Saints keen to avoid bidding war for Astori (From Daily Echo)

Deja Vu, I think we already are in a bidding war, but as we will be getting nothing from the Club itself, we may never know.

Ther are some very simple things in this matter which seem to get tangled up in peoples minds.

1) I dont think that Cortese's mind set lets panic set in. He just holds for the best deal.

2) The recent criticism of the Ramirez deal is wholly unjustified. He will be a big star in this team.

3) The Lallana and Fonte position shows we lack depth in those positions. The Astori deal would go a long way to putting that right. I doubt we will end up with two of their players though. We shall see.

4) There is still a lot of January left
and Cortese will have other irons in the fire. All under wraps. I can live with that. If thats a problem it's in the minds of the press who crave news to sell papers.

Patience people !! All will be released soon,

Perhaps that should have been "revealed soon"..... its a bit early for me ..

Fail to see how this can be avoided with other clubs rumoured to be showing interest. Add to this the fact Saints are perceived to be a club with money to spend and at present are in a precarious league position NC will be pushed all the way. If as it is believed NC is a hard negotiator who will not be easily bullied into making a decision the longer this goes on the less likely Astori will become a Saint. Unlike the summer and the Ramirez situation time is not on our side. If this bid fails (assuming there is one!!) finding another suitable player will become almost impossible without paying over the odds because it will be known Saints are "desperate". This in turn suggests paying "over the odds" for Astori may well be the best option.

I thought this would be a no brainer article but its a good read. I already said that it would be good to get him signed early in the window (aka Ba, Cole) but NC likes a good haggle and won't want to pay over the odds.
But if we lose out, or don't agree a fee for the sake of £500k or so we may regret it..

Fail to see how this can be avoided with other clubs rumoured to be showing interest. Add to this the fact Saints are perceived to be a club with money to spend and at present are in a precarious league position NC will be pushed all the way. If as it is believed NC is a hard negotiator who will not be easily bullied into making a decision the longer this goes on the less likely Astori will become a Saint. Unlike the summer and the Ramirez situation time is not on our side. If this bid fails (assuming there is one!!) finding another suitable player will become almost impossible without paying over the odds because it will be known Saints are "desperate". This in turn suggests paying "over the odds" for Astori may well be the best option.

“The January window is notorious for clubs paying over the odds” – quite right, Torres to Chelski for 50M, Carroll to Liverpool for 35M spring to mind.
I hope we lock in our deals early this time, it could make all the difference.

Buttner saga was enough to test your patience last time, btw how’s it going playing in the reserves with the kids Alexander? .... Stupid boy Pike.

He can't be that good, Cagliari are doing worse than we are and have lost their last 6 games!

Desperate times call for desperate measures. NA needs a good centre-back, pronto. NC should avoid playing games and bring in Astori to play in our upcoming games starting at Villa, instead.

I have total faith in NC to bring in the right players, for the right money.

This scenario is exactly why he likes to keep all dealings under wraps, because fans like us get excited about certain names 'potentially joining the club' when we all know (or should do!) that there is alot involved and most transfers don't ever happen in this days and age... If we don't get Astori then i'm sure there will be another player on the radar we'll purchase instead... Stay Clam and Support the Saints!! :-)

This may all be paper-talk and a smokescreen to divert attention away from the real targets. We have come to expect the unexpected in signings so we could well end up with players coming in that no-one knew we were tracking.

Mush On The Beach wrote:
“The January window is notorious for clubs paying over the odds” – quite right, Torres to Chelski for 50M, Carroll to Liverpool for 35M spring to mind.
I hope we lock in our deals early this time, it could make all the difference.

Buttner saga was enough to test your patience last time, btw how’s it going playing in the reserves with the kids Alexander? .... Stupid boy Pike.

To be fair, if we'd signed Buttner then he wouldn't get in the first team ahead of Shaw.

People don't half go on about him but he really wasn't that much of a loss.

fred the red wrote:
This may all be paper-talk and a smokescreen to divert attention away from the real targets. We have come to expect the unexpected in signings so we could well end up with players coming in that no-one knew we were tracking.

That s what I was going to say, NC likes his smoke and mirror routine

Let's not waste too much time on this lad. We are desperate, but we aren't necessarily desperate for one particular player, or shouldn't be.

Anyway, if we genuinely walk away maybe his agent will be calling us in a couple of days if he's serious.

There are loads of players who would fit the bill for what we need sitting on benches around the country and probably across Europe. That doesn't mean they are bad players either.

Teams pay over the odds in January for sought-after players or top-end players, but if we just go in for the less fashionable models at less fashionable clubs we won't have a problem.

Note Villa last night. OK they got turned over, but they are an example of a club with some good players who just don't fit in with the manager's plans - Nzogbia isn't a terrible player, neither is Given, but Lambert isn't going to want to hold on to them and they both have a point to prove.

Not saying they are the answer for us, but there are loads of cheap but good options out there if we look for them.

Clubs may be desperate to buy in January, but they are also just as desperate these days to sell to make space for those players.

The key is getting the business done early or walking away and finding another option before it's too late.

Out of interest. something that's bugged me slightly in recent years - why, when we consistently provide great quality young players to top clubs, don't we have good two-way relationships with these clubs?

Surely we should be using our reputation to give us first refusal on great quality loan players at say Arsenal, Spurs, Man City etc, with the promise they will get an early call if one of our players opts to leave?

We rarely loan anyone from these clubs, but we must have built up some kind of a close relationship over the years (with Spurs and Arsenal anyway).

SaintJD wrote:
Out of interest. something that's bugged me slightly in recent years - why, when we consistently provide great quality young players to top clubs, don't we have good two-way relationships with these clubs?

Surely we should be using our reputation to give us first refusal on great quality loan players at say Arsenal, Spurs, Man City etc, with the promise they will get an early call if one of our players opts to leave?

We rarely loan anyone from these clubs, but we must have built up some kind of a close relationship over the years (with Spurs and Arsenal anyway).

That's something that i've always wondered, we rarely loan as many players as other clubs - Maybe this is because the management don't want to rely on a player doing well with the chance of then losing them... Most of the loaned out players from top clubs are done so for experience, they rarely stay at their loaned clubs permanently - NC is so shrewd that i'm sure he'd hate to raise a players profile just for their parent club to reap the rewards on a hyped transfer fee...

SaintJD wrote:
Let's not waste too much time on this lad. We are desperate, but we aren't necessarily desperate for one particular player, or shouldn't be.

Anyway, if we genuinely walk away maybe his agent will be calling us in a couple of days if he's serious.

There are loads of players who would fit the bill for what we need sitting on benches around the country and probably across Europe. That doesn't mean they are bad players either.

Teams pay over the odds in January for sought-after players or top-end players, but if we just go in for the less fashionable models at less fashionable clubs we won't have a problem.

Note Villa last night. OK they got turned over, but they are an example of a club with some good players who just don't fit in with the manager's plans - Nzogbia isn't a terrible player, neither is Given, but Lambert isn't going to want to hold on to them and they both have a point to prove.

Not saying they are the answer for us, but there are loads of cheap but good options out there if we look for them.

Clubs may be desperate to buy in January, but they are also just as desperate these days to sell to make space for those players.

The key is getting the business done early or walking away and finding another option before it's too late.

change of subject but picking up on the reference to Villa - on the evidence of their perforance last night we ought to win on Sat provided that we get enough crosses in. Then the thought occured that we don't often get to the byline and put crosses in, which is why, in my opinion, as well as Astori we need a good winger to provide some service to RL. If we can get behind them on Sat, turn them around and get crosses in we must win.

Have some faith in Cortese fella's, we know he'll be chasing a few players under wraps in case any prospective deal falls through. He's probably held out on the valuation just to spite the agent who took this public.

A few people are saying we should chase another central defender instead, as if the club have only scouted one possible candidate ha! This guy is a real uncompromising centre-back. I've watched him several times so far this season and I can think of very few defenders of his calibre that would be able to jump straight into an English dog fight, but his style of play matches perfectly. Defensive steel, internationally capped and only recently 26, 2-3 years off a CB's peak.

As for Coutinho, he's a capable winger as well as an attacking midfielder, my thinking is he'll be deployed on the right to either replace Punch or give him the positional competition to iron out a few inconsistencies in his performances.

Saints won't purchase an out and out winger as long-term strikers are Mayuka (pace) and Rodriguez (finishing), both only lacking confidence at this point. Cortese is always looking forward and good on him.

If Astori is the player NA wants then fine, persist in chasing him.

But IMO we need a second CB to be signed, maybe one that can be brought in quickly and under the radar, and who has Premier League experience.

We are one bad slip, trip, foul away from having Seabourne and Hooiveld as are CB's and potentially a return to the porous defence we had in August and September.

SaintJD wrote:
Let's not waste too much time on this lad. We are desperate, but we aren't necessarily desperate for one particular player, or shouldn't be.

Anyway, if we genuinely walk away maybe his agent will be calling us in a couple of days if he's serious.

There are loads of players who would fit the bill for what we need sitting on benches around the country and probably across Europe. That doesn't mean they are bad players either.

Teams pay over the odds in January for sought-after players or top-end players, but if we just go in for the less fashionable models at less fashionable clubs we won't have a problem.

Note Villa last night. OK they got turned over, but they are an example of a club with some good players who just don't fit in with the manager's plans - Nzogbia isn't a terrible player, neither is Given, but Lambert isn't going to want to hold on to them and they both have a point to prove.

Not saying they are the answer for us, but there are loads of cheap but good options out there if we look for them.

Clubs may be desperate to buy in January, but they are also just as desperate these days to sell to make space for those players.

The key is getting the business done early or walking away and finding another option before it's too late.

I’ve been saying Given is a readymade solution for us all season, but I guess Villa will not pass him on to a rival with their predicament unfolding.
N’Zogbia has never got going at Villa, yet he was class at Wigan, just shows there are no guarantees even in signing perceived quality players with a proven track record in the prem.

SaintBen wrote:

SaintJD wrote:
Out of interest. something that's bugged me slightly in recent years - why, when we consistently provide great quality young players to top clubs, don't we have good two-way relationships with these clubs?

Surely we should be using our reputation to give us first refusal on great quality loan players at say Arsenal, Spurs, Man City etc, with the promise they will get an early call if one of our players opts to leave?

We rarely loan anyone from these clubs, but we must have built up some kind of a close relationship over the years (with Spurs and Arsenal anyway).

That's something that i've always wondered, we rarely loan as many players as other clubs - Maybe this is because the management don't want to rely on a player doing well with the chance of then losing them... Most of the loaned out players from top clubs are done so for experience, they rarely stay at their loaned clubs permanently - NC is so shrewd that i'm sure he'd hate to raise a players profile just for their parent club to reap the rewards on a hyped transfer fee...

Yep, IMO loans should only be done if the player and loaning club would consider a permanent switch, so they have a real reason to perform and prove themselves to us.

I'm not one for the Redknapp style loanee like, er, Jamie Redknapp, who comes into a relegation battle knowing he's walking away at the end of it.

The idea of Danny Wellbeck joining Reading is just a weird one for me to get my head round this morning.

If we did look at signing a winger by the way, we could do worse than Downing or Scott Sinclair. Would be a bit weird to see Downing being loaned out to a Championship side. He's not the very best, granted, but he's a reliable crosser, tracks back and isn't a bad age. He's also been one of Liverpool's best performers since coming back in the last few games.

SaintJD wrote:
If we did look at signing a winger by the way, we could do worse than Downing or Scott Sinclair. Would be a bit weird to see Downing being loaned out to a Championship side. He's not the very best, granted, but he's a reliable crosser, tracks back and isn't a bad age. He's also been one of Liverpool's best performers since coming back in the last few games.

I doubt we could afford Downings wages....

SaintBen wrote:

SaintJD wrote:
If we did look at signing a winger by the way, we could do worse than Downing or Scott Sinclair. Would be a bit weird to see Downing being loaned out to a Championship side. He's not the very best, granted, but he's a reliable crosser, tracks back and isn't a bad age. He's also been one of Liverpool's best performers since coming back in the last few games.

I doubt we could afford Downings wages....

And based on how Man City have been splashing the cash in recent years, i'd doubt we'll be able to compete with what Scott Sinclair is earning also....

NC/NA in my opinion historically have never gone with any PL players from other clubs... We've always either bought from lower divisions, abroad or taken advantage of clubs in need of selling or the money... I think this will continue to be the case... Look at Astori and Coutinho (both clubs if you read the press need to sell for different reasons)...

SaintBen wrote:

SaintBen wrote:

SaintJD wrote:
If we did look at signing a winger by the way, we could do worse than Downing or Scott Sinclair. Would be a bit weird to see Downing being loaned out to a Championship side. He's not the very best, granted, but he's a reliable crosser, tracks back and isn't a bad age. He's also been one of Liverpool's best performers since coming back in the last few games.

I doubt we could afford Downings wages....

And based on how Man City have been splashing the cash in recent years, i'd doubt we'll be able to compete with what Scott Sinclair is earning also....

NC/NA in my opinion historically have never gone with any PL players from other clubs... We've always either bought from lower divisions, abroad or taken advantage of clubs in need of selling or the money... I think this will continue to be the case... Look at Astori and Coutinho (both clubs if you read the press need to sell for different reasons)...

True, and I'm the first to point out that the idea of us ever signing the likes of Frank Lampard is totally unrealistic.

In terms of us not buying Premier League players, that is true also, but then we've never been in the premier league before or had the pulling power to attract premier league players.

The point I'm making is that what you say suggests that we are avoiding the Premier League to get bargains, but the prices quoted for Ramirez and J-Rod (and the wages for Ramirez and likely Astori) suggest we are actually paying more than we might if we did what other clubs do and targeted players coming to the end of their contracts or surplus to requirements, certainly when it comes to defensive players.

Surplus to requirements doesn't mean failed either - sometimes players are in particularly good squads or simply don't fit in at a certain club, or the club needs the cash.

Astori for Jos is a no-brainer, but it is kind of like trading your Mini in for a Ferrari without looking for options in between or considering that you may be losing your job in the summer.

According to the Italian sports press, Milan are after Gaston Rameriez
http://www.football-
italia.net/29241/ram
irez-milan-radar

SaintJD wrote:

SaintBen wrote:

SaintBen wrote:

SaintJD wrote:
If we did look at signing a winger by the way, we could do worse than Downing or Scott Sinclair. Would be a bit weird to see Downing being loaned out to a Championship side. He's not the very best, granted, but he's a reliable crosser, tracks back and isn't a bad age. He's also been one of Liverpool's best performers since coming back in the last few games.

I doubt we could afford Downings wages....

And based on how Man City have been splashing the cash in recent years, i'd doubt we'll be able to compete with what Scott Sinclair is earning also....

NC/NA in my opinion historically have never gone with any PL players from other clubs... We've always either bought from lower divisions, abroad or taken advantage of clubs in need of selling or the money... I think this will continue to be the case... Look at Astori and Coutinho (both clubs if you read the press need to sell for different reasons)...

True, and I'm the first to point out that the idea of us ever signing the likes of Frank Lampard is totally unrealistic.

In terms of us not buying Premier League players, that is true also, but then we've never been in the premier league before or had the pulling power to attract premier league players.

The point I'm making is that what you say suggests that we are avoiding the Premier League to get bargains, but the prices quoted for Ramirez and J-Rod (and the wages for Ramirez and likely Astori) suggest we are actually paying more than we might if we did what other clubs do and targeted players coming to the end of their contracts or surplus to requirements, certainly when it comes to defensive players.

Surplus to requirements doesn't mean failed either - sometimes players are in particularly good squads or simply don't fit in at a certain club, or the club needs the cash.

Astori for Jos is a no-brainer, but it is kind of like trading your Mini in for a Ferrari without looking for options in between or considering that you may be losing your job in the summer.

SaintJD i totally agree with you, i just sense than NC is keen to be seen to do things 'his own way' and not go after the 'usual suspects' from other PL teams... But agree that there are many players that would do a job for us, although NC also seems to only be interested in players at the right age, that would have a sell-on value (which i think it's a sensible approach in terms of running the club as a self-sufficient business).

I may be biased here, but we've also seen alot of players coming to the club and actually becoming better players via our staff and training methods (hence most of the team was playing for us in League One and now the Prem) we have a good background in getting the best out of players...

anderoo wrote:
According to the Italian sports press, Milan are after Gaston Rameriez
http://www.football-

italia.net/29241/ram

irez-milan-radar

Yes, and it would be unlike Silvio Berlusconi to go for anyone who was beyond his means. :)

He was saying he'd like Pep as manager earlier this week, which is a bit like Venki's being linked with Maradona.

Question is, if they wanted him, why didn't they buy him in the summer and has he necessarily done anything to convince them in the meantime.

Clearly we won't sell. He's going to be a great player for us in future if we stay up and I think he looks worth the money we paid for him - you can see the quality he brings to the team and that's invaluable.

A very good swap deal involving two great defensive players plus cash would be the only possibility, but can't see NC wanting to do a U-turn on his recruitment policy unless something dramatic happened.

I don't think he'd respond well to the player sulking for a move either.

If Adam wasn't out long term there might be the slightest possibility, but he is. Unless the Brazilian we're linked with is a replacement?

SaintJD wrote:
If we did look at signing a winger by the way, we could do worse than Downing or Scott Sinclair. Would be a bit weird to see Downing being loaned out to a Championship side. He's not the very best, granted, but he's a reliable crosser, tracks back and isn't a bad age. He's also been one of Liverpool's best performers since coming back in the last few games.

No, No, No, No , No!!!!

Downing is not only one of the worst players to play for England, he may be the worst player to play for Liverpool too.

He makes one cross in 20 decent, most hit the first player, he can't tackle, his passing is poor and he runs with his head up his ARSEn Wenger!!

Go away and give youself a good talking too.

SaintBen wrote:

SaintJD wrote:

SaintBen wrote:

SaintBen wrote:

SaintJD wrote:
If we did look at signing a winger by the way, we could do worse than Downing or Scott Sinclair. Would be a bit weird to see Downing being loaned out to a Championship side. He's not the very best, granted, but he's a reliable crosser, tracks back and isn't a bad age. He's also been one of Liverpool's best performers since coming back in the last few games.

I doubt we could afford Downings wages....

And based on how Man City have been splashing the cash in recent years, i'd doubt we'll be able to compete with what Scott Sinclair is earning also....

NC/NA in my opinion historically have never gone with any PL players from other clubs... We've always either bought from lower divisions, abroad or taken advantage of clubs in need of selling or the money... I think this will continue to be the case... Look at Astori and Coutinho (both clubs if you read the press need to sell for different reasons)...

True, and I'm the first to point out that the idea of us ever signing the likes of Frank Lampard is totally unrealistic.

In terms of us not buying Premier League players, that is true also, but then we've never been in the premier league before or had the pulling power to attract premier league players.

The point I'm making is that what you say suggests that we are avoiding the Premier League to get bargains, but the prices quoted for Ramirez and J-Rod (and the wages for Ramirez and likely Astori) suggest we are actually paying more than we might if we did what other clubs do and targeted players coming to the end of their contracts or surplus to requirements, certainly when it comes to defensive players.

Surplus to requirements doesn't mean failed either - sometimes players are in particularly good squads or simply don't fit in at a certain club, or the club needs the cash.

Astori for Jos is a no-brainer, but it is kind of like trading your Mini in for a Ferrari without looking for options in between or considering that you may be losing your job in the summer.

SaintJD i totally agree with you, i just sense than NC is keen to be seen to do things 'his own way' and not go after the 'usual suspects' from other PL teams... But agree that there are many players that would do a job for us, although NC also seems to only be interested in players at the right age, that would have a sell-on value (which i think it's a sensible approach in terms of running the club as a self-sufficient business).

I may be biased here, but we've also seen alot of players coming to the club and actually becoming better players via our staff and training methods (hence most of the team was playing for us in League One and now the Prem) we have a good background in getting the best out of players...

True. My slight worry is that, if we pay big money for the likes of Gaston and Astori, NC is slightly departing from his original ethos.

Keeping them, in reality (rather than what might be written into their contracts), means we have to survive.

If we don't, Ramirez and Astori would not realistically stay.

That means other clubs have us over a barrel on a fee, because we'd need the money.

I'd thought in the past the idea was that we'd keep the majority of players and the nucleus of the team if we went down.

Add the fact that several of our young players have looked fantastic this year, and I think we'd struggle to hold on to six or seven of our first team squad.

Of course the other argument is to only think positively and not even consider that possibility. I like that NA style positivity too, so it's a tough one.

Exactly, he's highly unfashionable and underrated at the moment because he's become an easy target, meaning people overlook him, much like Crouch a few years ago.

My point exactly.

Bar Suarez and possibly Gerrard he's been Liverpool's best player in the last four weeks and, if he were playing for us and getting regular games, he'd look quality.

Not going to happen though. As others have said, he's probably on too high wages and maybe doesn't fit with our policy, so I understand that.

SaintJD wrote:

SaintBen wrote:

SaintJD wrote:

SaintBen wrote:

SaintBen wrote:

SaintJD wrote:
If we did look at signing a winger by the way, we could do worse than Downing or Scott Sinclair. Would be a bit weird to see Downing being loaned out to a Championship side. He's not the very best, granted, but he's a reliable crosser, tracks back and isn't a bad age. He's also been one of Liverpool's best performers since coming back in the last few games.

I doubt we could afford Downings wages....

And based on how Man City have been splashing the cash in recent years, i'd doubt we'll be able to compete with what Scott Sinclair is earning also....

NC/NA in my opinion historically have never gone with any PL players from other clubs... We've always either bought from lower divisions, abroad or taken advantage of clubs in need of selling or the money... I think this will continue to be the case... Look at Astori and Coutinho (both clubs if you read the press need to sell for different reasons)...

True, and I'm the first to point out that the idea of us ever signing the likes of Frank Lampard is totally unrealistic.

In terms of us not buying Premier League players, that is true also, but then we've never been in the premier league before or had the pulling power to attract premier league players.

The point I'm making is that what you say suggests that we are avoiding the Premier League to get bargains, but the prices quoted for Ramirez and J-Rod (and the wages for Ramirez and likely Astori) suggest we are actually paying more than we might if we did what other clubs do and targeted players coming to the end of their contracts or surplus to requirements, certainly when it comes to defensive players.

Surplus to requirements doesn't mean failed either - sometimes players are in particularly good squads or simply don't fit in at a certain club, or the club needs the cash.

Astori for Jos is a no-brainer, but it is kind of like trading your Mini in for a Ferrari without looking for options in between or considering that you may be losing your job in the summer.

SaintJD i totally agree with you, i just sense than NC is keen to be seen to do things 'his own way' and not go after the 'usual suspects' from other PL teams... But agree that there are many players that would do a job for us, although NC also seems to only be interested in players at the right age, that would have a sell-on value (which i think it's a sensible approach in terms of running the club as a self-sufficient business).

I may be biased here, but we've also seen alot of players coming to the club and actually becoming better players via our staff and training methods (hence most of the team was playing for us in League One and now the Prem) we have a good background in getting the best out of players...

True. My slight worry is that, if we pay big money for the likes of Gaston and Astori, NC is slightly departing from his original ethos.

Keeping them, in reality (rather than what might be written into their contracts), means we have to survive.

If we don't, Ramirez and Astori would not realistically stay.

That means other clubs have us over a barrel on a fee, because we'd need the money.

I'd thought in the past the idea was that we'd keep the majority of players and the nucleus of the team if we went down.

Add the fact that several of our young players have looked fantastic this year, and I think we'd struggle to hold on to six or seven of our first team squad.

Of course the other argument is to only think positively and not even consider that possibility. I like that NA style positivity too, so it's a tough one.

I think we can credit NC not to be signing players we can't afford if we get relegated. i'm sure some of them would certainly move on but we are now in a position where we don't have to be bullied by anybody and I really can't see him allowing himself to be pushed around. Personally I think the likes of Gaston would realise a profit for the club. However most of our side are now on long term contracts and NC really seems to be the type of person who will hold them to their contracts.I certainly wouldn't like to have to deal with him but everything he has done so far has been great for Saints and long may it continue.

Saints are trying to get a centre back on loan. There will be no buys this transfer window!!!!!

saintlysoul wrote:
Saints are trying to get a centre back on loan. There will be no buys this transfer window!!!!!

Bold statement...

...especially considering you won't put your money where your mouth is.

Baddesley Bill wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:
Saints are trying to get a centre back on loan. There will be no buys this transfer window!!!!!

Bold statement...

...especially considering you won't put your money where your mouth is.

Don't you consider it slightly concerning indeed disconcerting that on Tuesday next we are half way through January and not a hint of a signing. That to me speaks volumes. I would not be surprised if NC hasn't even Spoken to NA yet about transfers. The reality as I said yesterday is loan deals and I've no doubt poor old NA will have very little say in things. The awful corollary of that is that it will be NA who will subject to the fans dissent and ridicule when no new players are signed. I really wouldn't want to be in NAs shoes it must be so frustrating!!!!!!!

saintlysoul wrote:

Baddesley Bill wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:
Saints are trying to get a centre back on loan. There will be no buys this transfer window!!!!!

Bold statement...

...especially considering you won't put your money where your mouth is.

Don't you consider it slightly concerning indeed disconcerting that on Tuesday next we are half way through January and not a hint of a signing. That to me speaks volumes. I would not be surprised if NC hasn't even Spoken to NA yet about transfers. The reality as I said yesterday is loan deals and I've no doubt poor old NA will have very little say in things. The awful corollary of that is that it will be NA who will subject to the fans dissent and ridicule when no new players are signed. I really wouldn't want to be in NAs shoes it must be so frustrating!!!!!!!

Quite simple then...Take the bet, or stop trying to pretend you have insider information.

Well thankyou SaintlySoul
Im in your debt - at last someone who knows exactly whats happening at StMarys - you must be a very close personal friend of either NA or NC.

Baddesley Bill wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:

Baddesley Bill wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:
Saints are trying to get a centre back on loan. There will be no buys this transfer window!!!!!

Bold statement...

...especially considering you won't put your money where your mouth is.

Don't you consider it slightly concerning indeed disconcerting that on Tuesday next we are half way through January and not a hint of a signing. That to me speaks volumes. I would not be surprised if NC hasn't even Spoken to NA yet about transfers. The reality as I said yesterday is loan deals and I've no doubt poor old NA will have very little say in things. The awful corollary of that is that it will be NA who will subject to the fans dissent and ridicule when no new players are signed. I really wouldn't want to be in NAs shoes it must be so frustrating!!!!!!!

Quite simple then...Take the bet, or stop trying to pretend you have insider information.

Why are you obsessed with this bet? I've told you what I know. Me making a bet takes it no further. It's simple. You either accept what I've said or you don't. If you don't that's fine it's your prerogative.

saintlysoul wrote:

Baddesley Bill wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:

Baddesley Bill wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:
Saints are trying to get a centre back on loan. There will be no buys this transfer window!!!!!

Bold statement...

...especially considering you won't put your money where your mouth is.

Don't you consider it slightly concerning indeed disconcerting that on Tuesday next we are half way through January and not a hint of a signing. That to me speaks volumes. I would not be surprised if NC hasn't even Spoken to NA yet about transfers. The reality as I said yesterday is loan deals and I've no doubt poor old NA will have very little say in things. The awful corollary of that is that it will be NA who will subject to the fans dissent and ridicule when no new players are signed. I really wouldn't want to be in NAs shoes it must be so frustrating!!!!!!!

Quite simple then...Take the bet, or stop trying to pretend you have insider information.

Why are you obsessed with this bet? I've told you what I know. Me making a bet takes it no further. It's simple. You either accept what I've said or you don't. If you don't that's fine it's your prerogative.

I was just offering you a simple way to offering the foundation a donation (given what you supposedly know).

Surely that would be a win win bet?

andysaint wrote:
Well thankyou SaintlySoul Im in your debt - at last someone who knows exactly whats happening at StMarys - you must be a very close personal friend of either NA or NC.

Smiling........ Spot on !!!!

The idea of a successful businessman, multi millionaire and Exec to a £3billion corporation NC, being lost in the fog of the transfer window is laughable ........ A very hard businessman who will only pay for the right player at the right price.

We all want these players but at what cost, look at QPR for trying to build a side to quickly and our Blue friends! For what happens chasing the golden Rainbow!

Buddy SFC wrote:

andysaint wrote:
Well thankyou SaintlySoul Im in your debt - at last someone who knows exactly whats happening at StMarys - you must be a very close personal friend of either NA or NC.

Smiling........ Spot on !!!!

The idea of a successful businessman, multi millionaire and Exec to a £3billion corporation NC, being lost in the fog of the transfer window is laughable ........ A very hard businessman who will only pay for the right player at the right price.

We all want these players but at what cost, look at QPR for trying to build a side to quickly and our Blue friends! For what happens chasing the golden Rainbow!

So explain why he paid £12 million for Ramirez - right player? Right price? I don't think so!

saintlysoul wrote:

Buddy SFC wrote:

andysaint wrote:
Well thankyou SaintlySoul Im in your debt - at last someone who knows exactly whats happening at StMarys - you must be a very close personal friend of either NA or NC.

Smiling........ Spot on !!!!

The idea of a successful businessman, multi millionaire and Exec to a £3billion corporation NC, being lost in the fog of the transfer window is laughable ........ A very hard businessman who will only pay for the right player at the right price.

We all want these players but at what cost, look at QPR for trying to build a side to quickly and our Blue friends! For what happens chasing the golden Rainbow!

So explain why he paid £12 million for Ramirez - right player? Right price? I don't think so!

Ramirez is a footballing genius, and when the rest of the team start to cick with him you may have to accept you are wrong

saintlysoul wrote:

Buddy SFC wrote:

andysaint wrote:
Well thankyou SaintlySoul Im in your debt - at last someone who knows exactly whats happening at StMarys - you must be a very close personal friend of either NA or NC.

Smiling........ Spot on !!!!

The idea of a successful businessman, multi millionaire and Exec to a £3billion corporation NC, being lost in the fog of the transfer window is laughable ........ A very hard businessman who will only pay for the right player at the right price.

We all want these players but at what cost, look at QPR for trying to build a side to quickly and our Blue friends! For what happens chasing the golden Rainbow!

So explain why he paid £12 million for Ramirez - right player? Right price? I don't think so!

Mostly because he's foreign, I expect.

Folkestone Saint wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:

Buddy SFC wrote:

andysaint wrote:
Well thankyou SaintlySoul Im in your debt - at last someone who knows exactly whats happening at StMarys - you must be a very close personal friend of either NA or NC.

Smiling........ Spot on !!!!

The idea of a successful businessman, multi millionaire and Exec to a £3billion corporation NC, being lost in the fog of the transfer window is laughable ........ A very hard businessman who will only pay for the right player at the right price.

We all want these players but at what cost, look at QPR for trying to build a side to quickly and our Blue friends! For what happens chasing the golden Rainbow!

So explain why he paid £12 million for Ramirez - right player? Right price? I don't think so!

Ramirez is a footballing genius, and when the rest of the team start to cick with him you may have to accept you are wrong

IMO opinion it's sacrilegious to describe Ramirez as a 'footballing genius' Messi, Ronaldo, Best, Zidane, Cantona, Maridona, Cruff, Bergkhamp - they are / were football genius Ramirez isn't fit to clean their boots compared to them he's lightweight!

saintlysoul wrote:

Folkestone Saint wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:

Buddy SFC wrote:

andysaint wrote:
Well thankyou SaintlySoul Im in your debt - at last someone who knows exactly whats happening at StMarys - you must be a very close personal friend of either NA or NC.

Smiling........ Spot on !!!!

The idea of a successful businessman, multi millionaire and Exec to a £3billion corporation NC, being lost in the fog of the transfer window is laughable ........ A very hard businessman who will only pay for the right player at the right price.

We all want these players but at what cost, look at QPR for trying to build a side to quickly and our Blue friends! For what happens chasing the golden Rainbow!

So explain why he paid £12 million for Ramirez - right player? Right price? I don't think so!

Ramirez is a footballing genius, and when the rest of the team start to cick with him you may have to accept you are wrong

IMO opinion it's sacrilegious to describe Ramirez as a 'footballing genius' Messi, Ronaldo, Best, Zidane, Cantona, Maridona, Cruff, Bergkhamp - they are / were football genius Ramirez isn't fit to clean their boots compared to them he's lightweight!

Wait and see, I accept that you have an opinion however they are normally negative that is why I dismiss them

Folkestone Saint wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:

Folkestone Saint wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:

Buddy SFC wrote:

andysaint wrote:
Well thankyou SaintlySoul Im in your debt - at last someone who knows exactly whats happening at StMarys - you must be a very close personal friend of either NA or NC.

Smiling........ Spot on !!!!

The idea of a successful businessman, multi millionaire and Exec to a £3billion corporation NC, being lost in the fog of the transfer window is laughable ........ A very hard businessman who will only pay for the right player at the right price.

We all want these players but at what cost, look at QPR for trying to build a side to quickly and our Blue friends! For what happens chasing the golden Rainbow!

So explain why he paid £12 million for Ramirez - right player? Right price? I don't think so!

Ramirez is a footballing genius, and when the rest of the team start to cick with him you may have to accept you are wrong

IMO opinion it's sacrilegious to describe Ramirez as a 'footballing genius' Messi, Ronaldo, Best, Zidane, Cantona, Maridona, Cruff, Bergkhamp - they are / were football genius Ramirez isn't fit to clean their boots compared to them he's lightweight!

Wait and see, I accept that you have an opinion however they are normally negative that is why I dismiss them

Another one looking at like through rosé tinted spectacles take on board the positive ignor the negative and it'll go away. Let me exist in my ideal world don't let the real world get me! God you people bore me!!!

'Looking at life.' Sorry!

saintlysoul wrote:

Folkestone Saint wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:

Folkestone Saint wrote:

saintlysoul wrote:

Buddy SFC wrote:

andysaint wrote:
Well thankyou SaintlySoul Im in your debt - at last someone who knows exactly whats happening at StMarys - you must be a very close personal friend of either NA or NC.

Smiling........ Spot on !!!!

The idea of a successful businessman, multi millionaire and Exec to a £3billion corporation NC, being lost in the fog of the transfer window is laughable ........ A very hard businessman who will only pay for the right player at the right price.

We all want these players but at what cost, look at QPR for trying to build a side to quickly and our Blue friends! For what happens chasing the golden Rainbow!

So explain why he paid £12 million for Ramirez - right player? Right price? I don't think so!

Ramirez is a footballing genius, and when the rest of the team start to cick with him you may have to accept you are wrong

IMO opinion it's sacrilegious to describe Ramirez as a 'footballing genius' Messi, Ronaldo, Best, Zidane, Cantona, Maridona, Cruff, Bergkhamp - they are / were football genius Ramirez isn't fit to clean their boots compared to them he's lightweight!

Wait and see, I accept that you have an opinion however they are normally negative that is why I dismiss them

Another one looking at like through rosé tinted spectacles take on board the positive ignor the negative and it'll go away. Let me exist in my ideal world don't let the real world get me! God you people bore me!!!

Or is it "Let me exist in my gloomy, pessimistic world don't let the real world get me?"

I'm loving every second of watching SFC play in the best League in the World, players and Manager growing with the Experience ! Sad, me ! no way and boring , unless your a Poopy fan I don't think so !

Sometimes we have to bid more than our valuation to get what is best, it's the market value.
For instance I've just paid £400 for a 2nd hand workshop I thought it was only worth £300. But I was desperate I needed it before end of January. I paid it and now after seeing it I realise that I was wrong and the market was right, so much so that I think I ended up with a bargain!
Considering that a Russian team bid £12m for Astori back in the summer confirms the value. Apparently he did not fancy playing in Russia that's why the deal fell through.
So Nicola as wise and astute a business man as you are, sometimes you have to take a risk, and I'm sure this will be a risk worth taking.