Even in Gareths case, it sure did take some time. They called him a jinx for a while, the cheeky gits!
If we're talking about Bale, OXO and Walcott, then I think they've all improved. Bale is the only one who has improved out of all recognition. OXO has time, but he does seem to be going the same way as Walcott, at present. But let's widen it. Dyer has improved dramatically at Swansea. Kenwyne Jones is a much better striker than he was at Saints [don't think so..? where are Blackstock, McGoldrick and Best playing then..?] I could go on if I could remember the myriad of players who have left Saints these last few years. Ah.. Andrew Surman - he would probably have been a better player staying at SFC. Any more in the top division..?
Oh, I agree that they would have all improved just as much, possibly more by playing for Saints, but they have improved. The two that are disappointing in a major way are OXO and Walcott and I blame Arsenal totally for that.
I've always felt a bit sorry for Surman. I don't think he really wanted to leave but we badly needed the money. Now he's gone backwards and I doubt he'd get in our team any more.
Jones was doing the same things for us until he started moaning. It's just Stoke's kinda play is more suited to him, as for the others is kind of hard to judge as some of the players seem to only perform in Div 1.
If we're being specific about Kenwyne Jones here, I think he could have been a far better player than he has become. He had all the necessary skills and speed, but was possibly too confident for his own good. Even Lowe always said he was confident to the point of arrogance. I still remember very clearly seeing Jones playing in between Dyer and Walcott on either wing, for the youth, at the Silverlake stadium against Eastleigh. You couldn't tell which one was the fastest, except that Jones ate up the yards with his long strides.
I have heard that Wales are trying to get Luke Shaw to join Bale in the Welsh squad. They claim that he is eligible to play for Wales as one of his grandparents once owned a Welsh Dresser....?
I can believe it. I went to the same school as him. I was 4 years above him I think and played football with him a few times at lunch (pretty sure this was before he joined the Saints setup). He was a really nice kid.
No genius on my part. I just recognised the signs. I was doing pretty much the same game the other day.
