Isn't Ben Smith in Cortese's pocket?
I look at the removal of players as a cleansing exercise and won't be surprised if it continues in January, until all of Cortese's chums and Pochettino's pals have been cleared out.
Or until some of the others realise that there are worse things in life, than playing for Saints, and commit to the club rather than an individual.
As for the 15 year old. Perhaps his parents know he won't make the grade, so are spinning it to help him find another academy place elsewhere, by using the Saints Academy as a reference as to how good he could have been.
I look at the removal of players as a cleansing exercise and won't be surprised if it continues in January, until all of Cortese's chums and Pochettino's pals have been cleared out.
Or until some of the others realise that there are worse things in life, than playing for Saints, and commit to the club rather than an individual.
As for the 15 year old. Perhaps his parents know he won't make the grade, so are spinning it to help him find another academy place elsewhere, by using the Saints Academy as a reference as to how good he could have been.