When the Saints go marching out.

[For Us All]

Southampton's top players are leaving in their droves,with Lambert,Lallana and Louvren joining Liverpool,Shaw going to Man.Utd and more recently Chambers moving to Arsenal.Plenty of money in the bank but replacements urgently required.

 

Views and opinions please.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2708441/After-disastrous-transfer-window-Southampton-Ronald-Koeman-rely-froSaints-academy.html

[Yukon]

I think it's good business in so far that they're ripping everyone off but now everyone knows they're wadded!

[bookworm]

I think that the hierarchy have decided to fill their boots, sod the supporters and let the club find it's own level with all that lovely loot coming their way if relegated, do it the oyston way, pocket the parachute payments,you know it makes sense, sorry, can't help being cynical.

[Goodlads_Gloves]

Rodriguez and Schneiderlen next if you believe the reports. Staggering how much their players are being valued at, they had a decent season but they've got to put a brand new starting XI together pretty much which could be tough for the manager....

 

Its certainly going be a 'Football Manager' challenge with over 100m to spend on virtually a new team. Got to echo your thoughts on the fees huge amounts of money. Southampton have certainly mugged off Liverpool, Arsenal and Man united. I wonder though what the fee would have been for Lallana if he didn't have the 25% sell on fee clause?

[For Us All]

This all started when Chairman Nicola Cortese left and he was quickly followed by manager Pochettino It’s ridiculous that after a great campaign of almost breaking into the top seven that everyone at St,Mary's wants out.There's no loyalty any more,football is about money and it’s become more and more apparent.One of my favourites to go down this season.

[Little_Al]

Southampton have come from nowhere by having a good youth policy and giving young players an extended chance and even older lower league players like Lambert. Clearly a good club for a young player to join and one I fully expect to rise again with the same policy. They are not ripping anybody off. The buying clubs are more than willing to pay the prices for quality products.

[Mr Carter]

Dont seem much point in having an acadamy if you are going to lose all your promising players to the big 6 every season.

[arthurdog]

Breaking News:After Southampton ran out of current players today they will now listen to offers for Mick Channon,Peter Rodrigues and Terry Paine

[The Kalamazoo Kid]

Breaking News:After Southampton ran out of current players today they will now listen to offers for Mick Channon,Peter Rodrigues and Terry Paine

 

Didn't John McGrath try to sign Channon when he left Southampton, some time around '82? I seem to recall being excited at the prospect of us signing a well-known ex-England player (.....I was only about 7!) Would have been a blockbuster of a signing if McGrath had pulled it off.

[Jacko51]

Apparently Southampton have organised a pre-season 5-a-side with Blackpool.

[old sage]

I personally feel very sad for the Saints supporters. They have shown quite clearly that there is very little hope for a smaller club to break through and challenge the 'Big Boys'. The players or more likely their agents don't show a single scrap of loyalty to the club that has nurtured them to their present levels.

If the Southampton owners have encouraged this massive 'sell out' then the fans should turn their backs on the club until these scavenging parasites are ousted because they clearly have no regard for the club or the fans.

I must say that most aspects of modern day football make me feel both sick and very annoyed. The blame sits fairly and squarely upon the F.A. They have ruined the game in England right up to International levels. Shame on them.

[Lornelounger]

I don't get this "loyalty" comment generally - players are always going to look to advance their careers, which are short and could end in injury any day. Most of them, if they were honest, would say they would love the chance of playing for a big team in Europe. Southampton did really well last year, and fair play to them, but when the clubs playing in Europe are looking to spend their Champions League money to boost their squads, teams like Southampton will have their better players cherry picked. And at least some of them are good young English players - our top clubs get pilloried when they buy in the Carlos Kickaball types from abroad, and ignore English talent coming through. If I was at the Southampton academy, I would be delighted to have Walcott, Bale, Lallana, Shaw as players who have come through the ranks and gone on to represent their countries. They are obviously doing something right with their scouting and coaching - didn't Foyle start there as well? If that ensures the club's survival in the Premiership (and at 92 million from transfer fees already this summer, with Koeman in charge, it should) then the owners will consider it good business.

[Robbie Earle's Perm]

If the Southampton owners have encouraged this massive 'sell out' then the fans should turn their backs on the club until these scavenging parasites are ousted because they clearly have no regard for the club or the fans.

 

To be fair its the same owners that have attracted these players, the manager and gained them the success in the first place. Didn't see many Saints fans walking away when they were climbing from league 1 to the PL.

[JOHNNYAITCH]

I don't get this "loyalty" comment generally.

 

Agree..clubs sign and develop players for the benefit of the club and not for the benefit of the player so why should a player show loyalty and if someone comes in with a stupid bid or the player's form dops the club will show no loyalty to the player.

 

I would hope that PVFC signs and retains players cos it's the right thing for the club not out of any sort of loyalty

[Jinkin John Jeffers]

Can't blame any player for wanting to better themselves really and better to judge at the start of the season on who they bring in before feeling sorry for anybody.