Really interesting, makes me wonder what the logic was behind bringing in Diallo and Salisu. Although pretty cheap compared with signings of league rivals, they aren’t immediate first team starters so you’d think that paying £20+ million on two players for the future would be pretty risky. A team in big trouble would surely promote youth (ready or not) or only recruit loan players or frees. Are we confident of eventually securing income in the form of investment and/or selling players? I guess the silent takeover, which was hinted at being “1-2 months away” by Adam Blackmore last autumn, might affect how we operate preemptively.
At the same time, in terms of ROI, those are the players we need to purchase: young, talented, and likely on fairly reasonable wages relative to the rest of the squad. The only way we're likely to dig out of this is to get back to developing players who we can either sell for bucketloads, or who can become key players and allow us to sell more veteran players for bucketloads. We'll need a conveyor belt of young talent, either homegrown or players purchased before they've fully broken out.
I haven't listened to the interview from Toby Steele, have you? Does it alleviate any concerns? Worth noting in the images from that account on Twitter that not many clubs have released their 2020 accounts? We might not be the worst once that's done - still won't make our situation any better though!
Ings has tested positive for Coronavirus Hope he is asymptomatic - result came back after Liverpool game and no other positives yet so doesn't look like it has spread throughout the squad
https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2021-01-15/southampton-fc-refunds-for-202021-season-tickets STH's can now ask for a full refund if they wish.
I'll be doing that I think, I dont think I'll be able to buy a ST next year so seems silly saving the credit. For those who want a refund, hopefully it wont affect priority for next seasons ST renewals.
No thanks. I don't need all the money back at once and I want to be in with a chance of going to another game this season.
Just thought I'd say it. Say we get to the FA Cup semis or final I would think only ST holders would get in, assuming fans are allowed in at all.
Theres no mention of doing further refunds at the end of the season, sounds to me like it's a refund now or credit. I need to think of what's best. Dont want credit stored in the club I can't use!
I think they'll still do refunds on a game by game basis. Said they'll be emailing with full list of options anyway.
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...thampton-success-set-plays-and-self-criticism Nice write up in the Grauniad here. Particularly mentioning how Dave Watson has been doing good work on our set pieces coaching and organisation.
I was really shocked to received the e-mail from Saints about the availability of a refund on the season ticket. Whilst the sentiments are appreciated, I suppose that I am like many people insofar that going to watch Saints play this season was one of the things I had to look forward to. In light of the comments on Thursday's press conference that apparently that the suggestion that we will be out of the woods with coronavirus by Easter was a false impression, I suppose this was inevitable. Having been lucky enough to have been to the Man City match over Christmas, you can appreciate the logistics involved when the situation was not as serious as it is now. The some of the tiers for non-league clubs are apparently already debating whether the season will be annulled. It is going to be interesting to see how far these cancellations reach in sport and the broader range of entertainments. I have already got tickets to watch England at Lords and the Ageas but am wondering how this might kick in wit the T20 tickets I had for Hampshire last year. I am assuming these will be rolled over for this summer although I still have the thought in my mind that 2021 will not be markedly different from 2020. Whilst we now have the vaccinations, you would have thought things would have improved yet it has taken over a month for 1/20th of the population in the Uk to receive a jab so far. It doesn't take much mathematics to see the vaccination process rolling out throughout much of the year. Getting fans in for the start of 21/22 might still be in doubt.
Mad stat. At the end of this season, Ralph will become our longest serving manager in the Premier League.