At the beginning of the week there was an unsourced article saying we had agreed wages with VVD but then were goign back on the deal, trying to reduce his pay. The reaction on here was about how cheap FSG were and not serious about competing, blah, blah blah.
Not one word on here at the time about - we shouldn't be talking to him, we shouldn't be letting anything out there in the press, etc. Just that FSG were the villains.
Then it appeared for a few minutes that he was going to sign with us - that he had told us he wanted to. People were excited. Again, NOTHING about we shouldn't be talking to him, it would be an illegal approach, or anything like that.
Then (about 30 minutes later) everything becomes about illegal approaches, tapping up, etc. and the commentary immediately returns to FSG are awful, they are embarrassing the club, we're never getting top players in while x, y or z are involved, etc.
So if they were wrong when they had supposedly made a deal and then were trying to renegotiate it, why then was it not wrong to have been talking with the player in the first place? Because now THAT is what FSG are being excoriated for, even though that was apparently perfectly fine when they were getting ripped for the other.
At this point all that we have on the record is that the club have apologized for "a misunderstanding" (no further explanation) and publicly stated they are dropping interest in the player (21 days today from the opening of the window). Nothing else sourced or attributed. Oh, and we do have this news about a new owner coming in to Southampton. Oh, and we have the player "thinking."
So after 24 hours of down-time, it really does seem best to keep powder dry and wait and see what actually happens. THEN draw conclusions. I am prescribing this only for myself and am always intrigued by competing, disagreeing and collaborating thought processes exhibited by fellow supporters.
I hope you all have the most tremendous of weekends.
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