Claus 'still has a role to play'
 |
| Claus Lundekvam |
CLAUS Lundekvam has been told by Nigel Pearson: You've still got a role to play in keeping us up.
Lundekvam has been forced to admit defeat in his battle to overcome serious ankle problems and will officially retire at the end of the season.
However, after 12 years at the club Lundekvam remains a hugely respected figure.
Saints boss Pearson believes his very presence around the dressing room could be enough to help inspire others.
An emotional Lundekvam told the Daily Echo yesterday that he felt he could still have an influence if he was fit to play.
Pearson agrees - but believes he can contribute in other ways.
He said: "I'm absolutely certain he would have an influence.
"The other thing is in this period he still has an influence in the dressing room which is a very positive one for somebody like him.
Full story in today's Daily Echo
6:00am Wednesday 26th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Dismayed on 7:09am Wed 26 Mar 08
We need all the help we can get!
We need all the help we can get!
Posted by: Russ Baker, Totton on 7:24am Wed 26 Mar 08
What ever happened to this players Testimonial match. To be with one club for over 10 years is a rarity these days but I havent heard any mention of it.
What ever happened to this players Testimonial match. To be with one club for over 10 years is a rarity these days but I havent heard any mention of it.
Posted by: Phil Martin, Fareham on 8:10am Wed 26 Mar 08
It was on Meridian last night - July 18th against Celtic apparently. Strach is back!
It was on Meridian last night - July 18th against Celtic apparently. Strach is back!
Posted by: Russ Baker, Totton on 8:12am Wed 26 Mar 08
Thanks Phil
Hopefully it will be a Sell out.
He deserves it.
Thanks Phil
Hopefully it will be a Sell out.
He deserves it.
Posted by: stripey on 8:20am Wed 26 Mar 08
Claus has been a great servant to the club. Football careers don't last long. That is something the likes of BWP need to understand. Don't waste time. BWP has looked like he has just been going through the motions for quite a while. Shame to see a lad with such potential loose his way on and off the pitch. I guess one is symptomatic of the other. C'mon lads. Do it for Claus!
Claus has been a great servant to the club. Football careers don't last long. That is something the likes of BWP need to understand. Don't waste time. BWP has looked like he has just been going through the motions for quite a while. Shame to see a lad with such potential loose his way on and off the pitch. I guess one is symptomatic of the other. C'mon lads. Do it for Claus!
Posted by: sherbie28, devon barnstaple on 8:34am Wed 26 Mar 08
hiya im pretty disapointed with the saints i know saints are a premierleague side and im goin up to watch saints v bristol city i know saints have to get a couple of results in a row so im gonna sing my heart out for the saints and hope we get the result we need
comn saints
hiya im pretty disapointed with the saints i know saints are a premierleague side and im goin up to watch saints v bristol city i know saints have to get a couple of results in a row so im gonna sing my heart out for the saints and hope we get the result we need
comn saints
Posted by: Osama Bin Laden, A Cave far far away on 9:32am Wed 26 Mar 08
Every team needs a waterboy..........
Every team needs a waterboy..........
Posted by: Forest Saint, Brockenhurst on 9:48am Wed 26 Mar 08
Well said NP..
After all, we might as well make Claus work for his wages from now til the end of the season.
[bold]Sentiment takes a back seat when we are financially challenged !![/bold]
Well said NP..
After all, we might as well make Claus work for his wages from now til the end of the season.
Sentiment takes a back seat when we are financially challenged !! Posted by: DelgadosKnee, Brighton on 10:50am Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Forest Saint[/bold] wrote:
Well said NP.. After all, we might as well make Claus work for his wages from now til the end of the season. [bold]Sentiment takes a back seat when we are financially challenged !![/bold] [/quote] Agreed Forest Saint. We need someone to mop down in the gents between kick off and half time so the floors are nice and shiny when I take my half time p!ss. Step to it, Claus.
He can also flip burgers in the refreshment stand at half time (assuming he washes his hands first).
Forest Saint wrote:
Well said NP.. After all, we might as well make Claus work for his wages from now til the end of the season. Sentiment takes a back seat when we are financially challenged !!
Agreed Forest Saint. We need someone to mop down in the gents between kick off and half time so the floors are nice and shiny when I take my half time p!ss. Step to it, Claus.
He can also flip burgers in the refreshment stand at half time (assuming he washes his hands first).
Posted by: Michael Svensson on 11:41am Wed 26 Mar 08
He could give me his knee.
He could give me his knee.
Posted by: glen, southhampton on 12:12pm Wed 26 Mar 08
who thinks Andrew Davies should be our club captain next season thats if we can keep him i mean i think hes a class act could walk into any championship team plus hes only 22 and our player of the season
who thinks Andrew Davies should be our club captain next season thats if we can keep him i mean i think hes a class act could walk into any championship team plus hes only 22 and our player of the season
Posted by: Sniper on 1:15pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Russ Baker[/bold] wrote:
Thanks Phil Hopefully it will be a Sell out. He deserves it.[/quote] Did Matt Oakley deserve a testimonial? He had been with Saints longer than Claus.
I would hope that Claus gives the proceeds from the testimonial to charity.
Russ Baker wrote:
Thanks Phil Hopefully it will be a Sell out. He deserves it.
Did Matt Oakley deserve a testimonial? He had been with Saints longer than Claus.
I would hope that Claus gives the proceeds from the testimonial to charity.
Posted by: Saints Forever, London on 1:57pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]DelgadosKnee[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]Forest Saint[/bold] wrote:
Well said NP.. After all, we might as well make Claus work for his wages from now til the end of the season. [bold]Sentiment takes a back seat when we are financially challenged !![/bold] [/quote] Agreed Forest Saint. We need someone to mop down in the gents between kick off and half time so the floors are nice and shiny when I take my half time p!ss. Step to it, Claus.
He can also flip burgers in the refreshment stand at half time (assuming he washes his hands first).[/quote] You are the biggest d*ckhead I have ever heard on this website, and that includes all the skates who regularly abuse this site!
Southampton don't need you supporting them, why don't you just F*ck off and die!
DelgadosKnee wrote:
Forest Saint wrote:
Well said NP.. After all, we might as well make Claus work for his wages from now til the end of the season. Sentiment takes a back seat when we are financially challenged !!
Agreed Forest Saint. We need someone to mop down in the gents between kick off and half time so the floors are nice and shiny when I take my half time p!ss. Step to it, Claus.
He can also flip burgers in the refreshment stand at half time (assuming he washes his hands first).
You are the biggest d*ckhead I have ever heard on this website, and that includes all the skates who regularly abuse this site!
Southampton don't need you supporting them, why don't you just F*ck off and die!
Posted by: Forest Saint, Brockenhurst on 2:11pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Saints Forever[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]DelgadosKnee[/bold] wrote: [quote][bold]Forest Saint[/bold] wrote: Well said NP.. After all, we might as well make Claus work for his wages from now til the end of the season. [bold]Sentiment takes a back seat when we are financially challenged !![/bold] [/quote] Agreed Forest Saint. We need someone to mop down in the gents between kick off and half time so the floors are nice and shiny when I take my half time p!ss. Step to it, Claus. He can also flip burgers in the refreshment stand at half time (assuming he washes his hands first).[/quote] You are the biggest d*ckhead I have ever heard on this website, and that includes all the skates who regularly abuse this site! Southampton don't need you supporting them, why don't you just F*ck off and die![/quote] Charming.
Listen - my concern as a Saints Supporter for 28 years is this.
Claus has been a loyal servant to the club, although in our current financial plight, we could bring in probably TWO loan players on the sort of wages he will be on.
Now, if his loyalty was to be shown, he would walk away now, knowing that a lucrative testimonial is booked already, and knowing that by relieving the club of the wages he draws (now without contributing on the playing side) he COULD help us bring in players that could keep us in this League.
Pie in the Sky probably, but that's when you find out who has their nose in the trough, and those who really care.
Paul Telfer set the standard by walking away from AFCB when he could no longer contribute, in order to save the club money.
Don't start the 'I'm a better fan than you are' malarkey - it's a game that no-one will win.
Saints Forever wrote:
DelgadosKnee wrote: Forest Saint wrote: Well said NP.. After all, we might as well make Claus work for his wages from now til the end of the season. Sentiment takes a back seat when we are financially challenged !!
Agreed Forest Saint. We need someone to mop down in the gents between kick off and half time so the floors are nice and shiny when I take my half time p!ss. Step to it, Claus. He can also flip burgers in the refreshment stand at half time (assuming he washes his hands first).
You are the biggest d*ckhead I have ever heard on this website, and that includes all the skates who regularly abuse this site! Southampton don't need you supporting them, why don't you just F*ck off and die!
Charming.
Listen - my concern as a Saints Supporter for 28 years is this.
Claus has been a loyal servant to the club, although in our current financial plight, we could bring in probably TWO loan players on the sort of wages he will be on.
Now, if his loyalty was to be shown, he would walk away now, knowing that a lucrative testimonial is booked already, and knowing that by relieving the club of the wages he draws (now without contributing on the playing side) he COULD help us bring in players that could keep us in this League.
Pie in the Sky probably, but that's when you find out who has their nose in the trough, and those who really care.
Paul Telfer set the standard by walking away from AFCB when he could no longer contribute, in order to save the club money.
Don't start the 'I'm a better fan than you are' malarkey - it's a game that no-one will win.
Posted by: Damo, Away from home on 2:26pm Wed 26 Mar 08
Excellent post Forest.
Casting adrift the mighty Claus could help us financially and mentally. He's a totem from our hallowed past, when a visit to SMS/The Dell was to be feared. It's no longer the case, shaky defence, no quality (actually more like no consistent finisher) in final third and most of all lack passion, make a visit to SMS more of a day out. This 'I'm considerably better than you' (said in NE accent) attitude needs to be shed. The lads need to fight tooth 'n' nail for every result from here on in.
Reality does indeed bite, let's hope the teeth don't sink too deeply.
C'mon Saints
Excellent post Forest.
Casting adrift the mighty Claus could help us financially and mentally. He's a totem from our hallowed past, when a visit to SMS/The Dell was to be feared. It's no longer the case, shaky defence, no quality (actually more like no consistent finisher) in final third and most of all lack passion, make a visit to SMS more of a day out. This 'I'm considerably better than you' (said in NE accent) attitude needs to be shed. The lads need to fight tooth 'n' nail for every result from here on in.
Reality does indeed bite, let's hope the teeth don't sink too deeply.
C'mon Saints
Posted by: Saints Supporter, London on 3:32pm Wed 26 Mar 08
So Forest and Damo what you are basically saying is as an employee working for a struggling company (through the result of poor management) if you became unable to work at your chosen profession your would do the honerable thing and leave? No sick pay or notice period or anything?
Alternatively you could stay with your current employer and use your considerable experience and knowledge in the profession to hopefully save the company from imminent threat of administration though teaching them what you have learnt?
Such knowledge as:
How it feels to play in a team playing for their lives, keep their nerve work together and not get relegated?
How to play in a team that does get relegated and how it feels?
How to defend? Claus was a good defender, excellent at times his legs don't get him there now but his mind still knows where to go!
How to put yourself second and and your work first. Many times Claus has played with injuries indeed a face mask I seem to remember?
I am a little fed up with this and I fear the rath of the supporter 'loyalty' word! We expect total loyalty from our players (how many are at the club now since the FA cup Final?) yet they get injured playing for us (possibly having issues with injuries they played with which caused serious long term damage)and we show our loyalty with comments about cleaning toilets and leaving to save money?
Football clubs exist when they realise that they are essentially just another business. Football entertainment is the product they sell, the supporters, tv companies and advertisers buy it? Premiership football is a high quality product, to achieve this takes highly skilled, highly paid personnel. Championship football is not such a good product, you therefore lower the price, have less people buying it!
Rupert Lowe invested to ensure that we produced a Premiership product, he ensured we had a stadium so that supply could meet demand etc. What he did wrong was at a time when to ensure the club keeped suppying Premiership football needed investment he cut costs! The worst example is in management costs! Rather than pay a top manager he went for the cheap option and therefore we became a badly managed football team, quick fire desperate changes compounded this. We were unable to produce decent football and other teams passed us by!
Now we are at a stage where the upper management has been replaced due to that mistake! One mistake in a reasonably successful reign. No upper management team ever since has either had the ability or capability to raise the investment needed to bridge the ever growing gap between where we once were and where we are now! The quick fixes that compounded the issue on the field are being replayed at upper management level and therefore these issues are also being compounded!
If Saints are going to be a successful football club in the forseeable future we need to forget what we were 5 years ago! Stop trying to bring back the spirit of the Dell, stop thinking we are a Premiership club currently having a break in the Championship.
Southampton Football Club has many plus points and one of which is a loyal fan base. I guess the figure must be about 15 to 18 thousand? That I guess is the number of people that will attend no matter what division we are in.
These fans gain their satisfaction primarily from supporting their football team through thick and thin. There are probably another 15 thousand football fans that gain their satisfaction primarily from watching quality football they may even support other clubs? I have nothing against this. Maybe we should call the first football supporters and the second football fans? All I know is that the club caters for both so why should we exclude anyone? In fact the club caters for non football fans, corporate, Bon Jovi etc. It's money at the end of the day.
Let's lower the price for matches, the 15'000 supporters win and the football fans will get their value for money, less quality product will sell for less money?
Season tickets should contain a 20% discount if we get relegated? Then your hands are not tied re the per match ticket. Friends have told me that the FA etc. set ticket prices so they must therefore take the blame for the huge empty stands of £25 tickets I see all around me which subsequently reduces the atmosphere which by the way is another factor why people attend football matches.
We need to admit where we are and what situation we are in. Knowing how we got here is useful so we can ensure we learn from our mistakes. Yes next time we are securely in the Premiership we will remember not to hire inexperienced untried management! But how are we ever going to get back to the Premiership without stopping the decline?
Let's get some continuity in both players and management at all levels. Live within our means not overspending hoping we will be bailed out by investment? Yes there is a risk you need to invest to be promoted but get stability and the basics right and you can achieve consistancy.
I have no idea of the full situation or answers but just being angry about things and looking at what we used to have will not get us anything but more of the same.
I needed a rant and apologise for the essay!
Claus, thank you for your contribution to my football and feel free to enjoy every penny that you get from my testimonial ticket.
So Forest and Damo what you are basically saying is as an employee working for a struggling company (through the result of poor management) if you became unable to work at your chosen profession your would do the honerable thing and leave? No sick pay or notice period or anything?
Alternatively you could stay with your current employer and use your considerable experience and knowledge in the profession to hopefully save the company from imminent threat of administration though teaching them what you have learnt?
Such knowledge as:
How it feels to play in a team playing for their lives, keep their nerve work together and not get relegated?
How to play in a team that does get relegated and how it feels?
How to defend? Claus was a good defender, excellent at times his legs don't get him there now but his mind still knows where to go!
How to put yourself second and and your work first. Many times Claus has played with injuries indeed a face mask I seem to remember?
I am a little fed up with this and I fear the rath of the supporter 'loyalty' word! We expect total loyalty from our players (how many are at the club now since the FA cup Final?) yet they get injured playing for us (possibly having issues with injuries they played with which caused serious long term damage)and we show our loyalty with comments about cleaning toilets and leaving to save money?
Football clubs exist when they realise that they are essentially just another business. Football entertainment is the product they sell, the supporters, tv companies and advertisers buy it? Premiership football is a high quality product, to achieve this takes highly skilled, highly paid personnel. Championship football is not such a good product, you therefore lower the price, have less people buying it!
Rupert Lowe invested to ensure that we produced a Premiership product, he ensured we had a stadium so that supply could meet demand etc. What he did wrong was at a time when to ensure the club keeped suppying Premiership football needed investment he cut costs! The worst example is in management costs! Rather than pay a top manager he went for the cheap option and therefore we became a badly managed football team, quick fire desperate changes compounded this. We were unable to produce decent football and other teams passed us by!
Now we are at a stage where the upper management has been replaced due to that mistake! One mistake in a reasonably successful reign. No upper management team ever since has either had the ability or capability to raise the investment needed to bridge the ever growing gap between where we once were and where we are now! The quick fixes that compounded the issue on the field are being replayed at upper management level and therefore these issues are also being compounded!
If Saints are going to be a successful football club in the forseeable future we need to forget what we were 5 years ago! Stop trying to bring back the spirit of the Dell, stop thinking we are a Premiership club currently having a break in the Championship.
Southampton Football Club has many plus points and one of which is a loyal fan base. I guess the figure must be about 15 to 18 thousand? That I guess is the number of people that will attend no matter what division we are in.
These fans gain their satisfaction primarily from supporting their football team through thick and thin. There are probably another 15 thousand football fans that gain their satisfaction primarily from watching quality football they may even support other clubs? I have nothing against this. Maybe we should call the first football supporters and the second football fans? All I know is that the club caters for both so why should we exclude anyone? In fact the club caters for non football fans, corporate, Bon Jovi etc. It's money at the end of the day.
Let's lower the price for matches, the 15'000 supporters win and the football fans will get their value for money, less quality product will sell for less money?
Season tickets should contain a 20% discount if we get relegated? Then your hands are not tied re the per match ticket. Friends have told me that the FA etc. set ticket prices so they must therefore take the blame for the huge empty stands of £25 tickets I see all around me which subsequently reduces the atmosphere which by the way is another factor why people attend football matches.
We need to admit where we are and what situation we are in. Knowing how we got here is useful so we can ensure we learn from our mistakes. Yes next time we are securely in the Premiership we will remember not to hire inexperienced untried management! But how are we ever going to get back to the Premiership without stopping the decline?
Let's get some continuity in both players and management at all levels. Live within our means not overspending hoping we will be bailed out by investment? Yes there is a risk you need to invest to be promoted but get stability and the basics right and you can achieve consistancy.
I have no idea of the full situation or answers but just being angry about things and looking at what we used to have will not get us anything but more of the same.
I needed a rant and apologise for the essay!
Claus, thank you for your contribution to my football and feel free to enjoy every penny that you get from my testimonial ticket.
Posted by: sailor sam, portsmouth on 4:38pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]sherbie28[/bold] wrote:
hiya im pretty disapointed with the saints i know saints are a premierleague side and im goin up to watch saints v bristol city i know saints have to get a couple of results in a row so im gonna sing my heart out for the saints and hope we get the result we need comn saints[/quote] I am sorry to disappoint you sherbie28, but the Stains have not been a Premier League side for a number of seasons now.
I am glad that you will be going to see them in inaction against Bristol City, as it could well be the last time you see them in the Championship for a number of years!
sherbie28 wrote:
hiya im pretty disapointed with the saints i know saints are a premierleague side and im goin up to watch saints v bristol city i know saints have to get a couple of results in a row so im gonna sing my heart out for the saints and hope we get the result we need comn saints
I am sorry to disappoint you sherbie28, but the Stains have not been a Premier League side for a number of seasons now.
I am glad that you will be going to see them in inaction against Bristol City, as it could well be the last time you see them in the Championship for a number of years!
Posted by: Dave K, Hedge End on 5:05pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]sailor sam[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]sherbie28[/bold] wrote: hiya im pretty disapointed with the saints i know saints are a premierleague side and im goin up to watch saints v bristol city i know saints have to get a couple of results in a row so im gonna sing my heart out for the saints and hope we get the result we need comn saints[/quote] I am sorry to disappoint you sherbie28, but the Stains have not been a Premier League side for a number of seasons now. I am glad that you will be going to see them in inaction against Bristol City, as it could well be the last time you see them in the Championship for a number of years! [/quote] 3 seasons Sam. Not exactly a long time.
Does it not worry you that 5 Years ago we got to the FA Cup final and finished 8th in the league which is very similar to your season this year.
My point is that with your limited resources and an owner who does not seem too commited it could all fall to pieces like it did for us? If it did then I think Pompey would be even less an attractive acquisition for a rich sugar daddy than we are.
sailor sam wrote:
sherbie28 wrote: hiya im pretty disapointed with the saints i know saints are a premierleague side and im goin up to watch saints v bristol city i know saints have to get a couple of results in a row so im gonna sing my heart out for the saints and hope we get the result we need comn saints
I am sorry to disappoint you sherbie28, but the Stains have not been a Premier League side for a number of seasons now. I am glad that you will be going to see them in inaction against Bristol City, as it could well be the last time you see them in the Championship for a number of years!
3 seasons Sam. Not exactly a long time.
Does it not worry you that 5 Years ago we got to the FA Cup final and finished 8th in the league which is very similar to your season this year.
My point is that with your limited resources and an owner who does not seem too commited it could all fall to pieces like it did for us? If it did then I think Pompey would be even less an attractive acquisition for a rich sugar daddy than we are.
Posted by: Ric Flair on 5:52pm Wed 26 Mar 08
what, so he's got to play with one leg
what, so he's got to play with one leg
Posted by: Deano, Andover on 6:13pm Wed 26 Mar 08
This site is getting worse everyday, the amount of boll**ks that gets written on here is ****. Rather than slag or write the stuff on here that you do, go to a game and gtive your support. Sorry to all those on here who actually go to games, but the majority don't. Writing posts on here at 4.55pm on a Saturday, with me travelling back from Blackpool or travelling down the M3 at this time. Does my head in reading the sh** on here...
This site is getting worse everyday, the amount of boll**ks that gets written on here is ****. Rather than slag or write the stuff on here that you do, go to a game and gtive your support. Sorry to all those on here who actually go to games, but the majority don't. Writing posts on here at 4.55pm on a Saturday, with me travelling back from Blackpool or travelling down the M3 at this time. Does my head in reading the sh** on here...
Posted by: stan the van, coming out of hiding on 7:00pm Wed 26 Mar 08
To saints supporter "London" you are bang on old son. been supporting saints for 32 years now,they will always break your heart,but for the first time in all those years I feel that NP is the real deal. Just got to keep hold of him,Claus would get into the all time "great"saints teams alongside le tiss,osgood,keegan etc etc Well done CL you have done this club proud --thanks for the memories!!!
To saints supporter "London" you are bang on old son. been supporting saints for 32 years now,they will always break your heart,but for the first time in all those years I feel that NP is the real deal. Just got to keep hold of him,Claus would get into the all time "great"saints teams alongside le tiss,osgood,keegan etc etc Well done CL you have done this club proud --thanks for the memories!!!
Posted by: john, basingstoke on 7:40pm Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Deano[/bold] wrote:
This site is getting worse everyday, the amount of boll**ks that gets written on here is ****. Rather than slag or write the stuff on here that you do, go to a game and gtive your support. Sorry to all those on here who actually go to games, but the majority don't. Writing posts on here at 4.55pm on a Saturday, with me travelling back from Blackpool or travelling down the M3 at this time. Does my head in reading the sh** on here...[/quote] well said. Go and support your team rather than just **** about them. Forget which players you like/hate, forget whether you like the manager and forget about the board. just get your backside to saint marys
Deano wrote:
This site is getting worse everyday, the amount of boll**ks that gets written on here is ****. Rather than slag or write the stuff on here that you do, go to a game and gtive your support. Sorry to all those on here who actually go to games, but the majority don't. Writing posts on here at 4.55pm on a Saturday, with me travelling back from Blackpool or travelling down the M3 at this time. Does my head in reading the sh** on here...
well said. Go and support your team rather than just **** about them. Forget which players you like/hate, forget whether you like the manager and forget about the board. just get your backside to saint marys
Posted by: ART, Montpellier France on 8:37pm Wed 26 Mar 08
It's high time the ECHO restricted the number of words per comment like most of the online newspapers. I used to really enjoy reading the reaction to articles but it's being abused and has ruined the whole idea put forward by the ECHO
It's high time the ECHO restricted the number of words per comment like most of the online newspapers. I used to really enjoy reading the reaction to articles but it's being abused and has ruined the whole idea put forward by the ECHO
Posted by: Solent Saint, Netley on 7:45am Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Saints Supporter[/bold] wrote:
So Forest and Damo what you are basically saying is as an employee working for a struggling company (through the result of poor management) if you became unable to work at your chosen profession your would do the honerable thing and leave? No sick pay or notice period or anything? Alternatively you could stay with your current employer and use your considerable experience and knowledge in the profession to hopefully save the company from imminent threat of administration though teaching them what you have learnt? Such knowledge as: How it feels to play in a team playing for their lives, keep their nerve work together and not get relegated? How to play in a team that does get relegated and how it feels? How to defend? Claus was a good defender, excellent at times his legs don't get him there now but his mind still knows where to go! How to put yourself second and and your work first. Many times Claus has played with injuries indeed a face mask I seem to remember? I am a little fed up with this and I fear the rath of the supporter 'loyalty' word! We expect total loyalty from our players (how many are at the club now since the FA cup Final?) yet they get injured playing for us (possibly having issues with injuries they played with which caused serious long term damage)and we show our loyalty with comments about cleaning toilets and leaving to save money? Football clubs exist when they realise that they are essentially just another business. Football entertainment is the product they sell, the supporters, tv companies and advertisers buy it? Premiership football is a high quality product, to achieve this takes highly skilled, highly paid personnel. Championship football is not such a good product, you therefore lower the price, have less people buying it! Rupert Lowe invested to ensure that we produced a Premiership product, he ensured we had a stadium so that supply could meet demand etc. What he did wrong was at a time when to ensure the club keeped suppying Premiership football needed investment he cut costs! The worst example is in management costs! Rather than pay a top manager he went for the cheap option and therefore we became a badly managed football team, quick fire desperate changes compounded this. We were unable to produce decent football and other teams passed us by! Now we are at a stage where the upper management has been replaced due to that mistake! One mistake in a reasonably successful reign. No upper management team ever since has either had the ability or capability to raise the investment needed to bridge the ever growing gap between where we once were and where we are now! The quick fixes that compounded the issue on the field are being replayed at upper management level and therefore these issues are also being compounded! If Saints are going to be a successful football club in the forseeable future we need to forget what we were 5 years ago! Stop trying to bring back the spirit of the Dell, stop thinking we are a Premiership club currently having a break in the Championship. Southampton Football Club has many plus points and one of which is a loyal fan base. I guess the figure must be about 15 to 18 thousand? That I guess is the number of people that will attend no matter what division we are in. These fans gain their satisfaction primarily from supporting their football team through thick and thin. There are probably another 15 thousand football fans that gain their satisfaction primarily from watching quality football they may even support other clubs? I have nothing against this. Maybe we should call the first football supporters and the second football fans? All I know is that the club caters for both so why should we exclude anyone? In fact the club caters for non football fans, corporate, Bon Jovi etc. It's money at the end of the day. Let's lower the price for matches, the 15'000 supporters win and the football fans will get their value for money, less quality product will sell for less money? Season tickets should contain a 20% discount if we get relegated? Then your hands are not tied re the per match ticket. Friends have told me that the FA etc. set ticket prices so they must therefore take the blame for the huge empty stands of £25 tickets I see all around me which subsequently reduces the atmosphere which by the way is another factor why people attend football matches. We need to admit where we are and what situation we are in. Knowing how we got here is useful so we can ensure we learn from our mistakes. Yes next time we are securely in the Premiership we will remember not to hire inexperienced untried management! But how are we ever going to get back to the Premiership without stopping the decline? Let's get some continuity in both players and management at all levels. Live within our means not overspending hoping we will be bailed out by investment? Yes there is a risk you need to invest to be promoted but get stability and the basics right and you can achieve consistancy. I have no idea of the full situation or answers but just being angry about things and looking at what we used to have will not get us anything but more of the same. I needed a rant and apologise for the essay! Claus, thank you for your contribution to my football and feel free to enjoy every penny that you get from my testimonial ticket.[/quote] One of the better, balanced and succinct posts I've read on this site. Sadly it will pass over the heads of most illiterate morons who use this site. Thank you, Saints Supporter of London.
Saints Supporter wrote:
So Forest and Damo what you are basically saying is as an employee working for a struggling company (through the result of poor management) if you became unable to work at your chosen profession your would do the honerable thing and leave? No sick pay or notice period or anything? Alternatively you could stay with your current employer and use your considerable experience and knowledge in the profession to hopefully save the company from imminent threat of administration though teaching them what you have learnt? Such knowledge as: How it feels to play in a team playing for their lives, keep their nerve work together and not get relegated? How to play in a team that does get relegated and how it feels? How to defend? Claus was a good defender, excellent at times his legs don't get him there now but his mind still knows where to go! How to put yourself second and and your work first. Many times Claus has played with injuries indeed a face mask I seem to remember? I am a little fed up with this and I fear the rath of the supporter 'loyalty' word! We expect total loyalty from our players (how many are at the club now since the FA cup Final?) yet they get injured playing for us (possibly having issues with injuries they played with which caused serious long term damage)and we show our loyalty with comments about cleaning toilets and leaving to save money? Football clubs exist when they realise that they are essentially just another business. Football entertainment is the product they sell, the supporters, tv companies and advertisers buy it? Premiership football is a high quality product, to achieve this takes highly skilled, highly paid personnel. Championship football is not such a good product, you therefore lower the price, have less people buying it! Rupert Lowe invested to ensure that we produced a Premiership product, he ensured we had a stadium so that supply could meet demand etc. What he did wrong was at a time when to ensure the club keeped suppying Premiership football needed investment he cut costs! The worst example is in management costs! Rather than pay a top manager he went for the cheap option and therefore we became a badly managed football team, quick fire desperate changes compounded this. We were unable to produce decent football and other teams passed us by! Now we are at a stage where the upper management has been replaced due to that mistake! One mistake in a reasonably successful reign. No upper management team ever since has either had the ability or capability to raise the investment needed to bridge the ever growing gap between where we once were and where we are now! The quick fixes that compounded the issue on the field are being replayed at upper management level and therefore these issues are also being compounded! If Saints are going to be a successful football club in the forseeable future we need to forget what we were 5 years ago! Stop trying to bring back the spirit of the Dell, stop thinking we are a Premiership club currently having a break in the Championship. Southampton Football Club has many plus points and one of which is a loyal fan base. I guess the figure must be about 15 to 18 thousand? That I guess is the number of people that will attend no matter what division we are in. These fans gain their satisfaction primarily from supporting their football team through thick and thin. There are probably another 15 thousand football fans that gain their satisfaction primarily from watching quality football they may even support other clubs? I have nothing against this. Maybe we should call the first football supporters and the second football fans? All I know is that the club caters for both so why should we exclude anyone? In fact the club caters for non football fans, corporate, Bon Jovi etc. It's money at the end of the day. Let's lower the price for matches, the 15'000 supporters win and the football fans will get their value for money, less quality product will sell for less money? Season tickets should contain a 20% discount if we get relegated? Then your hands are not tied re the per match ticket. Friends have told me that the FA etc. set ticket prices so they must therefore take the blame for the huge empty stands of £25 tickets I see all around me which subsequently reduces the atmosphere which by the way is another factor why people attend football matches. We need to admit where we are and what situation we are in. Knowing how we got here is useful so we can ensure we learn from our mistakes. Yes next time we are securely in the Premiership we will remember not to hire inexperienced untried management! But how are we ever going to get back to the Premiership without stopping the decline? Let's get some continuity in both players and management at all levels. Live within our means not overspending hoping we will be bailed out by investment? Yes there is a risk you need to invest to be promoted but get stability and the basics right and you can achieve consistancy. I have no idea of the full situation or answers but just being angry about things and looking at what we used to have will not get us anything but more of the same. I needed a rant and apologise for the essay! Claus, thank you for your contribution to my football and feel free to enjoy every penny that you get from my testimonial ticket.
One of the better, balanced and succinct posts I've read on this site. Sadly it will pass over the heads of most illiterate morons who use this site. Thank you, Saints Supporter of London.
Posted by: Osama Bin Laden, A Cave far far away on 8:58am Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Ric Flair[/bold] wrote:
what, so he's got to play with one leg[/quote] WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
O
Ric Flair wrote:
what, so he's got to play with one leg
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
O
Posted by: Long Suffering Saints Fan, Hampshire on 10:09pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Dear Clause,
Thanks for everything,and for being a great servant to the club,as you know money is tight,
so a testimonial could be out of the question at the moment,however a new treatment table at the club for the over 30s would be appreciated.
Dig deep Clause
Dear Clause,
Thanks for everything,and for being a great servant to the club,as you know money is tight,
so a testimonial could be out of the question at the moment,however a new treatment table at the club for the over 30s would be appreciated.
Dig deep Clause
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