SMALL MERCIES..
I`ve been watching bits of the World Cup with a kind of detached ambivalence. Some weeks ago, I was genuinely pleased that so many Southampton players had been chosen to represent their respective countries. Now, however, that pleasure has been diluted by recent events surrounding the club`s World Cup representatives. It goes like this:-
- Rickie Lambert, once Southampton`a Goal Machine, now transferred to his spiritual home at Liverpool;
- Luke Shaw, nurtured through the Saints Academy for ten years but, encouraged by ambitious parents and a quite obscene amount of money, now transferred to The True Damned United;
- Adam Lallana, Saints` captain and another from our Academy production line, has also agreed terms to go to Anfield;
- Croatia`s Dejan Lovren, after just one season at Saint Mary`s, is reported to be going on strike to secure a move to Liverpool (I`ve de-friended him on F***book, so there!);
- Uruguay`s Gaston Ramirez, promised much at Southampton last season but has yet to really deliver his undoubted talent and following his exploits in Brazil, may seek pastures new;
- Maya Yoshida, stalwart centre-back for Japan but like his other Saints team-mates listed above, now home again after his country failed to progress in the competition;
- Morgan Schneiderlin, another from our youth set-up, has just gained his first international cap with France and seems poised to join the quasi-Gallic outfit at the Emirates Stadium;
So, only Schneiderlin remains in Brazil at the World Cup and although he may be the last one from the original Saints` representatives, it seems increasingly likely that the lure of Arsenal will also see him depart the beautiful south.
And with the departure of manager Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham, there was much speculation about who might replace him. In the end, the appointment of Dutch legend Ronald Koeman might turn out to be an inspired choice, so there may be hope yet.
As for me, being ever mindful of the subtle difference between supporting a team and supporting a club, I look for small mercies in all of this. It could have been worse. It could have been Sam Allardyce!
- Rickie Lambert, once Southampton`a Goal Machine, now transferred to his spiritual home at Liverpool;
- Luke Shaw, nurtured through the Saints Academy for ten years but, encouraged by ambitious parents and a quite obscene amount of money, now transferred to The True Damned United;
- Adam Lallana, Saints` captain and another from our Academy production line, has also agreed terms to go to Anfield;
- Croatia`s Dejan Lovren, after just one season at Saint Mary`s, is reported to be going on strike to secure a move to Liverpool (I`ve de-friended him on F***book, so there!);
- Uruguay`s Gaston Ramirez, promised much at Southampton last season but has yet to really deliver his undoubted talent and following his exploits in Brazil, may seek pastures new;
- Maya Yoshida, stalwart centre-back for Japan but like his other Saints team-mates listed above, now home again after his country failed to progress in the competition;
- Morgan Schneiderlin, another from our youth set-up, has just gained his first international cap with France and seems poised to join the quasi-Gallic outfit at the Emirates Stadium;
So, only Schneiderlin remains in Brazil at the World Cup and although he may be the last one from the original Saints` representatives, it seems increasingly likely that the lure of Arsenal will also see him depart the beautiful south.
And with the departure of manager Mauricio Pochettino to Tottenham, there was much speculation about who might replace him. In the end, the appointment of Dutch legend Ronald Koeman might turn out to be an inspired choice, so there may be hope yet.
As for me, being ever mindful of the subtle difference between supporting a team and supporting a club, I look for small mercies in all of this. It could have been worse. It could have been Sam Allardyce!
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