It does seem a little silly for Southampton fans to be having a go at Norwich, to be honest.
Obviously, we are proud of what the club has achieved and optimistic for the future as we should be. But we can't overlook the fact that everything we are proud of having done, and hope to achieve in the near-future Norwich has already done. We are similar teams, trying to attract similar players, following similar models. There should be more teams doing the same thing. It shows that having a game plan and moving up the ranks step-by-step actually gets you there faster than overspending.
For now, both clubs attract the same level and type of player for the same reason. They are well-run clubs where players can go and if they work hard they will get first-team experience and improve their games and get seen. If they do well, the sky is the limit. If it turns out they are not stars, then they know as long as they put a shift in, their managers will give them a fair shake and they will be playing for a stable club, and the fans will be behind them. That's a fantastic scenario for honest footballers. And those are players clubs should go out and sign-- hungry players who want to achieve. Not the prima donnas who want it all now, or the mercenaries who just want cash. Drew Surman could have done wonders at Saints had we not totally screwed up.
We need to be honest. If Clyne and Jay Rodriguez shine at Southampton, while Saints stay in the lower half of the table then in two years they will be on to bigger and better things and I would not blame them. We HOPE that Saints will continue to progress and Liebherr's deep pockets give us a chance to hold on to those players that Norwich perhaps doesn't have. And there is every reason to be optimistic. But we haven't done anything yet.
It makes no sense to brag about Southampton being able to attract star players right now when 1) We probably can't, and 2) That's not our gameplan anyway.
Saints should continue doing what they've been doing which is also what Norwich has been doing. Keep the transfer spending and payrolls within control, build teams of honest players, and not get too caught up in the big club spending game. And then plow every bit of money saved into our academy as an investment in the future, so we can continue to be stable in the future.
The one advantage I think Norwich fans would have to concede is that Saints already have an excellent academy and deeper pockets. So on that score, we have a bit of a long term advantage. Especially with the new EPPP, academies are going to be vital. In the short term, Norwich has already spent a season in the EPL and stayed up, so you are probably a bit ahead of us there.
I'm a little nervous about both teams. Norwich has a new manager, which is always a cause for concern because you just never know how it will work out. Southampton fans feel like we have the talent, but not having tested ourselves, we really don't know for sure. This is a new level for our manager, most of our team, and we are bringing in a lot of new faces. I think both teams have put themselves in as good a position as possible to succeed, and I think we will both survive and finish somewhere between 12 and 17. But it won't be easy. If either of our teams go into the season thinking survival is guaranteed they will go down.
