A less than inspiring league position would be a small price to pay for a half decent European campaign. Even though in order to enjoy the latter some of us will have to shell out yet more dough on top of the cost of a season ticket. I'd better stitch my employers up, see if I can't hold them to ransom for the extra cash.
Therein lies the rub. Hardly anyone is talking about new players - it's all about Koeman, new managers, which no one likes, and what good players we have that might leave. Hopefully the club are still making contact with players and perhaps backroom staff they feel will improve the club but if you were a player, even a really thick player, it would be in the back of your mind that would you want to sign on for a club that doesn't even know who its next manager is and where some of the those 'brilliant international' players might not actually be there when you turn up for your first day of training. I'm not sure I'd be inclined to sign on if I'm honest.
Sky sources understand Everton will confirm the appointment of Southampton boss Ronald Koeman as their new manager on Tuesday.
All, have you listened to John Motson on iPlayer Radio - "Are Everton really a bigger club than Southampton? Link - http://bbc.in/1VIRHGN
Good stuff but where is the evidence actually coming from? Keeping the fan base out of the loop is doing much more damage than the odd bulletin or two explaining the situation in my opinion, they don't even have to be too informative, just a straw to clutch at would be good.
I'm not trying to find any blame with the board. I think the board have done the right thing. The fault is entirely on his side. Whether that is because he simply changed his mind once he saw the numbers on offer or that he tried to play the board with his new agent to get things his way it is entirely on his side. I am just saying the board may have utilised this scenario to move him on once it was clear. As for statements of "I am happy, I will be here to the end of my contract". Sorry, I am not that gullible. Lallana was the last time I will believe anyone saying anything at all like that and when I hear a chap who had no affiliation to Southampton before 2 years ago saying things like that I just think "shut up you don't mean a word of it." I didn't see some honourable chap at all. I saw a standard media training speak from a football manager. I don't listen to footballers (even our own like Jose or Prowsey) and take the words in as heartfelt personal feelings or opinions because they all have training on dealing with media and they all say exactly the same things. One game at a time - Not get ahead of ourselves - Keep up the momentum - Back to basics - Keep it Simple - keep doing what we are doing - Worry about our own club not others - I will not comment on other teams (but) blah blah blah. This is from the "footballing guide to media interviews". No need for anymore prematch, post match or any other interviews. The only stuff that is of any real use from these press conferences are "Any injuries?" and even then many managers will sow seeds of doubt for the opposition to think someone might be available or not. I don't understand why people took Koeman as being honourable. Same as Pochetino as far as I am concerned. They were both asked will you be here next season and they both said I have 1 year left on my contract. Neither have ties to the club and I find it very hard to understand why people thought the same words from someone better at English, phrased in a slightly different way somehow meant he was more honourable than any other manager. We are Southampton and a lot of managers will think we are the limit of our ceiling or thereabouts until we have grown our brand sufficiently enough to support us being able to compete. I said to Everton fans the other day. At this moment in time moving to Everton is a step down but that is a one year event. Hopefully it becomes more than a one year event but being 6th and in Europe lasts for one year and next year hopefully we will do the same. In time hopefully we will have built that base that means our commercial revenue boost our income like the big boys. Being equal on terms because of the extra TV money we get for finishing higher will not make us bigger. Once we are as marketable (when we are successful) as a big club when they are successful then we can can say we are a bigger club and not just a better option at this moment in time. I would bet if Everton were in our position they could get twice what we can for shirt sponsorship, twice what we get for advertising revenue and other sponsorships and many times more than us in shirt sales etc. I love where we are at the moment but I wouldn't sacrifice our ethos of bring through youngsters no matter if they are up to top 6 standard or not to keep a manager that is thinking short term for his own CV. I want to see players like Reed, JWP and Targett get many more starts than they do even if they are not first choice and my opinion of all of them is that they are not as good as their incumbents at the moment. They do however need the chance to improve. I will be much happier if in 10 years Saints are still top half with a splattering of home growns in the match day squad and still breaking even than I will be if we start veering away from that stated goal, increasing wages substantially, spending more and more on transfers, allowing managers to ignore the youth team but in ten years time needing to stay in the top 4/6 every season to keep anywhere near sustainability. I wasn't overly keen on Koeman when we appointed him. I was surprised that he did so well in the first season although after the initial first few games of that season the style turned to very dour barring a few results. Last season started more as I though he was going to be initially although the 11 game run and lack of opportunities for the youngsters started to make me worry before we then finished with a great spell after January. I am happy the bloke is gone. I wasn't happy Adkins went and to be honest much as I slated Pochettino for not having a plan B I wasn't that happy he decided to go. Our youth/academy/Southampton way/Pathway policy is THE key thing for me. It is our selling point and I don't want Southampton to become West Ham. A club that has to paint the words "The academy" over it's tunnel entrance before another 15 mercenaries trot out from under that sign.
My dislike of Neville Southall reached a new low (if that was possible) this morning, when on radio 5 he was so derogatory towards Southampton. His claim that Everton have better players, the club is better, the fans are better and the potential is greater seemed to totally ignore the direction of each club in the past 5 years. Out of interest, I had a discussion with one of my sons on the phone 2 days ago about who we would replace in our team (not squad) with an Everton player and we came up with Lukaku (on a good day) for Pelle, Coleman for Cedric/Cuco and Barkley (on a good day) for Clasie/Ward-Prowse. In every other position we both consider the Saints players to be the better choice for the way we play.
I really wanted to give you a 'like' for this and all was going well for the first 50 minutes or so! However, expecting our academy to be the key is, regretfully, wishful thinking. Unless you have a genius on your books it's always easier to go and buy in someone ready made. It's a shame but it's the way it is. And, of course, once those players are in they always seem to be favoured over the home- growns. Targett always played well, I think JWP was looking better than Clasie and Reed never got any chance at all. In the lower leagues it is easier to play your youngsters and that is where our reputation came from. Since the beginning of our Premier League adventure I would say our record for playing academy players is actually very poor.
It's strange that no one in the media who are questioning why RK is moving from us to Everton are not brave enough to raise the real fact that Everton are prepared to pay him £6-7m a year compared with our £2.5-3m. Looking for real footballing reasons does make any sense as there aren't any
Though not as idealistic (some might say unrealistic) as yourself my attitude to how SFC conducts itself, and spends money was formed back in June 2009. I never again want to wake up each day scared to check the BBC footy site in case we'd been liquidated. To that end I'm pleased that we've not matched Everton's public promise to splash the cash like an American in a gift shop.
