Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 359: TRANSFER TUESDAY RETURNS!
51 Plays4 days ago
Southampton – It's the return of the ever popular Transfer Tuesday! As promised from Spoors not the busiest window to date, but still plenty happening to talk about!
Follow us on social media:
Linktree - https://linktr.ee/dailysouthamptonpod
X - https://x.com/DailySaintsPod
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@dailysaintspod
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@DailySaintsPod
Instagram – https://www.instagtam.com/dailysaintspod
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/gspnsouthampton.bsky.social
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572875812052
Our Sponsors
For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience – email us - dailysaintspod@gmail.com
Copyright | 2026 | Daily Saints Pod | All Rights Reserved
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Episode Challenges
00:00:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod. My name is Greg and as always today joined by my good friend and wonderful host Zach. How doing mate?
00:00:23
Zak
Yeah, I'm alright, mate. Yeah. just i just kind of try to find stuff for this episode hard as it should be almost midway through January, right?
00:00:33
Zak
like
Transfer Window Overview: Focus on Ronnie Edwards
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't know why I don't know why you think that, Zach, because you know it being a day of the week that begins with it was of course a transfer Tuesday, but but we were warned by Spores that it was going to be a quiet window.
00:00:42
Zak
Yeah, of course.
00:00:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
So why it's coming as a surprise to you that that it's quiet is beyond me, mate.
00:00:55
Zak
my
00:00:58
Zak
Like, we're we're we're bad. they They know we need strength thing in certain areas. They've now started to get shifted, people. Right? If Edwards is gone, does that mean that we're bringing another centre-back? Or is it just for the fact that, you know, he he really likes QPR, wasn't getting game time, and wasn't ever part of Spor's, like, I guess, cohort? Yeah, it's just... I don't know, man.
00:01:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know. Well, I guess, look, let's get straight into it, talking about Ronnie Edwards. So he's obviously off to QPR for a reported fee of 4.6 million, which is like 1.6 million profit, I suppose. But it all feels a bit weird, doesn't it?
00:01:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's a It's a really strange one to me. Is that the vibe you get?
00:01:45
Zak
Well, towards the end of the the reign of Steele, you started playing him a lot more, right?
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:01:52
Zak
And now, out of all the people that we've got, the fact that you've still got Jack Stephens in the team... And we're now selling this youth prospect that we bought. he You know, hot prospect. You you you kind of looked and saw what, you know, Peterborough saw in he We kind of felt good to get his signature.
00:02:17
Zak
Yeah, sure. i think it was I think it was actually a Russell Martin find at the end, right? It was around that sort of era.
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:22
Zak
But like, you know, clearly the quality's there. He then showed it last season on loan to QPR.
Young Prospects and Squad Strategy
00:02:29
Zak
came back and then he's dipping in and out the side and yeah okay when he started he have the greatest of games but then he became part of the back three that kind of like were like still his mainstays towards the end and then just dropped out the team entirely and then would get five or ten minutes here five ten minutes there and you you don't blame him because he went on loan last season to qpr they loved him okay he got like player of the year i think he got like you know his winning player of the month and
00:02:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Young's my review, yeah.
00:02:55
Zak
Everyone really, really liked him. He had an affinity towards the club. He's kind of come back. he's come back into what is a weird Saints side. can't remember if QPR above us at this point, but they're you know it's not like it's it's not like it's a step down for him, right, for where it's at.
00:03:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:12
Zak
And also, he probably just wants to play. And by the sounds of it, has been told, yeah, you're not really part of the plans. But again, like the fact that we are re-signing like Romeo, we're looking to the past constantly.
Player Transfer Speculations and Management Decisions
00:03:25
Zak
And we we we hired you know we brought somebody in for the future and have just let them go like a year and a half later is just bizarre. And I think TSP had a theory that like, oh it's because we're bringing someone else in. i genuinely think it's just the because like he doesn't, he's probably annoyed that he's not playing.
00:03:45
Zak
the offer came in from QPR. Sports doesn't really see him as that integral to the squad's plans, and we have lots of centre-back coverage. Whether we like the centre-backs or not does is is a moot point, right?
00:03:56
Zak
Like, Kaya Sanders just come back. He might end up being the fifth, sixth choice centre-back, for all we know.
00:04:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:02
Zak
so Yeah, it for for me, I think it's an even even lazier reason, which is just they're like, yeah, all right, fair enough, because this young guy wants to play, clearly and he's being overlooked by everybody. And yeah, it just kind of feels like what waste, doesn't it? That's where I'm at.
00:04:19
Zak
What an absolute waste of a talent.
00:04:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no, I mean,
00:04:21
Zak
What absolute waste of a transfer.
00:04:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but I mean, look, we turned a small profit on it, and it's clearly better move him.
00:04:29
Zak
Who cares?
00:04:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:04:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
clear bad for him say
00:04:35
Zak
cares about like a one billion pound profit now i know i say that arrogantly because in real life if that was that was a million pound i'd care but like when it comes to the game of football like what just what an absolute waste it's ridiculous like yeah you're trying to you try i know you're trying to just gain a positive from it i don't really see anything from it as a positive i see i see qpr fans celebrating I see us kind of going, well, that was kind of inevitable if we weren't going to do anything with him.
00:05:02
Zak
And all I can say is good luck to the lad. I'm sure that he's going to be well-loved and really, really happy to be back at QPR.
Goalkeeper Dynamics and Transfer Decisions
00:05:10
Zak
And then we'll probably get shown in years to come what we're missing.
00:05:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:05:13
Zak
And it will be, you know, it's not going to be like the... I just don't see us replacing him with someone better, right? Like, during transfer research, Greg, because it's been hard to find anything, stumbled across an article about how, which feels like it's about 10 years too late, about how, like, tony out Toby Alderfeld went, and then we replaced him with the much better Van Dijk. So it was actually, we had the last laugh over Spurs, or...
00:05:38
Zak
whatever strange sort of like, and like you, you wonder if it's like the opposite of that, right? Like we kind of, unless we're planning to upgrade, it just just seems like a really pointless move, but from, it might could just be as simple as they've met the valuation of the player.
00:05:54
Zak
The player wants to go.
00:05:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:56
Zak
They don't want to keep a disgruntled player here when they know that he's not going to get game time. We don't know what's going on the side of the scenes for the moment. It doesn't look all rosy. Right.
00:06:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:04
Zak
And we haven't really discussed that, but yeah,
00:06:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, look. We've got a bloated squad and, you know, we need to get players out of the doors. and Would he be at the top of my list?
00:06:13
Zak
No!
00:06:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not even close.
00:06:14
Zak
You're a
00:06:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
But not even close
00:06:18
Zak
bit on my retention list! He's not a player that is horrifically tainted by all this this rubbish. We've still got Joe Aribo!
00:06:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if getting rid of him means that we put ourselves in a position to sign a defender who can clear a corner, then so be it. like
00:06:37
Zak
like well i just I just don't believe that's going to happen. I don't think that they they want a new centre-back. We want new centre-backs, but that wasn't even a thing when we talked about what we need in this in in the January transfer window.
00:06:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:47
Zak
couple of episode-backs.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a centre-backer striker and an attacking midfielder.
00:06:50
Zak
I don't remember if it was a centre-back or not. I swear we were talking about right-backs because people said to because i remember people were people are up in arms against us because we were like, we don't need another right-back.
00:06:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:06:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. You're right. youre you're right we did At that point when were winning games, we said right back. You're right. Sorry, I thought you were thinking back to to the summer transfer window.
00:07:06
Zak
No, because because like we weren't really conceding that many.
00:07:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:09
Zak
So, like yeah, i just and I think that they they don't they know that... I think that surely after the fact that we've now brought in a goalkeeper, conceded to Doncaster Rovers, they're hopefully realising that defence is also a problem.
00:07:21
Zak
But I don't know what we you can do at this point to shift Taylor Harbour, Bellis and Jack Stephens. Because apparently, you know, I know that Kwasi played the other day. But, like, it is insane. And the fact that we just keep trying to get the band back together again, right? We tried to re-sign Ings over the summer. We brought back for a Mayu. There's going to be a topic of conversation you don't want to have. But we are going to have it, whether you like it or not. Do you know what I mean? It's just... You're you're right about something that feels weird about it. But I think, like...
00:07:51
Zak
less weird i just think that they're like yeah well money's coming like a good offer's coming for him and he's not currently part of like the front like top three so yeah let's just let him go i just think that that's the planning i don't think that there is like well actually yeah which is which is worrying because everyone's trying to justify it with like well don't worry i think there's some super plan i'm like what part of the last couple of years has made you think there's part of the super plan like
00:08:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah that's as deep as it is like it does
00:08:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're right.
00:08:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're right. You remember that one time when I thought it was a tactical masterclass from Russell Martin to double up on Saka and actually it was just playing someone out of position because that's all he had.
00:08:27
Zak
Yeah, like it's just Occam's razor.
00:08:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's no big plans, Zach.
00:08:29
Zak
The simplest solution is is usually like the most is is usually the one that's correct, right?
00:08:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's all just...
00:08:34
Zak
And the simplest thing at this point is that he is not playing football and is unhappy.
00:08:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:39
Zak
QPR have come in for him. He wants that move. They don't want an unhappy player that probably isn't going to play that much anyway. They've accepted the offer, right?
00:08:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it.
00:08:49
Zak
Simple as that.
00:08:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. let's Let's move slightly further back down the pitch. And something I know that until this point of the transfers act, you were sick of the discussion between it with goalkeepers, right?
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
but But the decision was clear. We have brought in a goalkeeper, Peretz. And, you know, he played.
00:09:07
Zak
nothing
00:09:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
and you know I don't know how much you can judge him based off of a performance of coming in a day before, if we're being honest. But he looked... It's all right.
00:09:19
Zak
He's a goalkeeper.
00:09:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I guess. Made some decent saves.
00:09:23
Zak
it wasn't i wasn said I wasn't worried about what ridiculous thing he was going to do, which is different with Baz and McCarthy, right?
00:09:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:37
Zak
He pulled off a really good save, like double save towards the end. But again, it's it's hopefully we won't. Well, I feel maybe he's going have to get used to being in the positions where the ball is going to come in a lot more than he wants.
00:09:49
Zak
But it's hard to judge, right? I still look back to some people saying like how how good Angus Gunn was going to be. And then like, we let him go after a 9-0 loss.
00:10:00
Zak
ale when Baz was like, well, he's Man City Academy, they're talking about how great he's going to be, and then people have soured on him so quickly. So, yeah. Still got that other matey on loan as well.
00:10:11
Zak
That's not ended.
00:10:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, so, i mean, that's it. But, I mean, Prez comes in from Bayern Munich, right? But he's on loan with an option to buy. So, I mean, there's going a lot of moving goalkeeper parts at the end of the season, one way or another, which is interesting.
00:10:21
Zak
Correct.
00:10:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
interesting Yeah, we've still got George Long on loan. Tonda said that he's an important part of the group. I don't don't know what that means, mate.
00:10:37
Zak
is it is it Is it like is it Scott Carson type, right?
00:10:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:40
Zak
Where it's just like everyone likes him.
00:10:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:42
Zak
Is this is this why Romero is really important? Just so he's there and people can look at like a time when Southampton were doing really well. you reckon that's what it is? It's just like, well, it's just I struggle with them out. You know, when you're having a kickabout between goalkeepers, you need more competition than just, like, two.
00:10:57
Zak
I don't know. Maybe maybe that's my ignorance on on, like, how goalkeeper units work. If anyone knows, feel free.
00:11:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Squad dynamics. No.
00:11:05
Zak
Feel free to let us know. Educate us, please.
00:11:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
Player Success Post-Transfer and Decision Analysis
00:11:09
Zak
We have never, ever said we're here to educate you.
00:11:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then speaking of goalkeeper dynamics, perhaps not surprisingly at all, based off of a a narrative of, no, i'm perfectly happy with the goalkeepers we have. The goalkeeper's fine. now have no concerns about the goalkeeper position. Also, we signed a goalkeeper.
00:11:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe taking a slight umbrage to that.
00:11:33
Zak
When you put it like what
00:11:35
Zak
yeah like that, you realise how ludicrous it's been.
00:11:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah. like So, you know, perhaps taking offense to that and perhaps reasonably so, Buzunu, it seems, off to Stoke.
00:11:42
Zak
Oh, dear.
00:11:51
Zak
Yeah?
00:11:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Potentially on loan with an option to buy is what is is sort of currently being rumored from reasonably good sources. So, i mean...
00:12:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a strange one, right? Because, again, letting someone go to a realistically a championship rival, I don't
00:12:12
Zak
I think that it's funny, right? Because the conversation and the narrative around Edwards is going to be different to the conversation narrative around Baz. and that's And that's entirely based off of, I think, opinion on the player as a player rather than anything else, right?
00:12:25
Zak
is is is you know like With Ronnie Edwards, it kind of feels like we're losing someone that had the ability developed to become good.
00:12:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:12:31
Zak
some A lot of people have made up their mind about Baz, despite the fact that you know in goalkeeping terms, he's barely and barely out of infancy.
00:12:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:12:39
Zak
And, you know, it's it's going to be... But from from his perspective, he had this like little spell at standard liege didn't really work out, picked up an injury. Came back, it's just not been great for him.
00:12:51
Zak
I think that he's been under significantly more pressure than he's needed to be. I think that really it's the the sort of... there's points to criticise him for sure but I think that he's had significantly more pressure on him by the fact that our defence has been unable to keep the ball away from him do you know what mean that's where I'm at like there's been some decisions but at the same time I do think that there seems to be a lot of hate and vitriol towards him that is a little bit unfounded.
00:13:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:32
Zak
And especially like where, you know, he might end up going elsewhere then he end of them really well. We don't, we don't know. like It might be the environment. it could be It could be anything. But ultimately, he had his he had his chance to prove that he should be remain our number one goalkeeper and was unable to fulfill it. like They knew that he wasn't going to be able to do well in the Premier League, which is why they brought Ramstead in for the Premier League.
00:13:57
Zak
And so, yeah, it's just... I guess it is is what it is. But what where out you know if somebody has come in for an offer it for him, he doesn't want to play number two. They're not that bothered about letting him go if we've got a replacement.
00:14:12
Zak
It's what it is, right?
00:14:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:14
Zak
The only only thing that goes wrong is if Ramsell gets sold, for whatever reason, the Perrette still falls apart. George Long goes back and somehow we end up with 9,005-year-old Alex McCarthy. Mm-hmm.
00:14:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It raises... It raises an interesting point in my brain, and you you kind of alluded to it earlier, right? Because we've got Ronnie Edwards, who, you know, didn't make it in our squad.
00:14:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you know, by definition, wasn't good enough for the first team by our supposed standards and has gone off to QPR, who are above us in the table. And...
00:14:48
Zak
I was right.
00:14:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
listen it
00:14:50
Zak
ari up good
00:14:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Bazzunu, who, you know, he's been our our biggest problem. We need to replace him. So we brought in a new keeper and now we're going to ship him off to a team who are...
00:15:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
also above us in the table. And then you think back to, you know, ill-fated as it as it was. the start of the season, it's like Ivan Juric managing a Champions League team.
00:15:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And like some of the players that were not good enough leaving us and going on to do these better things. It's like, are they just like failing upwards? Are we... it just... It feels so strange.
00:15:31
Zak
I think, yeah, I get what you mean.
00:15:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:33
Zak
But like in some of those positions, the answer is yes, right? Juric failed upwards. He's no longer in that job. Russell Martin failed upwards. He's no longer in that job. And also i would argue probably taking a year or two off of football because you you do not do something like that to a club at Rangers.
00:15:46
Zak
He was fully aware. And I wouldn't be surprised if when he does come back, he has a full head of grey hair. I wouldn't really be surprised. So like, you know, Solomata was pretty much in the team all the time under Juric. I haven't really seen him. in the team since then. So let's have a look at other players that have left us, right? Who else is on that list?
00:16:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Puan, actually, he's like the top scorer in Turkey, right?
00:16:11
Zak
Yeah, but like, again, it's back to the Turkish league, back to a team style that suits him. he basically said it was, he's just like the wrong player for the club. He also alluded to behind the scenes stuff, which is doubly alluding to what I was speaking about earlier, where we don't know what's going on in the dressing room ultimately.
00:16:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:29
Zak
And, you know, that's that's a slightly different kettle of fish. But it doesn't seem to me that people are necessarily failing upwards. I think it's a We had a bunch of players that we were trying to cram into a system. What what would you say about Ramsdale?
00:16:45
Zak
Like, arguably playing for Newcastle, sure.
00:16:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:47
Zak
But again, he's kind of playing a second fiddle, but not really. He really, really adores the club. And clearly this whole, like, you know... after being on loan and and being bought by like us and Bournemouth and having three or four relegations under his belt, I think he's just happy to to play and a big part in a team...
00:17:08
Zak
that are better. Like I know that when he left Arsenal, was like supposed to be, oh, well, I really want to, you know, play full time. And then after playing full time in the most horrific relegation season, he's probably like, you know what?
00:17:20
Zak
They actually might be in second in a big better team. So, so right I I think, you know, i think with Juric, it's because he developed a really good relationship with,
00:17:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, maybe getting battered every week isn't all it's cracked up to be. Hmm.
00:17:34
Zak
with Soleimani, but I also think that like with Juric, clearly that that wasn't failing upwards. So how how will it work out? like I don't see QPR of Ronnie Edwards failing upwards because he has not really failed because he had a really good season there. like It's because he's a fan favourite.
00:17:52
Zak
When it comes to Baz, Stoke City are doing really, really well at the moment. But you know there's a reason that like can you do it on an old rainy night in Stoke is like a... is a thing, right? It's not because Stoke are well known for their, for their like incredible city and, and, and football. And that's no disrespect. That's just the reputation that they have.
00:18:14
Zak
So, yeah, they're above us at the table, but then don't really think that that's a problem for most of them, right? But then you you do also see... There we go. there There were the other two that I'd almost forgotten. Karl Walker-Peters and Matias Fernandes.
00:18:28
Zak
West Ham, you know, oh, well, I couldn't throw this opportunity away.
00:18:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:31
Zak
I want to get into the Portugal squad. Looking at West Ham's form, is Fernandes getting into the Portugal squad under... nay
00:18:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like,
00:18:40
Zak
is is mark Carl Walker-Peters is making a difference a little bit. like he's He's playing well. He's enjoying his football West Ham. He gets in the the team ahead of one of his former compatriots, James Will Prowse, who didn't do you that well. So wouldn't say it's failing upwards. I'd say that they they some people manage to somehow move upwards and it usually doesn't, like nine times out ten, hasn't necessarily worked out for them.
00:19:02
Zak
But also...
00:19:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just interesting, isn't it? At the end of the season, when we look back on this season, how many of these players that we're letting go to other championship teams in January are going to finish in a better off position than us.
00:19:14
Zak
Well, you could say the same Matty Target.
00:19:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's a scary thought.
00:19:16
Zak
Matty Target ended up at Newcastle.
00:19:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:18
Zak
He's now at Middlesbrough, they're ahead of us. Harrison Reid is still at Fulham. There's tons of, you know, you had today Alfie House talking about how Dom Ballard scored like four and three for Leighton Orient.
00:19:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:28
Zak
Yeah, okay, it's Leighton Orient in the league below us, but people saying sort of it's moiled that, you know, he he threw some direct shade at Downs by saying he's better player than Downs. We paid £7 million pound for him, whereas he was already here.
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:39
Zak
So, yeah, there's lots of... I don't know. I don't think it's necessarily just an us thing, but I think where we pay so much attention to it, but sometimes it is a bit of a a weird thing to watch from the outside, is I think a lot of the academy prospects we've let go have actually ended up doing better than if they'd stayed.
00:19:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:56
Zak
It it is is a weird one, though. You're right. It's just... don't know if it's something intrinsically Southampton about it, but
Southampton's Nostalgia and Ward-Prowse's Potential Return
00:20:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, just food for thought. Right, moving on to our final talking point. You mentioned him. a minute ago, and apparently we've got talk about it. Yeah. Yeah.
00:20:02
Zak
who knows?
00:20:12
Zak
You wanted to just glaze over this whole subject. Well, it came out, right? And it was like, yeah, so you know the the the situation with Prowse is clear. I'm never playing him.
00:20:24
Zak
like As long as Nuno's the manager for West Ham, that sounds seems like it's going to be the case. And you were like, oh, great, means we don't need to talk about I'm like, well, but now there are already now multiple sources that have immediately linked him back to us.
00:20:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it me came out i like it came out before the window started that Walprow has no interest in coming to play for a championship club and no interest in making a pay cut.
00:20:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, why would he? And like, oh,
00:20:47
Zak
That was October, be clear.
00:20:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh
00:20:49
Zak
October, he was linked with us at that point. Apparently, we tried to get him. And at that point, he was like, nah, three months to sit on a bench and not play any football,
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh. Oh, I'm never going to play for West Ham collecting £40,000 week. Woe is me Like, let's wipe my tears away with this £20 note.
00:21:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:21:08
Zak
But I get your point. The whole reason he left was to to kind of make sure he kept at the level that he thought he was at, right? I think the England career thing is probably at this point over. I think he will probably admit that or not.
00:21:20
Zak
But I think that that is over, especially if you are not being picked at a side that's in a relegation battle. So like I can understand the prospect. But also, how many times does he need to not choose us before people will...
00:21:35
Zak
understand that maybe he doesn't want to come back here, right? how How many times? Like with Aubrey, you could kind of understand him going and then him coming back is because, you know, he was free agent.
00:21:47
Zak
Of course, I'll go back to the club that kind of, you know, kickstarted my career to get me back to Barcelona.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:53
Zak
But it for for me, you're you know as as much as I'm trying to, I guess, counter your point, I do agree on the fact that like he has had multiple opportunities to come back if he wanted to. I'm sure, but but but apparently you know it's been reported we went in for him in October and he turned us down.
00:22:09
Zak
So the only thing that necessarily has changed here, and also, what do you want to come back to?
00:22:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. But Woody wants to come back. Like, it's just... Yeah. and And then, look, we talked about it a bit off-air yesterday, right? Because you try and look at it objectively, right? And take it out of of that and think, well, if you did come back,
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
What does he bring to the squad and to the team? Well, we're lacking leadership at the moment. Was he a particularly, you know, was was he one of these players that led with his voice, which is what we're lacking? No, he was a lead by example type.
00:22:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fine. If you listen to Todner, there's room for every kind of leadership. So in his way is, right?
00:22:47
Zak
including pulling fouls, that's the type of leadership.
00:22:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that's it's not the it's not what we're looking for, right? Like, we need vocal experience to guide us on. Does he improve our midfield?
00:22:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, there's an argument. It's a debate. it' It's not a clear-cut yes or no either way. I think that there's a lot more sideways and backwards in his game than I want to see from any of our midfielders. Yeah.
00:23:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, you know, he definitely brings the dead ball element into play. You know, he makes us deadlier from set pieces, which is is what we'd like. But is it an overall improvement that's going to be worth what the the hassle and and what comes with it?
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, really. He doesn't want to be here. it is what it is. like Let it be. Let it go. done talking about it.
00:23:42
Zak
which is
00:23:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
If he wanted to come back, he probably if if if he saw himself playing in the championship for Southampton, then he would have done that the last time when he could have stayed and played in the championship for Southampton, right?
00:23:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, I don't know two years have passed, right?
00:23:54
Zak
Yeah, that's true.
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, his circumstances have changed and whatever, but that that same point stands, right? And we're not going to... You know, even if the picture with Nuno is clear he's never going to get a game at West Ham, especially in the championship, we're not... If we brought him in because he didn't want to take a pay cut, he would have to come in as one of our highest earners.
00:24:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I just don't see us doing that either because he would not... At best, he would be coming in as... as, like you say, like Ori. He doesn't sly it doesn't become the important player that we build the squad around, so he's not they're not going to pay that much of his wages. It's just... There's too many blocks in the way for me to ever see it happening. It's where i'm at.
00:24:45
Zak
It's sad. You're right. And I think we collectively have a problem with being stuck in the past. And that's that's ourselves included. Like I'm not, you know, a lot of our favorite players and a lot of the Wonder Times that we talk about are all in sort of, and the problem is, is that some of these players are still playing. So there's this this sort of desire to get the old band back together.
00:25:08
Zak
Right. We've had Theo Walcott come back and play for us after leaving it us at, you know, you had you had Adam Lallana, which, you know, yep, sure, it's great.
00:25:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:17
Zak
But what an absolute waste of a transfer spot, to be honest. You've had now got Romelu back where he can't get a game against a League One side in the FA Cup.
00:25:28
Zak
You're potentially wanting to bring back Ward Prow, as we've apparently already gone in from once this season. They tried to bring Danny Ings back at some point. like that we We have a a cultural problem with not being able to move on.
00:25:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:41
Zak
And that includes with the current cohort. We keep talking about getting out the dead wood, and we still seem to never be able to do that. We never are able to sell the players that we want. And then, yeah you're right, sometimes there's these freak transfers where people either fail upwards or will kind of just disappear, but it's never quite...
00:25:56
Zak
who you want to I think probably the only universally happy transfer out that most people will be happy with so far in like that lean a long time is going to be Downs because people didn't like Downs and Downs was having a terrible time here and probably Baz because people just wanted a better goalkeeper and that's that's fair.
00:26:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:15
Zak
But we we have a a cultural problem with being stuck in looking back to a period that you cannot recapture. It does not exist anymore.
00:26:27
Zak
And maybe it's just pre-Sports Republic. But, you know, even to the extent of us talking about bringing back Oxlade-Chamberlain, because he was a free agent at one point, right?
00:26:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:37
Zak
There is just something in the water. like And it's almost, you know, and I don't like to compare our situation to Manchester United.
00:26:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
i
00:26:44
Zak
I already probably talk about them too much on this show. But, like... it makes me laugh because like they basically done the same thing with Solskjaer, right? Where they're like, actually, nah, we keep doing this thing where we keep like bringing people back from before and it doesn't work out.
00:26:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:57
Zak
And it's like, yeah. So that's, that's where I'm kind of at. It's like, we can never, we can never move on until we accept that, you know, bringing back old players that did okay for us are not is not the solution.
00:27:08
Zak
And,
00:27:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you say we don't have to give this Jayswell Prowse thing any more airtime after today because we're sick of hearing it.
00:27:13
Zak
After today, unless it becomes a thing where we actually sign him, where unfortunately, whether you like it or not, we will need to talk about it.
00:27:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:22
Zak
i'm I'm kind of happy to put it to bed because it is is a rumor, you know, but the problem is, mate, it also does really well. One of our best ever YouTube shorts was us talking about Return of the King, about him coming back.
00:27:34
Zak
And people sit because it gets people hype, it gets people excited because people were devastated when he left. And it sucked they put him in all of the markets to get a promo for the season. Right? Then two days later left. like Yeah, it was it was less than i ideal. we We managed to do it without him. and But yeah, you're right.
00:27:50
Zak
Do we want to keep bringing back people? Do we want to bring it up? Does he make the team better? Is it going to be much better? why do we eat It's been two or three years, like three or four years. That's a long time. He was a Deadpool specialist, Greg, but has not been able to take a free kick in forever and still never scored one in the Premier League in two clubs.
00:27:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
i am As I said to you offline yesterday, mate, you've got to be on the pitch to score a free kick. Yeah.
00:28:06
Zak
So...
00:28:11
Zak
Exactly. But then even when he did, when he had his time in in the sky, when he first when he first moved over, he was unable to to replicate that. He was unable to get that record, right? and And so that means that we're we're we're we're bringing people back on that ability. Like Danny Ings has gone to Sheffield United. Has he scored a bag of goals?
00:28:29
Zak
No, they hired another free transfer in Patrick Banford, who's already done more for them. but And yet we we tried.
00:28:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Crazy.
00:28:37
Zak
And that's that's just the thing is that we cannot look to the public help but look to the past. That's why this Orio Romeo signing happened. It was just nostalgia bait and it worked.
00:28:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. That's it.
00:28:47
Zak
Anyway,
Episode Wrap-Up and Next Episode Teaser
00:28:48
Zak
maybe there'll be something else to talk about for the next transfer episode.
00:28:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, look.
00:28:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we'll be seeing if we can decide do Santadic or something. Right. yeah then
00:29:00
Zak
Thank you, mate.
00:29:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, look, that is all that we have got time to talk about today. Thank you, Zach, for joining me. Thank you, everyone, for listening.
00:29:10
Zak
like you mate
00:29:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, look, let know in the comments, in the socials, a who are we signing? Who do you want? Where's the most important position? I look forward to hearing all of the responses. Let us know. We are Daily Saints Pod everywhere on all the socials, YouTube, X, TikTok, Blue Sky, Facebook, Instagram, everywhere. Hit us up. Let us know.
00:29:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
We love hearing from you. And while you're there, drop us a like, give us a subscribe. We're an independent podcast now, and it just means so much more to us to help keep us going. We will be back tomorrow to talk about, i think we're going to talk about player power and some dynamics that have been expressed at the club, which is bound to be a an interesting episode, i guess.
00:29:53
Zak
and
00:30:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
let's Let's allude to it that way. But until then, everyone, have a wonderful day and we'll see you then.