Xherdan Shaqiri - SIGNS FOR STOKE

[Nocando]

Another missed song opportunity.

 

[willy white wonka]

FFS

Do I really need to explain why the whole MS deal did not happen last summer? It has been explained on here 100s of times but you clearly missed or ignored what has been said.

Right.

Poch was appointed beginning of last summer.
MS went away with the France squad and said he wanted to concentrate on the world cup and sort out his future after.
WC ended Poch wanted to assess the current spurs squad before identifying areas to strengthen
Meanwhile the Southampton fire sale was happening ending with the sale of Chambers. The players sold had all been signed by teams that had targeted them before we even had Poch in place.
After Southampton saw the fans reaction to Chambers sale they refused to sell anyone else going back on a promise they had made to MS pre-WC.
MS even came out recently and confirmed this: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...outhampton-fans-burned-St-Mary-s-sold-me.html

Nothing to do with speed or conviction. More to do with the selling club blocking the move.

I think it had more to do with the price however in-depth your suggested explanation is. I don't think for a moment Poch needed to "assess the Spurs squad" before suddenly coming to the conclusion that his highly rated French midfield star whom he knew so well at S-hampton would be an upgrade ! The first thing Levy and Poch would have discussed would probably have been MS. There was too long a period when nothing was done for that explanation to be totally believable, if we'd really of wanted him then we would have found a way, no it was the price. The Daily Mail is not on my list of respected footballing outlets either, and quoting them doesn't exactly support your version of events.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Well to be fair Bojan was hardly pulling up trees at Ajax and Milan... just saying

That's the thing I'm trying to say. Sure, Bojan and Shaqiri are undoubtedly talented players. They will both be excellent for Stoke, and Bojan already has been.

The problem is they can't do it for a top club, they just don't have the game intelligence to do so. It's why it hasn't worked for them at any top side where they aren't the center of attention. It's why even in this bad spell Shaqiri looked decent for Switzerland. Stoke are a side that in a good campaign might now challenge for the last EL place. We are a side who would see dropping that low as quite a poor season.

 

[JUSTINSIGNAL]

I think it had more to do with the price however in-depth your suggested explanation is. I don't think for a moment Poch needed to "assess the Spurs squad" before suddenly coming to the conclusion that his highly rated French midfield star whom he knew so well at S-hampton would be an upgrade ! The first thing Levy and Poch would have discussed would probably have been MS. There was too long a period when nothing was done for that explanation to be totally believable, if we'd really of wanted him then we would have found a way, no it was the price. The Daily Mail is not on my list of respected footballing outlets either, and quoting them doesn't exactly support your version of events.

So you are ignoring the well reported facts and following your own agenda then? Thought that was the case.

BTW i'm not a Daily Mail reader but there are actual quotes from MS if you bother to read them. Not that I expect you too though as it doesn't support your anti-Levy agenda.

 

[wiggo24]

By buying overrated players?

Nah I'm good.

Fair point, I meant more in a finance sense. In the past these kind of clubs couldn't spend that much, but they are now, due to the TV deal.

 

[poc]

He will fit in decently well at Stoke, would not work for us. I'm telling you, I've watched him every step of his career. Just not intelligent enough in a footballing sense to play for a top side.

If we want a future Swiss star then let's sign Embolo.

Intelligence again just laugh every time I see this comment. How has this sentence become so fashionable with all the clearly Intelligent armchair footballers?

If played regularly, if he is nurtured this guy is a fantastic player.
Others seem to think you have to play like messi every week to be Good but if you watch the way he plays imo hes just what we have needed for a long time.

 

[Spurger King]

I'm jealous of Stoke.

Stoke.

 

[willy white wonka]

So you are ignoring the well reported facts and following your own agenda then? Thought that was the case.

BTW i'm not a Daily Mail reader but there are actual quotes from MS if you bother to read them. Not that I expect you too though as it doesn't support your anti-Levy agenda.

The quotes don't support your argument, just the background to him being potentially sold. For him to say that the S-Hampton fans "would have burnt down St. Mary's" expose his comments for what they are - generalisations. MS wouldn't have been privy to the detailed negotiations between the 2 clubs.

No it was obviously about the money. Levy has confirmed that in his recent statement (not to a newspaper either) that our transfer limit per purchase is restricted to £15m. The same would have probably been the case last summer. The previous years transfer spending was exceptional and solely due to the Bale windfall. Levy probably offered S-Hampton £15m, it was refused and that was the end of the matter, nothing more complicated than that.

If you want to interpret that as being an "anti-levy agenda" then that's your problem, but I'd say your being way too sensitive on the matter ! But you're going to have to accept at some stage that Levy's plan is long term relating to the construction of our stadium further down the line; purchases will be restricted in cost and youth will be given priority. The aim being for it all to come good several years down the line to coincide with our new ground. Forget top 4 for now and prepare for the long haul.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Intelligence again just laugh every time I see this comment. How has this sentence become so fashionable with all the clearly Intelligent armchair footballers?

If played regularly, if he is nurtured this guy is a fantastic player.
Others seem to think you have to play like messi every week to be Good but if you watch the way he plays imo hes just what we have needed for a long time.

No he's not, he is a foreign Townsend. It hurts to say because we all wanted him to be great, but it's not panning out. He doesn't make the decisions on the field that the top players can. Football intelligence may be a hipster term, but it's accurate.

 

[kaz Hirai]

Nice that other teams than the usual 6 get big players

 

[Toela65]

Watch him tear us apart in our first home game of the season lol.

At least you haven't got them at the Britannia first game of the season! LFC nearly bought him last Summer but wouldnt pay enough so he is a certainty to score and beat us if he does sign for them.

 

[Nerine]

Stoke won't finish above us next season.

 

[blanchflower007]

At last answer to my question as to why Inter are so happy to get rid for only 12 million

He apparently has a stipulation in his contract that if Inter didn't qualify for any European competition then a but out clause of £12m came in to effect

 

[blanchflower007]

I can't believe people are saying he's not good enough for us. If he gets regular game time in a good team with a good manager the guy will be amazing. It's an incredible bit of business from stoke could well be their VDV.

 

[poc]

No he's not, he is a foreign Townsend. It hurts to say because we all wanted him to be great, but it's not panning out. He doesn't make the decisions on the field that the top players can. Football intelligence may be a hipster term, but it's accurate.

Just no, he is and was in a different league to Townsend.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Just no, he is and was in a different league to Townsend.

I've watched him since he broke through at Basel and haven't missed a Switzerland game in 5 years. If his name was John Smith you wouldn't be clamoring like this over him. He's a great player when the team can run through him. He's distinctly average, sometimes very poor, when he is not the focus of a team. It's been the same with many of our recent signings - just look at Dempsey. Also, for all this talk of Poch's system, Shaqiri is not exactly a hard worker.

 

[poc]

I've watched him since he broke through at Basel and haven't missed a Switzerland game in 5 years. If his name was John Smith you wouldn't be clamoring like this over him. He's a great player when the team can run through him. He's distinctly average, sometimes very poor, when he is not the focus of a team. It's been the same with many of our recent signings - just look at Dempsey. Also, for all this talk of Poch's system, Shaqiri is not exactly a hard worker.

Just different perceptions I guess, he has a touch of class, he has the ability to change and win a game. He is the sort of player we could build around but if you see a bang average player then that's your prerogative. I suppose we agree on one thing, he needs to be the star of the team and in our team he would be just that in my opinion. Anyway looks like we are not interested.

 

[Carson35]

I think he means the deal represents a bit of a coup for a club of Stoke's level, and we should be ambitious in aiming to bring in players we would normally think are above our level.

Those players would choose Liverpool or arsenal...

 

[danielneeds]

To me, he just seems like a player who likes shooting from everywhere and hardly ever sees a better placed team mate.

 

[Strikeb4ck]

Just different perceptions I guess, he has a touch of class, he has the ability to change and win a game. He is the sort of player we could build around but if you see a bang average player then that's your prerogative. I suppose we agree on one thing, he needs to be the star of the team and in our team he would be just that in my opinion. Anyway looks like we are not interested.

Of course he does. He is supremely talented. I think he will do great for Stoke, like he would do great for Newcastle or Bournemouth or any other team where he is going to be the star of the show. As I said though, when he gets to the top teams where he is surrounded by players as good or better, he folds. That would be the case here. I think there is a reason no top clubs are really vying for him.