OK - I am feeling positive. Surely last season was a lesson to all that we can't take anything for granted. Leicester won the league! This season we have some well-established teams having a properly shocking time. Stoke, the PL veterans of what anyone - other than Stoke fans - would call over-achievement (sound familiar?), have started splashing lots of cash over the last 2 years and are now in serious trouble (interestingly they have had stability in the manager over this time, so they're pretty much the anti-Southampton - maybe that's why they play in white and red stripes?). West Ham, less veterans than Stoke but more like us in their recent over-achievement, are having a 'mare in their new subsidized home (LOL). We have for seven years continually topped our previous season's performance, whilst simultaneously selling our best players and making loads-a-money. I think we should (a) be very happy that we're not in Stoke or West Ham's position (b) not feel that it is our right to expect an 8th successive year of record achievement. I'm not saying we should be grateful if we simply avoid relegation this year, or that we shouldn't be excited by Puel, or that we shouldn't feel that we can look forward to success - there's no reason we can't have success. But let's enjoy where we are, let's enjoy the new team with more youth and potential to come, enjoy the new manager's style, enjoy the Europa league (great so far!), enjoy finally beating Crystal Palace in the cup...! Times have been good for a long time in Southampton, times are still good
It's never boring supporting Saints...we may start giving managers testimonials if they are still here after two years. So far every manager has been admirable and not one was a predictable pick.
Koeman started out as a 'pick', but the silent 'r' became very loud when he decided that being mediocre at Everton would involve more money for the Koeman coffers
Watched YouTube to see the highlights of the match against West Ham and was amazed by the creativity around the box, particularly Tadic. Are Serbs just naturally very gifted footballers, but just lack that something that makes a player world class?
Portsmouth have had two Serbs in the past - Prekki and Pros??????? (I'll have to google it) Real class in amongst a lot of turkeys.
The thread that runs through the last few seasons is the Southampton Way. Our form has fluctuated as, by definition, it must. The essential requirements are always followed though. We play attractive football. The club is run in a sustainable manner. Players and managers come and go but can you imagine us signing an Allardyce or Carroll? Can you imagine us spending £50m on a fancied player? It's not our way. I am enjoying watching Saints because we play with creativity and style. And who knows how far we can go?
Ten days ago a mate asked me what I hoped for from the Chelsea game, and I said if we beat Sunderland & Inter, then I'll take the Chelsea game on the chin. We were not unlucky to lose to them, they were superb on the day, but I am so excited by this season. The EFL has opened up nicely, so if Arsenal keep giving game time to the fringe, then we have a massive chance of going through with our very own dependable fringe academy. But the carrot now is surely Europa League, where we tackle top of the table Prague next, if we can grab top spot, I see us doing some serious damage along the way. What a fantastic few months.
Looking back - and hindsight is a wonderful thing - Ron's lack of interest in the academy players was exactly because he never had any intention of staying with Southampton for more than 2 years and used us to wring the best out of our best players to get himself noticed and move on. I reckon he'll do a couple of years at Everton and then get a big club on the continent.
Its hard to say how well he'll do there, but I can't see him getting Barca or Holland straight after. To expensive to poach, not good enough to wait for. Oh dear, so sad.
Serbia will be a fertile ground for finding sports stars for years to come. Sport was always a big priority in the communist era of Yugoslavia and the same mentality still survives. For a small country of 6-7 million Serbia is world class in tennis, basketball, waterpolo, volleyball and handball. For a country with little prospects for it's youth sport is a big chance to earn some money. Sport and learning a language is the best way to move on. Football is probably the hardest sport to achieve in because all the leagues of ex Yugoslavia have a huge hooligan element spurred on by the conflicts between the ex Yugoslav countries but they'll continue to be fed by the sports oriented youth. (anyone know the Saints scouting team cos there's a really good central defender playing for FK Vojvodina?)
