Agree 100%. Interesting to hear R J after the under 23 win talking about how good it is to have a first team manager who buys into the intensity and energy top line of the club. Looks as though the last three managers didn't and it showed!
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/17291050.oriol-romeu-is-back-in-the-frame-at-southampton/?ref=rss Romeu talking about how he couldn't see his way back at Saints until Ralph arrived. Also mentions that he asked Hughes to play him with the U23s as he felt he was losing fitness...like the sound of that. Romeu sounds hungry and that can only be a good thing....remember a couple of seasons ago he was our Player of the Season.
I wouldn’t bother with the long throw ins, it’s a statistical absolute that no one has ever scored as a result of one of those, even when opposed by Saint’s CBs. But I agree with the rest.
Good to see Romeu back. We all know his limitations, but he’s a competitor. Under under Puel he grew in stature.
And yet deeply worrying/confirming a number of suspicions that he had to *ask* to do that to gain fitness!
The players won't do more than they are asked usually and it seems Hughes didn't ask much of them...gave them a break for instance during the international break. Now I am not denying that sometimes a break is a good thing, but I think a team building exercise would have been more valuable in this instance than a small holiday. It sounds like Hughes just wanted some time off...tbf Koeman was a bit fond of getting away during the season, but at least the team were fit.
Given that Hughes had a similar reputation at Stoke I'm starting to wonder about his managerial motivation. After all, he's walked away - after 8 months at the club - with more money than most of us dream about. Assume he got a sizeable amount from Stoke, add one more sucker club and he'll be set up for life. All for minimal effort. Why would you push the players that hard? Just enough to get through it....
Read somewhere that in his managerial career he’d picked up something like £18m in compensation. I think he’ll be okay.
Depends what you're using the long throws for; they aren't spectacular as slow crosses, but they're great ways to avoid having 50/50 balls straightaway along the touchline. Liverpool just extended the contract of their long throw coach because it has had a significant positive impact on their ability to retain possession from throw-ins.
Gives me goosebumps, even now. I was so busy celebrating Matt’s goal I had to be asked to sit down. I hadn’t realised that I was the only one still applauding the goal/moment.
We do not have too many truly memorable moments as Saints fans but that one is definitely one of them.
Just entered a Saints competition to win 2 season tickets for next season....why must they torture us like this.
