With the new Premier League just around the corner and all the media, especially the television wing in superlative overdrive I am still finding it very difficult to get enthused about the new season. Perhaps it is the knowledge that Southampton will struggle to compete or play the same way that they did last season, or perhaps it is the growing realisation that the league is so dramatically tiered that the top seven is already decided and the rest are simply playing to finish eighth. This could be argued about the top divisions in Italy, Spain and Germany too, however, looking at the additions to many of the squads this year it suggests to me that there is a lack of real quality about and there have been only a few marquee players flocking to the division: only the prospect of watching Alexis Sanchez excites me of the overseas additions this year. It may also be the ever-increasing commercialisation of the event - I never thought I would hear the phrase on the BBC - 'The McD**alds sponsored charity shield' are the media obliged to add these advertisers in their billings? So what excites you about the new season and please try and help me get excited about it instead of fearing the worst for Saints!
It's a strange one isn't it? For one season we dared to look up, almost forgetting that for 13 clubs the Premier League is normally about nervously peering over your shoulder. Anyway, I'm looking forward to this season anyway, it's going to be more interesting than last season which petered out quite early, I'm very sure of that.
Football in general. As much as you can dislike parts, the love for the game, the matchday atmosphere , never dwindles.
I've SUPPORTED Saints when they were good, when they were mediocre and when they were downright s**t...That will never change and we can bitch, whine and moan all we like on this forum but it is our duty as Saints fans to back the lads to the hilt from the stands. I'm looking forward as much as ever to season because we have a new team and the unknown can be scary but also exhilarating.
Arsenal with Ramsey and Alexis. They will be good fun to watch. I also want to see Liverpool fail (normally this would be Man U but I couldn't care less about them now), and I'll be happy for Saints just to survive.
I am expecting us to give it a dam good go in the cups this season. As for the premier league I have lost all interest. This is probably the first season that I have felt so disinterested, I will support the Saints as I have always done but just the trailers for the PL in the media have left me totally dis-spirited and bored. I have no tingling feeling of excitement or anticipation just the realisation that it will be the same old thing. The have lots and the have nots.
I have absolutely no enthusiasm whatsoever for the start of the rich boy's stitch-up league. But all that will change once the first ball is kicked. I'm resigned to a difficult season for Saints, but then I was two years ago and then we ended up nearly beating both Manchester teams. With Danny Fox at LB.
To see Tadic nutmeg Lovren and score the winner on sunday before turning his head back to Lovren and just smile at him...? Ok, maybe a bit too kinky....
In the minds of most of the teams in this league, we're a "have lot", I think you'll find. And that's the reason this window has been so frustrating. We'd shaken off that little fish mentality for a bit but it's all come back now.
I am not as excited about football as I was when I was playing and much younger. I am also not looking forward to this season because having watched Saints and followed football in general for *ahem* years I am fairly confident of the following: 1. None of the ex-Saints players who went to Liverpool will fail. 2. Tottenham Hotspur will have a great season and their manager will be lauded in the media. 3. Saints will be mediocre at best, and that's okay we are normally a mediocre club, but the media will rub this in our faces week in, week out. 4. The two player we don't want to leave will leave in January come what may. To paraphrase The Wire : 'Just 'cause you want it so, don't make it so..' All in all I can take it or leave it - I'll grumble when Saints lose and throw away leads, I'll be really upbeat when they win. I expect to be grumpy more often than not but I'm hoping I'm wrong, as I so often am.
Sadly, I think you're right on most of those points, if a little over pessimistic. However, point by point; 1) Except, quite possibly, the only one we'd like to see succeed. 2) They'll still finish 6th though. Or 7th. 3) At best, we'll be pretty bloody good. At worst, we'll be outclassed. The rest of the time we'll be mediocre. 4) Maybe. Really hope not.
We're not as big time as you seem to think. And we never were. We bought ONE big name player, who cost far too much and didn't want to be here. Roma just wanted rid of him.
This season we are going to be competing around teams with smaller budgets than ours. It wouldn't be surprising at all to see the likes of Hull and Palace finish above us. That's not good enough.
