Is it all bad?

[proclaimer]

Yes last season was fantastic and I am sorry to see players going but let be realistic even the very top clubs lose players these days. Being glass half full about this

Adam could have going years ago but stuck by us when we needed him

Luke could have gone for fraction of that fee last year but he signed on with us.

Both are a product of our academy which shows no sign of slowing up the production line

The manager is in place, there are plenty of players who will see their chance to stake their claim, there is money in the bank and plenty of time to build his own team.

[tumbles]

And we will have players in our team that want to play for us.

[cunninglinguist]

And we will have players in our team that want to play for us.

Probably the most important thing, IMO. You might not have as much quality on the pitch but it takes the sting out of it when you know they are trying.

[proclaimer]

tbf the 3 (assuming Adam goes) that have gone always wanted to play for us, not sure that has always been the case with some others. The sentiment I agree with though, great chance for a few to state their case.

[tumbles]

And we will have players in our team that want to play for us.

Probably the most important thing, IMO. You might not have as much quality on the pitch but it takes the sting out of it when you know they are trying.[/quote]


Spot on, and tbf the only departure thats disappointed me has been Poch, i think he let us down big time, and sowed the seeds for the players to leave.
But apart from that i'm upbeat about our new manager, the money we have got for the players that have left, and if we use the same methods that got us Lovren, then theres no reason why we can't push on.
And just because we may not be able to compete with the big boys at the moment due to their vast revenues, it doesn't mean that we have to stand still.

[MattPFC2005]

It is bad all-round for Southampton and for English football.

It is clear now that provincial clubs can aspire to no higher than eighth. Should any club threaten to exceed that then the Champions League clubs will prise the leading players from those clubs- whether it's Liverpool's bulk buying from Southampton or say Scott Parker going from Charlton to Chelsea or West Ham losing Lampard, Ferdinand, Cole and co.

Who benefits from Southampton's academy? Everyone apart from Southampton's trophy cabinet. Financially enriched yes. Is that enough? Shaw is 18. Could he really not have stayed put for another year or two, not least to glean advice from a manager who was once a world-class player? Lallana may have been there for plenty of years, but it is only this season he has grabbed rave reviews. Did the club force them into transfer requests?

For Southampton, what message does it send to the likes of Lovren, Schneiderlin, Rodriguez and co.? Any player would surely sense the club lacks

[Grannie64]

As it has always been players come and players go, the only constant is the fans. Regardless of who wears the shirt it is the on the front we support.
Let's wish them all well. The lure of mega bucks will always turn heads, and while the big clubs can continue to service their debts it will always be the same.

To paraphrase The King is dead,Long live the King. We will always be Southampton FC bring on the new season and new heroes to watch. COYS.

[cunninglinguist]

I am inclined to be a little cynical and suggest that Koeman has been brought in because of his past willingness to go with youth and so save cash on transfers. Good for the wage bill but would that further add belief that the Liebherrs are looking to recoup their investment and sell?

It will be interesting to see what happens on the transfer front (transfers in, that is).

[tumbles]

You say that any club that threatens a champions league club would have their best players taken.. true but that not a lack of ambition on the selling clubs part, if players want to leave then any club is powerless to do anthing about it, unless of course you want an unhappy player on your books.
This has been happeniing long before the champions league, and will contine to do so.
The one and only thing that holds SFC back is the smaller revenue compared to the elite clubs.
We are a wealthy club but are hamstrung by the FFP rules which means we cannot spend money like chelsea and man city managed to get away with before the new rules came in.
And even 'Champions league football' liverpool look like losing Suarez to an even bigger fish than them.

Do we give up? ... no ... what we do is try and make a fist of it.

Its all we've got.

[proclaimer]

[quote="MattPFC2005"]It is bad all-round for Southampton and for English football.

It is clear now that provincial clubs can aspire to no higher than eighth. Should any club threaten to exceed that then the Champions League clubs will prise the leading players from those clubs- whether it's Liverpool's bulk buying from Southampton or say Scott Parker going from Charlton to Chelsea or West Ham losing Lampard, Ferdinand, Cole and co.

Who benefits from Southampton's academy? Everyone apart from Southampton's trophy cabinet. Financially enriched yes. Is that enough? Shaw is 18. Could he really not have stayed put for another year or two, not least to glean advice from a manager who was once a world-class player? Lallana may have been there for plenty of years, but it is only this season he has grabbed rave reviews. Did the club force them into transfer requests?

For Southampton, what message does it send to the likes of Lovren, Schneiderlin, Rodriguez and c