For what it’s worth I think the problem isn’t Sports Republic, rather the lack of investment over several seasons. That’s coupled with the fact that many other teams have improved year on year whereas Saints have stood still (or regressed) so SR have been given an almost impossible task, given the timescale. Saints are a medium to long term project.
I think it’s a mixture of both, but SRs strategy has been key in finishing us off. The investment in potential is admirable, but they missed the crucial step of stabilising Saints with some proven experience first. If we had been a strong mid table side before it wouldn’t have been so much of an issue, but they failed to address the key (and glaring) long term issues the squad had before fully embarking on their project. Then they hired Nathan Jones and let him blow the most crucial portion of the season. In nutshell, they went too far too quickly without laying the groundwork.
Unlike some on here, I genuinely think we've got a bright long term future under SR (assuming they/Ankersen learn from their mistakes). They are investing money into the club at the end of the day and if we do go down that won't stop. They will give Selles (assuming they keep him on) the tools to get Saints straight back up.
I'm already looking forward to next season whether we stay up or go down, SR will get things right eventually and I believe that the club is in very safe hands despite a few teething problems this season.
Was interesting to see that Danny Rohl was at St Mary’s last night and also at Old Trafford. I expect it was to watch ABK but I can’t help remembering how performances under Ralph suffered after he’d gone back to Germany. He’s currently the assistant for the national team but the conspiracy theorist in me wonders if anything else is afoot.
The Daily Echo take on the situation = The Saints remain bottom of the division but are only two points from safety, with 11 matches still to play this campaign.
Same. I’m really positive about our future. I even kind of want a season in the Champ because I think it would be fun.
Apart from blind faith, what is that opinion based on? What's to say Dragan won't immediately hit the brakes and try and recoup the money pissed up the wall? There's absolutely nothing whatsoever to suggest these guys have the first clue when it comes to running a football club, whereas there's **** tonnes of evidence the other way. I don't think they're going to be splashing the cash again. And even if they did, do you seriously trust they'll get the signings right? I think SR have been responsible for 15 signings over Summer and Jan of which all but 3 have been total ****.
I didn't say they'd splash the cash - I said they would give Selles the tools needed to get us back up. And these same guys (apart from Solak) played a major part in getting Brentford where they are today.
Apart from the evidence of Brentford, one of the currently considered best run clubs in England? If he wanted to recoup his losses as quick as possible. The only logical place to do that would be in the Premier League. Billionaires don't become so by making irrational short term decisions.
As far as I know we're not finished. Ok so we're not in a great place either, to put it mildly, but there are 70 plus teams below us many of whom would perhaps prefer the challenge we face than be in the middle of League 2 etc. It's tough but stick with it.
Nothing about yesterday surprised me. Brentford are efficient, committed, well structured, and have a goalscorer. Nothing special, but very solid. I never once believed that we'd turned a corner. It was for the players to prove to me wrong, and they didn't. Ely is still awful. Che is still a mile away from being a PL striker. We're going down - I've been completely resigned to that since we lost to Wolves. We've sunk so low, that people have recently started to accept Theo again as a PL player. Being better than Ely or Adam Armstrong doesn't make you a PL player. I still don't know what to make of Onuachu. But I'd much rather get a better, longer, look at him than continue with Che for a single minute longer. Similarly with Orsic over Ely (or any of our million different options over Ely). Not that it really matters though. Defensively, I thought we were alright last night. But we could have played another three hours and we'd have never scored. We literally only have one trick - and as such, all you need to do against us is not concede a FK on the edge of the box.
Completely disagree with this. We had deteriorated under Gao true, the investment was poor. But we were not in serious trouble last season. A few sensible signings (ie goal scorer) and we would have maintained as a lower PL team. Making correct managerial decisions (ie changing close season and not hiring Jones, or listing to Ralph and hiring Selles) would have given us a chance. This is all on SR, it’s not an inevitable sequel of the last 2 seasons.