The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 15th June 2015 - Cough up!

[GeneralBurk]

Best leave it @GeneralBurk - he said "end of". There's no coming back from that.

Quite right I saw them use this line on Question Time. Debate over.

 

[worcestersauce]

He's not going to sulk on the bench in the season before the european championships, that would be completely counter-productive for him.

Just the first half then? If Southampton force him to stay against his will again he will not accept it like he has this season and rest assured he will run down his contract the following season and walk away for nothing therefore if they don't sell him this summer they will get nothing for him at all.

 

[FreddieYid]

From a team finishing in the UEFA Cup to another with little chance of either breaking through to the next level is sideways enough.

Take your blinkers off and think how an agent and foreign player views the club. This same level puts us in with Liverpool at the moment. Obviously minus a deluded manager.

I don't think people are saying that we're going to crack the top four, but saying that... Tottenham, a team who play in Europe season in season out and finished one place outside of the top 4 are WITHOUT A SHADOW OF DOUBT a forward step from Southampton. The saints could easily finish 8-9 next year when they have the Europa league to contend with next season.

EDIT. Not to mention our facilities

 

[GeneralBurk]

I don't think people are saying that we're going to crack the top four, but saying that... Tottenham, a team who play in Europe season in season out and finished one place outside of the top 4 are WITHOUT A SHADOW OF DOUBT a forward step from Southampton. The saints could easily finish 8-9 next year when they have the Europa league to contend with next season

One place outside and still a mile away from Champions League.

If he wants Champions League next season then we are not in a position to offer that for at least a few seasons. That's puts us at the same level as Liverpool if that helps fans egos.

 

[matty74]

Southampton could easily finish 13th or 14th next season with or without the Europa league

 

[ryantegan]

Dont undersell what we are. We have state of the art facilities, based in London with a huge fanbase. We have a top young manager with an exciting young squad. We have finacial stability and regularly compete in the toughest league as well as europe. We are ranked in the top 10 of global brands in our sport and we currently have spades in the ground to build a stadium costing 1\2 billion pounds.

Given the ambition we would be attractive to 99% of profeasional players around the world

 

[FreddieYid]

One place outside and still a mile away from Champions League.

If he wants Champions League next season then we are not in a position to offer that for at least a few seasons. That's puts us at the same level as Liverpool if that helps fans egos.

I'm not debating whether we will or will not get top 4. I'm challenging your statement that we're a sideways step from Southampton. It's fundamentally not true

 

[NHAndy]

"Guarded confidence".

Is that an expression? Can you have restrained or cautious confidence?

Probably guarded optimism.

You sparked my interest with this question.
The most notable uses of "guarded confidence" I found are when James Baker said "I have guarded confidence that peace is possible in the Middle East". That was in 1991.

The second time I found it was when an attempt was made to assassinate American politician George Wallace in 1972. Doctors expressed "guarded confidence" that Wallace would regain the use of his legs following surgery. Wallace remained paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life.

Historically, then, "guarded confidence" seems to mean "no chance". :0)

 

[dellybelly]

Southampton could easily finish 13th or 14th next season with or without the Europa league

So could 15 other clubs, including us. What's your point?

 

[mark87]

A move to us a sideways step from Southampton? Heard it all now. Is someone getting us confused with Swansea?

 

[Yid-ol]

So could 15 other clubs, including us. What's your point?

Only 1 club can finish in 13th or 14th, you can't get 15all finishing in the same spot

Ok seriously so could any club, not just 15... We have however finished top 6 or better consistently for a good many seasons now where as Southampton haven't, so we (IMO) are still a step up from Southampton in that respect.

 

[smudger]

Not much in it for Soton. Apart from £15m.

they'll be gettting at least 5 cut in from the right and shoot as soon as you see the white of the goals a game

 

[Geyzer Soze]

Southampton could easily finish 13th or 14th next season with or without the Europa league

As could we
But we're a big step up from s/Hampton as a club for any player for sure

 

[Greenspur]

So could 15 other clubs, including us. What's your point?

I'm afraid that 15 clubs cannot finish 13th or 14th. Only 2 can.

 

[dovahkiin]

jasper on so quoting 2 posts by lesallen, so has a nested sort of quoting system so i find it hard to understand exactly what hes replying to but its either about imbula to inter or levy in general struggling to do deals, probably the latter: Nothing of the sort Les. I am reasonably confident agreements is in place. Trippier is almost certain, but then again we have been there before. Targets in main has not changed and still confident. They won't be dragged out. This is my summary.

 

[CockOnBall]

A move to us a sideways step from Southampton? Heard it all now. Is someone getting us confused with Swansea?

Apparently, he watches question time though. Perhaps watching some football might be of benefit for this forum.

 

[alexis]

Cheers Speedy. That might be something @Rob needs to take a look at actually as it seems to be getting more and more popular.

PayPal?

 

[Gedson100]

Dont undersell what we are. We have state of the art facilities, based in London with a huge fanbase. We have a top young manager with an exciting young squad. We have finacial stability and regularly compete in the toughest league as well as europe. We are ranked in the top 10 of global brands in our sport and we currently have spades in the ground to build a stadium costing 1\2 billion pounds.

Given the ambition we would be attractive to 99% of profeasional players around the world

Shame it's only the top 1% we're interested in really

 

[GeneralBurk]

I'm not debating whether we will or will not get top 4. I'm challenging your statement that we're a sideways step from Southampton. It's fundamentally not true

So on that basis Newcastle are a step up from Soton because they have 50k fans watching and they have a bit of history?

The fact is Bale left us because his ambition and ability trajectory didn't match ours. Same with Suarez at Liverpool. Schneiderlin and Soton will possibly play out the same way.

None of these clubs look capable of showing the significant improvement required to challenge the top 4. That makes it a sideways step for me.

If Sturridge left Liverpool for Spurs would he be furthering his Champions League ambitions? No. Would Schneiderlin? No.

 

[Yid-ol]

So on that basis Newcastle are a step up from Soton because they have 50k fans watching and they have a bit of history?

The fact is Bale left us because his ambition and ability trajectory didn't match ours. Same with Suarez at Liverpool. Schneiderlin and Soton will possibly play out the same way.

None of these clubs look capable of showing the significant improvement required to challenge the top 4. That makes it a sideways step for me.

If Sturridge left Liverpool for Spurs would he be furthering his Champions League ambitions? No. Would Schneiderlin? No.

Ronaldo left man u for real, I guess they are sideways to Southampton also....