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Southampton F.C.

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Comments

  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 12,399 Mod ✭✭✭✭Kingp35


    MrJoeSoap wrote:
    hopefully we can push for a playoff place.

    Is there much money available?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    Kingp35 wrote:
    Is there much money available?

    I'm not sure, we've sold sold sold this season, but mostly at vastly reduced prices to cut our wage bill. I think that once we can replace the loan signings who are going back we should do alright. Rasiak and Fuller are doing brilliantly now and David McGoldrick is on the verge of breaking through (I've a feeling he'll burst onto the scene like Walcott did). We've plenty of young talent there, with Surman, Bale etc... who should be well able to hold their own when called upon.

    How much money we have to spend could well depend on whether Lowe remains in charge. :(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    We just won that coca-cola competition and got a player worth £250,000!

    Unreal!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 992 ✭✭✭mchurl


    finally a change of luck!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    Consider what Gareth Bale has already achieved at just three months past his 17th birthday and speculate on what his footballing CV will look like in, say, 10 years time, if he continues at this incredible rate of progress. The mind boggles.

    At an age when many of his contemporaries are still fretting over whether they will be awarded their first professional contract, the Cardiff-born defender has already made his full international debut, crossed swords with Brazil and the incomparable Ronalinho, and scored two stunning free-kick goals in successive matches that few among the ranks of more seasoned players could match.

    What's more he's also made history as the youngest-ever Welsh international and their youngest ever goaslscorer, feats which may never be surpassed.

    And yet to spend time with the Southampton left-back is to wonder if any of this has really happened, so sensibly grounded is he, so modest. "Sometimes I do think about what's happened and have to pinch myself but really I'm just concentrating on the next match and working on improving my game," he said.

    So it's down to others to bang the Bale drum, wise footballing heads like John Toshack and Southampton manager George Burley though their words are couched in the restrained language that all managers reach for when the agenda concerns an exciting young prospect, fearful that too much praise might turn an impressionable mind.

    Injuries to first-choice full-backs Sam Ricketts and Mark Delaney have thrust Bale firmly into Toshack's plans for this EURO 2008 double-header with Slovakia and Cyprus. Only the truly gifted and those blessed with an even temperament can handle the step up to the international stage at such a tender age. The Wales chief believes Bale has all the qualities needed to make an impact with his country now and for many years to come.

    "When we had him with us in the summer (for the Trinidad and Tobago friendly where his appearance as a second-half substitute at 16 years 275 days made him the youngest Welsh international) we were quietly impressed with the little things he did," said the Wales chief.

    "Against Brazil Gareth did the things we were going to ask him to do before you had chance to tell him. He has a good head on him and every time we see him seems to be shooting up. We're aware that Southampton have left him out in recent games and as much as we understand their concern at rushing him we say if you're good enough you're old enough. I played at 16 for Cardiff and the lad marking me was 15, Leyton Orient's Paul Went."

    What were Bale's recollections of that game against Brazil? "It did feel strange lining up in the tunnel and seeing Ronaldinho on the other side but if you show you're scared of players like that they're going to beat you every time. There was one occasion when he had the ball in the corner and tried to take it past me but I managed to stop him. That was nice."

    From the local park around his Whitchurch home to a contest with Ronaldinho and Kaka ... the journey has been incredible so far. His uncle is the former Cardiff centre-forward Chris Pike so there was talent and a love of football already in the family. His father is an Arsenal supporter and that influenced a love of the North London club - they were rumoured to be on the point of making a bid on the August 31st deadline day - but as he grew up his own game was becoming all-important.

    "I was nine and playing in a tournament at Newport when a scout came up and asked if I wanted to go to the Southampton satellite academy at Bath to train. That was the start of it, I went there twice a week and at 15 I'd travel to Southampton once a week and train with the first-year scholars. I started off as a left-sided midfielder but a few years ago the club converted me to full-back."

    Offered a scholarship at 16, Bale moved into The Lodge in Southampton with the rest of the new recruits and his room-mate was Theo Walcott. "He's one of my closest friends and I still keep in touch with him now he's at Arsenal."

    Burley's arrival at the south coast club ten months ago was good news for the young Welshman, given that the new manager was a right-back of some distinction for Ipswich and Scotland. "I was playing quite well when the new manager came in and he gave me my debut at the end of last season against Millwall.

    "I remember thinking afterwards that the game was a lot more physical and the atmosphere more noisy than what I was used to. That meant you had to work hard on keeping your concentration."

    The opening game of this season, away to Derby County, saw Bale named in the line-up and a free-kick on the hour gave him the chance to demonstrate his set-piece prowess, curling the ball past Lee Camp to help Saints back into a game that eventually ended 2-2.

    Three days later, at home to Coventry, he repeated the feat in the same spectacular fashion - and on Saturday he did it again, this time for his country. His exquisite curling free-kick into the top right conrer was the one bright moment of a wretched day for Wales. A star was well and truly born.

    http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/articles/article.php?page_id=7587

    Taken from the Welsh programme notes vs Cyprus last night.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    Fair few seperate sources now saying that Burley is a strong contender to sign Steven Pressley.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/6168297.stm
    http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,,1968987,00.html


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 12,399 Mod ✭✭✭✭Kingp35


    A few sources have said that Leeds are trying to sign Pressley as well. Reports are suggesting that Rangers might be interested though and if they are I cant see him going to either Leeds or Southampton.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,346 ✭✭✭✭KdjaCL




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 720 ✭✭✭3greenrizla's


    there is a similar thread on thesaintsforum
    http://thesaintsforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=24

    any Irish Saints out there register there (you should be registered anyway ;)) or just PM me here & I will keep you updated if it gets off the ground.

    COYR we are on the up...back where we belong.

    westofshannonsaint


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 720 ✭✭✭3greenrizla's


    Oh & MrJoeSoap, do you still have that Bale vid?

    Saints have taken it off youtube (scabby feckers)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    Sorry never saw that last post, don't think I have it any more no, will have a look at some stage.
    Saints reveal proposed takeover
    Southampton
    Southampton have revealed that their plc board has agreed in principle to proposals which would see a mystery investment company buy into the club.

    The unnamed UK-based investor would purchase 55% of the shares in parent company Southampton Leisure Holdings.

    The investor has "confirmed that it has the financial capacity to support the club and strengthen the squad".

    The proposal, which would require the backing of shareholders, was revealed in a statement to the Stock Exchange.


    Saints reveal proposed takeover
    Southampton
    Southampton have revealed that their plc board has agreed in principle to proposals which would see a mystery investment company buy into the club.

    The unnamed UK-based investor would purchase 55% of the shares in parent company Southampton Leisure Holdings.

    The investor has "confirmed that it has the financial capacity to support the club and strengthen the squad".

    The proposal, which would require the backing of shareholders, was revealed in a statement to the Stock Exchange.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/7056798.stm

    http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/news/?page_id=9158
    West Ham have agreed to extend Christian Dailly's stay at St. Mary's for a further month, boosting manager George Burley's defensive options.

    http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/articles/article.php?page_id=9159

    Plenty of Saints news today.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,148 ✭✭✭✭Raskolnikov


    Is Alan Bennett getting his game at all for the Saints?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 720 ✭✭✭3greenrizla's


    http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1790757.mostviewed.saints_big_three_want_answers.php

    Rupert Lowe, Leon Crouch, & Mike Wilde have joined forces & it looks like they are going to block the new "investment"

    Bennett got a game against Cardiff, but eventhoug he had a decent game, has since been dropped in favour of Viafara in defense.

    bennett thread = http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055169352


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    Do we not get a "Superthread" warning? :)

    Another defeat last night. "This train is for League Two, calling at... League One."


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 41,926 ✭✭✭✭_blank_


    MrJoeSoap wrote: »
    Do we not get a "Superthread" warning? :)
    Southampton r teh suXXorz :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,117 ✭✭✭✭MrJoeSoap


    DesF wrote: »
    Southampton r teh suXXorz :D

    Wtf?? Troll!!1!


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