LIVE: #SFCAwards2015

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How about Clynes goal away at Liverpool first game of season as goal of the season......Tadic fancy back heel left Dejan for dead.
 
Ralph Krueger speaking to Steve Bennett on YouTube:

"The spirit here is so strong and I appreciate all the Saints followers at home tuning in here! It's been a special season. It's nice to take a deep breath, step out of the season and think about what we are doing here, now. It's very important to take time to celebrate - we didn't really have a lot of that this season."

"We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to build on last season and be even better."

"It's really all about 'The Southampton Way'. It's not something we invented - but we reinvented it. Everybody is living 'The Southampton Way' and we are proud of the way we operate. We are very respectful with all people we work with: our fans, the media..."

"It's a family, and we're a club that wants to grow and do something special - but while having a good time."

"What's happening on the pitch is a by-product of all the honest hard-work that is happening."

"I just put myself as being a head coach in a different position. It's a bigger picture that I find myself in. I still find that I have the coach's eye when I walk around the club, to find ways people can find their potential and develop here at Southampton."

"Katharina's support has been outstanding. It's been easy for me to step in and be chairman with the people I have to work with here."

"We want to do things differently. The captains and Ronald chose snow over sun. I don't think many other clubs do that. I used my contacts to build the package in Davos for the squad. Everything we're doing is a unique Southampton connection. Our brand is growing and people around the world know that we are on the map."
 
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Saints looking back at some of the highlights of the season, on and off the pitch.

Now looking back on [HASHTAG]#GoodLuckTim[/HASHTAG] - that really amused me at the time. Saints are good at this media stuff. :)
 
Adam Leitch of the Daily Echo - interview:

"We've had a lot of long trips sandwiched together, but it's been a good season to cover them. This is my 13th season for the Echo covering Saints, and this has been a cracking season."

"I would say this is my favourite season so far. The first season I did this was the FA Cup Final - but for all-round enjoyment, this has been great. The atmosphere is the best it's been. I love all the staff here, Ronald is brilliant and they're all great to deal with - players and staff."

"We've all got our own little words, but everybody is invested in the success of this football club. Way more people buy our paper and read our website when Saints are doing well. There's a recognition, a feeling from the top, that everyone has their part in that."

"It is so much easier when they're co-operative. You get good stuff out of them, and you treat them with respect. It works both ways."

"A lot of the things that are really memorable are not even matches. Press conferences - things like Ronald's famous 'Chips without mayonnaise is not chips!'"

"It makes it a better place. There's a nice buzz around St. Mary's. Players are happy, fans are happy and the manager is happy. Writing a report on a victory is much easier than having to write about some shambolic performance from someone you've then got to go and speak to!"
 
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Part One of exclusive interview with Les Reed: *as close to verbatim as possible*

"All in all it's been an outstanding year really. It's a bit old hat now, to keep referring back to the summer - but in terms of where we were and where we are now, we've had a great season."

"We got on with the job and we've had a very good finish to the season and have a good position in the league. We're still progressing and that's a good sign for the future."

"No, I would've expected that." (improvement, progression and Europa League)

"We put our plan into operation, in terms of when things go wrong, how do we react? We didn't make a fuss and simply moved forwards in terms of the recruitment of the coach, player sales and player recruitment."

"Would I have predicted us to finish where we are now? No I wouldn't. But does it surprise me? Not at all."

"We had the right things in place to deal with the issues that came up."

"It was a massive test, because we'd developed something we believed in, and you hope never to test it out - but we had to. I think we came through with flying colours."

"At the time it was stressful and a lot of hard work, with a lot of people doing a lot of hours. I feel very confident going forward, that if things crop up, we can deal with them."

"We've strengthened from going through that period. A lot of things have happened behind the scenes at the club. A lot of new ideas."

"We can set high targets and achieve big ambitions."

"It's one of those - 'Ronald Koeman' - not a person who is under the radar. His playing career and coaching career was out there for everyone to see. I was quite surprised that while he was on our radar, he wasn't on other clubs' radars, while other Dutch coaches like De Boer and Van Gaal were. It meant we could not draw attention to it."

"Ronald was someone we would monitor. We're always interested in clubs similar to ours - Ajax and Feyenoord in terms of academy and structure aren't that different. Having met him, he was exactly what we were looking for and was a good fit. It all happened quite smoothly. It wasn't the changeover of coach that was traumatic as it may have seemed. We did our home work and we got our number one choice straight away. He liked what he heard, and we liked what we heard. We had to get that over the line before Ronald and I could discuss what we were going to do in the transfer window and make plans."

"He's a very calm and controlled person. There are managers who are laid back. He is in no way laid back, he's very hands-on, but he has a very calm and controlled manner. His appointment seemed to indicate that we knew what we were doing and calmed everyone down. I think, generally, the fans and the media were very impressed that we had appointed Ronald Koeman."

"While we had a lot of loyal players, the employment of the coach gave them a great deal of confidence as well - which is why I think we hit the ground running."

"I think Ryan Bertrand gave out some interesting messages. This is a player with a Champions League winners' medal, who had been brought up at a very successful club, but hadn't been able to travel down that pathway and become a regular. Young, English and an international player, and I think Ryan committing himself to it at that time sent out a good message. He's a very highly-rated player who felt Southampton was the right place to develop his career - and so it has shown. You'd almost think he was brought up here from the age of eight."

"Bearing in mind we thought we'd get our business over the line quickly, but then Sadio Mané not being able to get out of Germany until the deadline - that was quite scary. We had one medical team in England and one on stand-by in Germany. We did a deal with Bayern Munich's doctor to do a medical, and use their facilities. We got final confirmation with about two minutes to go."

"We went for loan players (in January) to cover injuries and add to the squad. It's always a bid of a 'Wild West' market, and we didn't want to get drawn into that."
 
Martin Hunter and Sam Gallagher now on stage. Martin has a sling and cast on his right arm.

Says to dispel some rumours: No, he didn't get in a fight with Victor - and no, it's not the hand he used following last night's 4-0 loss. He used his left hand to hit them.
 
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Les Reed exclusive interview - part two:

"We all went to that game (Liverpool away), very nervous. We thought we'd done all the right things, but until they cross that white line you never know. We wanted a confident performance and we got that. We were disappointed we hadn't got the points, considering they were the team that had raided us. But I walked out of Anfield very happy. That was the springboard for the season."

"That was a very satisfying day, because it all came together (8-0 vs Sunderland). We actually had a shaky start to the game and Sunderland would've felt in with a chance, and we just kicked into gear. The performance at West Ham showed when we want to keep possession, we can, under huge pressure."

"Sunderland just showed us that when we get all that right, with players at their peak, we are very difficult to handle. We were very clinical that day - it'd be nice to get that back!"

"It was a sign that on our day we are a very good technical team, and a ruthless dream."

"I think it ties in with what I've said previously, many times. This club has a genuine aspiration to play in the Champions League."

"We're not going to do it by buying a Champions League squad with £40m transactions for single players. We're going to build it, with a blend of youth and experience. That takes time. But it can happen, if you put yourself to take an opportunity when it comes. What we have to do is position ourselves, so when one of the big four falls away and leaves the door open, we are in the best position to go through it."

"If we can compete in Europe now, and gain confidence and experience, there's no reason why in the future we can't (progress to Champions League)."

"There was a dream, a little inkling, that if things just went right for us - the door might open now. We're probably not ready for it."

"What it does show, though, is that at some point in the future we will be ready - and it's not wrong to aspire to that."

"I think we've given some of the big teams a good run for their money. We may not have always got the points - Chelsea, Arsenal, United. I tend to be the guy that looks at overall performance, and trends - whether the team is peaking or troughing at certain times. We've made a strong comeback."

"For me, the highlight of the season has been that we have consistently been in European positions - and we spent a long time in the top four. It shows we can mix it with the big boys."

"I think that all the players we have signed have done very, very well. We signed a number of players who hadn't played in England, and in the first part of the season in particular, they all stepped up. That usually takes a bit of time. They're used to a winter break, so it's been a long season for some of them - but it bodes well for next season. Graziano, Sadio, Dušan are all learning what it takes to play in this league. Toby's been a great loan signing."

"I think that they (Reed and JWP) have done very well. I think in his first season as captain, José Fonte has really stepped up to the mark. Getting called up by Portugal was a great reward. Fraser was fantastic, up until his injury he would've been a strong contender. Then, Mr. Consistent - Steven Davis. And there's Shane Long - he works his socks off every week. May not score, but works his socks off and you'd want him in your team."

"If anyone was leading the poll, in my view, it'd be Morgan. He's really stepped up to the mark."

"We're a better team this year, than since we came up from League One."

"But if anyone's been our stand-out player - it's Morgan."

"I measure our performance, as a club, by everything that goes on - not simply what the first team to do on the pitch. We've spent a long time building players in the U21s and U18s. There's a lot of talk about whether English players are good enough and strong enough, we played the game that night (the U21 PL cup win) with 15 out of 18 as English boys. All outfielders from our club. To top it off with a bit of silverware, that recognises that development, was, with ten men for a lot of the game, to actually win that game is something that will stay with them forever."

"Hopefully, one day, a lot of those players will be in that position with an FA Cup, or a League Cup, or a European Cup. You can't buy that experience."

"I think that surprised the broadcasters (the attendance at St. Mary's for the U21 final). It certainly surprised our opponents. We always said if we had the second leg at St. Mary's, the fans would come. In terms of promoting it, there wasn't a lot of time. So, for the fans to turn out like that just shows their faith in the club and the academy."

"It's coming on really well now (Staplewood). Finishing touches. One new really big pitch coming in. The landscaping is making it a really great environment, too. Everyone comments on it. Players in the summer, when they see this place, will be convinced that we are a club going somewhere."

"I think it's been a very positive team in a number of players. We're celebrating football tonight, but the club has done a lot of things off-the-field. There's always room to improve. We will step forward. We will always have that aspiration to step forward, compete with the big boys and upset the apple cart."

"Maybe people don't like that happening, but we don't care."
 
Fraser Forster now up!


"It's been absolutely fantastic. Good to see so many people here supporting the club. It's a great way to celebrate a brilliant season!"


Best Friend: "At Southampton, I'd say Prowsey. We spend a lot of time together and get on well. Russell Martin at Norwich, Mike Williamson at Newcastle. A few of the Celtic lads."

In Free Time: "I'm so boring, it's untrue. I spend so much time at the training ground I just like chilling out. I read a bit, get stuck into some TV box-sets and put my feet up - not really a golfer."


On moving to Southampton: "I've been at a lot of clubs and changed clubs a bit - it's been the easiest transition I've had. The lads here, more than anywhere, have been really welcoming. I already knew Victor when I got here, and Dave (Watson). I got settled really quickly."

On Dave Watson: "I spent the summer with him at the World Cup. It was fantastic to then come down here, and I obviously knew him and what I'd be working with. He's a top, top keeper coach and it's an honour to work with him here."

Stand-Out Moments: "The QPR save - it means more in an important game, and it was nice to keep a clean sheet. I think as a team, really, we've taken so much pride in attacking as a team and defending as a team. We do score a lot of goals, but we take a lot of pride in keeping clean sheets. It's been a real team effort."


Player of the Season: "I voted for Morgan. He's been fantastic - he makes the game look so easy. He just keeps it ticking over. For me, it was easy. But there's José too. There's so many, but you can only pick one - and I couldn't vote for myself either!"
 
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