With the FA Cup Final over the silly season begins with 3 months of rumour, counter rumour and downright lies about to hit the media.

According to today's media half of Saints team is about to go to Arsenal to replace half of Arsenal's team that is about to go to Leicester, replacing half of Leicester's team that is about to go to Liverpool who are selling half their team to Spurs.

Just where that will leave Saints is unclear, although we should be OK as we are about to sign the young talent in Europe that hasn't already signed for Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool, Leicester and probably Man Utd once they sort their managerial issues out.

All this goes to prove is that once again if you believe every rumour you read you are going to be having a nervous breakdown about Saints chances next season before the month of May is over.

The real truth is that Saints cannot compete with the big clubs when they come a calling offering big fee's and big salaries for our players, we are going to lose players each and every summer whether we like it or not, but that is factored in to our strategy.

That strategy is to keep moving forward and making sure that whenever a player leaves we have already identified his replacement and keep the conveyor belt moving.

Perhaps that won't please some people to read, but it is a fact of life and if we look a far better strategy than that adopted by many of our rivals who believe that big spending every summer on whoever is flavour of the month is a sure fire way to success.

We should know that by the way we have prospered and achieved our own goals whilst the players who have left us for pastures anew have found that the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.

So although of course in an ideal World we would keep all our players and still have the money to keep improving the squad, in the short term that is not going to happen, but what is happening as we have seen in the past couple of years is that we can control our own destiny and keep moving forward step by step.

If Saints fans realise that and accept that we have a strong plan going forward, then we should have no fear and there should be no bedwetting and meltdowns of the past two summers.

There has never been a better time to be a Saints fan, this is as good as it has been in terms of League position, next step is a trophy and hopefully that will be achieved, but if we want Katarina Liebherr to back this club financially, then we have to keep backing her and keep coming through the turnstiles and show that we want that success.

But know what is realistic and what isn't.

Photo: Action Images

halftimeorange added 16:05 - May 22 No, Shane Long is off to Liverpool or Leicester, not Arsenal. IMO we never adequately replaced jack Cork who arguably played some of his best football last season.
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StRipper added 20:42 - May 22 Fully agree, Nick, on all but one small point. I will do my best to not crack under the immense media driven anxiety, as I have struggled not to at some point in the transfer window ever since we got back in the Prem. My only gripe is that I don't think the club really gives a monkeys who comes through the turnstiles. In fact, I think they'd prefer that it wasn't season ticket holders as Saints make far less money from them than individual casual fans. In the last two seasons, the season ticket deadline has been brought forward three weeks. Prices have stayed static despite huge increases in revenue. I'd also argue that, aside from the football, the matchday experience is pretty flat and underwhelming. For me, it's just a shame that the clubs intricate detail to progressing the club through its football is not also reflected in the way Saints treats it's loyal fans. Instead they just seem to have benchmarked how they treat SMS attendees against the shitty deal that the biggest clubs give their fans on the basis that if screwing over their fans is what United and Arsenal do, then thats fine for Saints too.

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BoondockSaint added 22:59 - May 22 At least this silly season, we only have to worry about 4 teams using the lure of Champions League. 3 if Leicester loses 2 or 3 key players. Plus players should be wary of the managers leaving: Wenger may move upstairs, MoPo skives off to a Spanish club before he's found out, and Pep will find the going harder when he is not in a league where he is managing one of the teams in a two horse race. Yeah, I know, they leave, the clubs come after Koeman, but he's only going to Barcelona. Remember, we don't have fickle fans, and our owner is financially and mentally stable. Speaking of fickle fans: Brenda will be in the Champions League next year! He who laughs last does it best with big bright teeth!

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SanMarco added 11:31 - May 23 I understand the argument of the article and we certainly can be seen to have moved forward. The only problem for me is that over the past couple of summers nearly all the specific and oft repeated rumours about player A (who we wanted to keep) going to Club B have actually been 'true'. We did make Morgan and Victor wait a year but other than that they do seem to go. I cant remember many occasions when I have been pleasantly surprised that Clyne has NOT gone to Liverpool. Alright, maybe the Mane Man Utd thing but not many others. I know its very difficult with the power that players/agents and the 'bigger' clubs have but I don't believe we will be truly "control our own destiny" until the summer sales become less disruptive. Our aim must be to start a season strongly and then maintain it. A slow start due to bedding in yet another bunch of new arrivals (replacing players we did not want to lose) will screw our chances of rising further.

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IWOZTHERE added 12:03 - May 23 Now he's reportedly gone on holiday without putting 'pen to paper' I'm surprised you haven't run an article on the RK situation as,in my opinion it is of huge significance to the immediate future of the club. Ron has stated that he will see out the last year of his contract. Not good enough Ron! This is a high profile issue and 'not signing' an extension is only marginally better than making a public announcement that you are leaving next summer. Both 'sides' must be aware that this state of limbo affects planning, transfers, and existing players'confidence in their futures and should have been sorted out as an absolute. priority. To attract a top manager next summer the club would expect to offer a significant transfer 'kitty' and would likely restrict money otherwise available for this summer. I was really hoping that this summer the club would lead by their actions and not 'be lead' as seems to have happened on past occasions. We have a great opportunity to take that step upwards but only if we have a manager and players who are committed.

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ItchenNorth added 13:25 - May 23 Well lets not all make it even more silly by wasting time, effort and column inches talking about the rumours ! We can't have it both ways. What will be will be.
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