Indeed, very well said, Schad. However, the hugely impressive players that this club produces are not a walking advertisement to those outside of the in-the-know area of football. So, if the headline writers continue to write misleadingly, then the credit once again goes to the big team, and the medium sized club, that Saints are, continues to have the superb reputation to bring on players and never truly benefits from them, because the players leave. The fact the the Academy has produced quality player after quality player is not an advertisement for Saints. It's an advertisement for the team those quality players go on to play for. And it will continue to happen while the writers and pundits keep Saints efforts in the small print only.
I've got no problems with AOC, sad to see him go, think he would have enjoyed this season with us. Can't be arsed with Wenger though, he's going to take all the plaudits for his development, so I'll just have to avoid listening.
Don't worry - karma is available in the shape of Man City, who regularly asset strip Arsenal (including mention of VP I noticed today. They'll rid Arsenal of O-A and Spurs of Bale at some point. Don't think they'd want Walcott, though - he's peaked at Arsenal imo, good as he is. Villa, Newcastle etc. await, I think.
Just in case any of you thought Saints were getting a little too much credit in the leading article, try this one for size: http://thisisfutbol.com/2012/03/blogs/is-this-arsenal-prodigy-really-destined-for-greatness Signed from Southampton Academy, as if that's all that exists. The FC is obviously not even worthy of note, this time. Recognition for the Academy again..? isn't it wonderful. If only Academy recognition actually put you in the top half of the PL, I'd approve of it a little more. In the past, along with Saints, there has been Leicester, West Ham, Crewe Alexandra with stand-out youth policies. Hasn't seemed to have done much for them yet, except kept the wolf from the door..? Thankfully, if I've learned anything about Cortese - for Saints, that's about to change, big-time.
