...is this... and I blame Rupert for giving me this mindset (and I apologise for even mentioning his name)... We are top of the league with an imense team spirit... I think... "when's it all going to fall apart and if doesn't fall apart, what if we get promoted and it's too soon and we get relegated again and that spirit is destroyed and we just free fall in to the conference" We have Lallana, the most talented player in the division... I think... "when are a Prem team going to buy him - F*** off Arsene" Connoly is on fire... I think... "how long until his legs fall off" We have the best Chairman in the country... I think... "When will he have had enough? Are we appreciating him enough? Are we honouring Markus' memory as much as he wishes? Will our posts upset him? (like he's even reading them) Please don't go" The whole squad, even Lambo look stupidly fit and I think... "what if Rickies bulk was his power, what if he's too lightweight for this division now. Like samson when Delilah cut his hair" Pompey are again in our shadow... I think... "When will Bill gates buy them and make them the new Barcelona" We have an amazing manager... I think... "how long until Kenny Dalgleish buggers up at Liverpool and Nige rides off in to the sunset to his spiritual home" We are 3-0 up at half time... I think... "I hope we can hold on to a draw" - thanks for messing with me last night by the way saints. I was having chest pains at 32 years old. I could go on but to summarise... Only supporting southampton can you win your first 4 games of the season with style and verve and be left feeling that we having a "worryingly good start" Does anyone else share any completely unwarrented paranoia, if so whats yours?...
Yes, the anxiety and paranoia that seems unique to a Saints fan, but I understand affects every football supporter. I think we are especially good at it though. Let's face it, we've had a brilliant training programme over the years.
I want Nicola on a long contract. Football is not his profession (although he has a background in sport finance), so unless he has become obsessional about Saints I fear he will go back to Toblerone land. I am also worried because I am not worried..it's not natural.
Quick note for anyone who doesn't know the story of Samson. I know what educations like nowadays... He wasn't a Striker in the NPower Championship who had his hair cut by a wag and lost his goalscoring touch. Reading back my post, that's what it sounded like.
I turned off my computer at 3.2 because the opposition can't score if you're not watching..and I was right.
My flat mate was watching his beloved Arsenal whilst I was listening to saints, so I made a jibe about how crap Jay Emmanuel Thomas was and that's why he is on the bench. He came on, sounded like Lionel Messi, scored and I then decided to believe I had jinxed the whole game for us. - But no, not now. Not under Nigels watch. I must learn to just concentrate on controlling the controlables.
Haha, good article! I also find myself looking at the league table every 5 mins and then the fixtures, then back at the table, then wondering which team will score more than us to knock us off top spot. All of my friends also text me in shock at every goal we score! It's going to hit me like a ton of bricks when we lose! Maybe we could just win every match? It's hard living in Bristol with Bristol City fans constantly mocking us / Lambert etc. They are quiet at the moment - I so wish we would sign Maynard so I can get It on the back of my saints shirt and parade it around my office!
Just to get you going again, Cardiff have to score 4 clear goals tonight to go above Saints, and Blackpool, Brighton and Derby have to score 5. They can't all do it, as they are playing each other. Good eh..? Even the fixtures are working for us. You know something special is occurring when that happens.
I'm going to go out on a limb now and suggest that there are only good times ahead for the forseeable future. Reasons?, Well we have a well run club with a superb chairman who has proved himself to be very astute in his running of the club and all the major decisions he has taken. We have a brilliant young Manager who took on a squad of players which he didn't sign and mould them into an attractive, passing, attacking team. he has managed to get everyone playing to the best of their ability and stay with the club for the long term through this exciting journey. We have one of the best Academies in the country and we have massive funds to improve the squad if needed. Lastly, we have a team that have been winning the vast majority of their games for 2 seasons, the players that have been added have enhanced an already very confident and cohesive unit of players and best of all the average age of the squad is approximately 24, so the team will probably improve further as players reach the peak of their careers. I predicted us to finish between 5th and 10th place before the season started, but now I see no reason why we can't put in a challenge for automatic promotion, I believe in Nigel and the lads that strongly.
Firstly, brilliant article! I also seem to find myself being really positive after we win, get home, look at the upcoming fixtures and become negative again - instantly thinking we will lose our next match. -.- You also make the point about Adkins - which he will leave one day. I can see him ending up at either Liverpool or even getting the England job one day and although I would be gutted, I would be pleased for him too because he would've deserved it.
What a great post Froggy. I thought - "When are we ever going to challenge?" - and we signed Kevin Keegan I thought - "When am I going to watch us at Wembley?" - and I've been to three finals since I thought - "We're doomed. Properly, properly doomed" - and Alan Ball was appointed I thought - "How are we ever going to keep him?" - but he was Matt Le Tissier I thought - "How am I going to live without this?" - and the Don spoke to Markus
Totally understand where you are coming from. I'm already thinking that's 9 points in the bag we don't have to get to stop getting relegated! Plus I'm just waiting for Connolly's leg to fall off again as with it the lad is mustard!
Also I'm thinking that we are doing so well Nigel is going to win the manager of the month award and then we're doomed by the curse and it all falls appart!
Great article, and yes I know all football fans across the country (except Man U who just assume everything will go right for them, because lets face it it usually does) will feel a bit of what you say, but historically at Saints we have made the act of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory a bit of a speciality, 3-0 up at home to Leeds anyone!! But this time I feel it's different, OK we may not get promoted this season, my moneys still on missing out on a playoff, but...something feels different and I just cant get used to it.
Great post yourself. I remember, as clear as day, what I was doing when I heard we'd signed Kevin Keegan. I was stood there in the middle of the room, staring at the TV screen while BBC South Today at lunchtime played on, with my jaw on the floor and my tongue lolling. My brother came in and asked, in a concerned way, what's happened..? I said, we've just signed Kevin Keegan. And his jaw hit the floor too.
