team for Saturday after his 'nightmare in England' so I hope he's gone otherwise Juventus are breaking a lot of FIFA and EUFA rules :-D

I'm not sure, perhaps someone could confirm, but with our current departures I think Saints have one of the smallest, if not the smallest squad, in the Premiership.

This doesn't sit comfortably with me because if you were looking at the club as a player would this say 'We are ambitious' probably not. Having said that I'm just a frustrated Saints fan and not in anyway connected to professional football so I probably know as much as a whelk! :-D

Quite a few people spotted a twitter post (tweet?) saying medical facilities at the uni have been booked by the club from 3pm onwards so something could be happening. The tweet has since been deleted.

I think MoPO will turn to the youth squad to fill any gaps between now and the end of the season. If the kids are as good as he says, then might as well use them! - Guly can play upfront at a stretch, and not saying he'll be a world beater, but our team has never been about 'the indivudual' and we'll cope until the end of the season.

We have enough in the squad to finish in the top 10 so I recon take our time and look for the right fit in the summer but this is a golden opportunity to give mayuka a fair chance, he has not really been given enough time to show weather or not he is good enough and it is frustrating for me as a fan from the outside because he looked very promising. Bring back mayuka the bazooka.

^ Isn't Mayuka on a season long loan, and therefore can't be brought back?

I'm sorry but saying things like 'two more wins and we're safe' or that 'we'll cope until the end of the season' hardly screams ambition. We're not a relegation fighting team anymore, that's why we spend the money on marquee signings, whether they flop or not! We want to be going places. Personally I'll be disappointed if we end up 'coping' by chucking Guly up top if our strikers get injured etc, we should be looking to improve and getting someone in. A squad with 3 strikers is not physically an ambitious one, even if it might be mentally!

No, Mayuka returned from France a few weeks ago after picking up a long term injury.

^ I agree, but we'e never bought anyone 'just for the sake of it' and January is known to be a tough month to try and get the right players. Obviously we want to stay as high as possible in the league and continue to show 'ambition' but if the youth are as good as we are led to believe, that may not mean settling or coping.

Bring back mayuka! PACE ABUSE!

Let's just hope he doesn't punch some juventus players lights out before the end of the season or we definitely won't be getting our £15 000 000

31 jan 2014 07:00:33
saints to hijack fulhams bid today for lewis holtby. astori on loan in a option to sign him end of season. and guly/gallagher to fill osvaldo's spot so no striker. chambers and clyne to cover for shaw if injured. arsenal in for schneidelin (no chance). cork to swansea only if they cough up £10m

Think your find we were infor holtby and lost out to Fulham!!
And that's it don't expect anyone else coming in

I don't want Cork to go, we need depth of squad and he provides this with reliable assurance.
As for Morgan leaving ARSEnal can well you know the rest.
I do like that we are looking to youth, but we need to ensure there is a good mixture of youth and experience in all positions. I hope Gallagher goes from strength to strength.
WillsaSaint

MoPo said Cork is not going anywhere yesterday, relax!