Many fine words have been spoken since the 2012/13 season ended around eight weeks ago, but there hasnt been a lot of action, will that change this week.
Actions speak louder than words ! that is an old phrase, but it cannot be denied that it is one that rings true, so far this summer, the arrival of Dejan Lovren aside, there have been plenty of fine words but very little action, so will this be the week of intent or will it be another "weak" of intent.
But is that all set to change this week, could this be the time when the talking stops and the actions begin in earnest, certainly that was the case last year, in a scenario that is being seemingly repeated this close season, Saints signed Jay Rodriguez early doors and then it was 6th July before the next incoming player and the arrival of Steven Davis, then there was a quick flurry with Nathaniel Clyne and Paulo Gazzaniga coming in quickly by 20th of the month, there would then be almost six weeks of words and no signings before another late flurry in the final two days of the transfer window.
I would hope that Saints would want to avoid a repeat of that this summer, indeed statements on the official web site have indicated that, although the original date quoted for having done the bulk of our business 1st July has came and past.
But this could be the week that Saints truly show their intent, on Friday Luke Shaw will, if rumours are correct be signing a five year deal and if that same rumour mill is accurate he will be joined in putting pen to paper by ictor Wanyama, although I do feel that there is still work to be done on that one yet and maybe another twist or turn or two.
A big signing is what Saints need for their statement of intent, in football you are judged by what you achieve, not what you say you will, whilst there is some mileage in PR terms of being connected with every top player on the market and it can help give the impression that the club is now going to run in higher echelons than it has done for a while, if you dont back up those words with actions, then it actually starts to become counter productive, instead of being seen by others as a club with intentions, you get dismissed as yet another young pretender with plenty of bluster but nothing behind it.
That being the case its now important for Saints to start landing a few big targets and in that respect perhaps Victor Wanyama is the key, if we were to land him it would make people sit up and notice, Wanyama is a decent player, not a great player and overpriced at £12 million in my opinion, perhaps that is reflected in the clubs willing to chase him at that figure, Cardiff, Everton and ourselves seemingly the only real bidders at that price, but he is a player with undoubted ability and although a few heads will turn at the price we have paid, overall they will sit up and take notice that perhaps we are about to become the players we have said we woul be.
So a crucial week for Saints, the summer transfer window is definately one of peaks and troughs as we found out last year, the first weeks of July are one of those peaks, a lot of business is done before another trough that wont peajk again till the final week of the transfer window starts and panic sets in and usually those that are signed turn out in hindsight to be well overpriced.
By the end of July we will either be seeing that we are a club to be reckoned with or we will be thinking we have seen it all before, lets hope that its the former.