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Episode 343: Early transfer news
51 Plays7 days ago
Southampton – Transfer news this early? Of Course there is! We cover all of it and what the future plan looks like for us as a team!
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Transcript
Welcome and Festive Season
00:00:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and as always today, I'm a good friend and wonderful co-host, Zachary Gofinch.
00:00:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
How doing, mate? You alright?
00:00:28
Zak
mate, I'm not too bad. Yeah. It's not one up to Christmas, isn't it? So just enjoying the festivities and et cetera, et cetera. But
00:00:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's it, mate. It's good.
Transfer Window Buzz
00:00:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, you know, even with all this festive ities and festiveness, football carries on, doesn't There's the never-ending news cycle.
00:00:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And believe it or not, we've got a transfer window coming up as well. So you know that the news wires get busy at those pi parts of time, mate.
00:00:54
Zak
yeah.
00:01:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I've just got loads of Saints news to talk
Managerial Changes and New Striker
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
about. So I guess we'll just...
00:01:05
Zak
Yeah, like a lot, a lot's happened, right?
00:01:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:07
Zak
A lot's come out of the club in the last week, which is mad because usually we we would, some sometimes we kind of compound news in when there's like a big thing that happens.
00:01:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:01:15
Zak
So like, you know, we appoint a new manager, which seems to be a trend that's happened over the last couple of years. But like, it is kind of crazy just like how much has happened over the last week for sure.
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, ah it's crazy. It's been busy. So I guess let's just get straight into it and go from there. So ah the first line I've got on my notes, Zach, is ah along with a goalkeeper, Tom Larekka is keen to bring in a striker in January, which, you know, slightly goes against the line we've heard from Spores of it being a quiet January and not being in a position to do so. how we feeling about that?
Potential Player Movements
00:01:54
Zak
It depends, right? Like if we have someone that goes and then we can bring somebody else in and that wouldn't surprise me because, you know, Archer's not getting the time that he probably wants on the pitch. They know Ross Stewart is a little bit far away, right?
00:02:07
Zak
From where they want to be.
00:02:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:02:09
Zak
ah Damien Downs, if we don't know what's going to happen. Obviously, they they've said to not imagine there's any movement on him, but... you know If, for example, some people leave quicker in January, like the talks around Joe Rebo, etc., it might bolster the funds a little bit.
00:02:24
Zak
It might pick somebody up on loan. like It doesn't surprise me that they want more options. right Although Armstrong has now regained Armstrong Championship form, apart from penalties,
00:02:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. but
00:02:37
Zak
um it doesn't surprise me that they want to pick up another one. Although i think a lot of...
00:02:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:02:44
Zak
people's opinions have probably shifted and probably nowadays think we need, you know, more of like a left winger or a right winger, just sort of more attacking players that aren't going to have the quality of Siena, don't get me wrong.
00:02:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:55
Zak
But like, I think that's where they feel like we need to bolster them more. So I think a lot of people will be surprised that, you know, if it was say eight, nine weeks ago, a striker would have been a problem.
00:03:06
Zak
Now, so people are probably going find it a bit odd. But as you've also pointed out, we're like one or two injuries away from absolute disaster when it comes to that section. So...
00:03:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's tricky, right? And it's, I mean, it's difficult. It's a tricky position to fill. And I guess, I mean, you can throw the blanket term, strike it out, but that could easily cover someone who can, you know, replace armor or fellows or armor or Azaz. So it's, uh...
00:03:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's it's but it's also, like we talked about, right, like it's tricky, trickier to feel because because no one's coming in to replace them as a first choice.
00:03:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And are you going to get that quality that you want if it's a second choice?
00:03:48
Zak
That's the thing, right? We've had this back and forth multiple
Goalkeeper Dilemma and Stats Analysis
00:03:50
Zak
times. And, like, I guess we've just got to trust in the recruitment for it. Like, we've had more, we we would agree, we've probably had more gems than we've had duds so far.
00:03:58
Zak
And we still don't know what will happen with those duds longer term. So, you know, and but by duds, we're like, well, what do we who's the only one we've really seen that hasn't quite taken off yet?
00:04:11
Zak
Damien Downs, probably he's the only one on that list.
00:04:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:14
Zak
and Everyone else is kind of, we're probably all right with.
00:04:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'd say so. Yeah.
00:04:16
Zak
Like, Kwasi comes in as and when he's needed. You know, Azaz is doing bits now.
00:04:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:21
Zak
Sienza's doing bits. Fellows, you know, they're all new signings that we were we were hoping to better the team do well.
00:04:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:27
Zak
So maybe we, yeah, Yander as well.
00:04:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Caspianda. It's a solid...
00:04:29
Zak
just Maybe we just need to trust that they might find somebody who's willing to play that role and and and contribute more. We don't we don't know. But clearly it's a point of concern for him, or otherwise have raised it.
00:04:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no, I agree. Interesting, though, to think that maybe we're going to be slightly busier in the transfer window than Sporz was keeping close to his chest. But, I mean, look, it's always busy.
00:04:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's why we love him, right?
00:04:53
Zak
Yes.
00:04:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Obviously, goalkeeper something we've talked about a lot, but it's it's now pretty clear that that is going to be ah a position that we need to target.
00:04:58
Zak
i
00:05:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah One of the stats flying around is like the most nonsense stat I've ever seen in my entire life, which is ah saves per XG, which is just...
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
What does that even mean?
00:05:22
Zak
just breaks breaks my brain that does good lord
00:05:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
But um Gavin Pizzuno this season is at a minus 3.9. So saving less than he should by that statistic metric, if you believe it.
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:05:42
Zak
okay again like we've had
00:05:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interestingly, Alex McCarthy was at a minus 0.3. So...
00:05:48
Zak
Yeah, but also some of the some of the goals that McCarthy let in were comical. That one where he just lost track of the ball when it turns out, it was just, ah ah still it still makes me mad. um Right, so so let's speak from the way we'd usually have this conversation.
00:06:03
Zak
They're the goalkeepers we've had. They're the only ones that are in contention. We have that guy in from loan. The guy in from loan is just trying to bed into the team and be there basically to be somebody else. Aaron Ramsdale is still on loan.
00:06:14
Zak
Aaron Ramsdale doesn't want to come back. We probably should have let him go for transfer fee. Maybe that's why they know maybe we're going to terminate the guy from Norwich.
00:06:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:22
Zak
This is his name, George Long.
00:06:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
George Long, yeah.
00:06:24
Zak
and maybe they'll bring somebody in as a replacement for his spot. Or, alternatively, that ah the Aaron Ramsdale deal will get over the line in January instead, and that will free up a position to them to go and get another goalkeeper.
00:06:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, this is where it gets interesting, Zach, because I have names that have been thrown around of who we are solidly linked with. Would you believe
Sunderland's Goalkeeper Rumor
00:06:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
it? So there has been a lot of talk about us signing Sunderland's goalkeeper, ah Anthony Patterson, who was their main goalkeeper last year and got them to the playoffs and got them up.
00:06:48
Zak
of them are glad, right?
00:07:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
But they obviously signed a big money goalkeeper in the summer. So he's not playing anymore. And so they're open to letting him leave. So, yeah, that's ah that's the position we're in.
00:07:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
they're They're potentially looking to let him leave on a permanent deal. But we're hoping to get him in on a loan, possibly with an option to buy, like a six-month loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.
00:07:23
Zak
Which, but yeah. Which means surely we would terminate that lab to bloke from Norwich, right? Because what what possible reason would we have to have two goalkeepers, two lonely goalkeepers, and a goalkeeper of the load?
00:07:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:07:35
Zak
At that point, we've got five, plus anyone else in the under-21s.
00:07:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:39
Zak
That's insane. Which, like, I mean, it's not considering the season we've had, but, like, for someone that's been able to keep out goals of for that that period of time, you know, for Sunderland, sure, whatever...
00:07:50
Zak
it will It will be what it will be, but I i also could see them maybe hurrying up the rat like the Ramsdale thing. like i just think that I just don't know if he want to come back.
00:08:01
Zak
He's already talked about how he wants to move there permanently, right, at this point, regardless of the right and the option to come back.
00:08:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, look, I mean, I think the writing's on the wall. He's been in the team, right? He replaced ah Pope for a bit while he was out injured and then Pope for a bit when he was in poor form.
00:08:09
Zak
No, no.
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'm Pretty sure he played in the derby at the weekend. So... you know, you just have to look forward and not backwards. Uh, of this same statistic, this save potential saves versus expected goals.
00:08:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, uh, Anthony Patterson last season had a plus 2.1. So I, I'm sure that that number means something to someone.
00:08:41
Zak
ah just i want The problem is is it is, is the problem with Baz or is the problem actually with the fact that we are getting the balls in ridiculous positions for...
00:08:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh,
00:08:50
Zak
for them to score against us, right? Like, that's my that's my big concern is that, like, you could get a good goalkeeper to try and cover up defensive errors and that's why we didn't have probably as many losses last season as Wolves have had, right?
00:08:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:09:02
Zak
That's that's that's where I'm at.
00:09:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:03
Zak
Like, I know that might be a really naive way of looking at it, to be fair, but I just think that it gets a lot of flag.
00:09:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know. the
00:09:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know. Like, the thing with Baz is, mate, that it's not like... It's not obvious. Like, it's not like, oh, he definitely should have done better saving that.
00:09:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, none of them have been, but a more than a handful of them have been, ah a better keeper probably saves that.
00:09:24
Zak
He could have, right?
00:09:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, it's not, like, cut and dry, but also is, you know, if we're looking to push for promotion... And, you know leaking goals, be it defence or goalkeeper, I mean, we know that realistically, neither of the goalkeepers that we've got in are really the answer that we're looking for long term.
00:09:44
Zak
Bennett?
00:09:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, so you know, if we're looking to shore that up
00:09:47
Zak
then are us or the rest of the same fan base? Are we all geniuses then? Because we identified this in the summer. And like I just can't i can't quite understand how they've now gone to January and like, oh it's a bit of a problem, isn't it? After, like, there must have genuinely... I reckon, I'm wondering if behind the scenes there was conversation with Will Steele and Will was like, yeah, I can get the best out of McCarthy and Pizzunu. They won't be a problem.
00:10:10
Zak
And I genuinely wonder if that's what happened to get to the point we're at now where they're like, well, it turns out that wasn't true, right?
00:10:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:17
Zak
And, yeah, we'll just have to see how it pans out. But it was something that everybody kind of said about, and we've been back and forth about for ages.
00:10:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:25
Zak
And I think out of the two at the moment, Baz is probably better.
00:10:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I agree.
00:10:29
Zak
Fine. Mainly just because, you know, he can play the ball out without... The things sometimes that McCarthy has done this season, it's like, oh, what are you doing?
00:10:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:37
Zak
What are you doing? That's just because that bloke's...
00:10:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
But look, I mean, you've got to say that if Baz... Baz had command of his area as much as Alex McCarthy does when he plays.
00:10:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, if you could take all of the attributes of Baz and he was better at coming out and claiming the ball... I think Baz would be perfectly acceptable as a goalie, but he's not.
00:10:58
Zak
Yeah, it's experience and time, isn't
00:10:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And um a lot of the positions that we get ourselves in with these, like, balls across the six-yard box, McCarthy probably doesn't get in that position because he's come out and claimed it beforehand is kind of where I'm at.
00:11:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And, you know, if you you know you then throw into the mix, you know, he probably, if he was a step to the left and had slightly better position, he might have saved that wonder strike.
00:11:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's just It's just enough of a question mark, I think. it's Like I say, it's not clear-cut,
00:11:26
Zak
it? I get that. but I would say with McCarthy, like the amount times he gave the ball to the opposition, make that a null and void.
00:11:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
though. Oh, no, 100%.
00:11:34
Zak
It's not even that.
00:11:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%.
00:11:36
Zak
so
00:11:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is not a plea to suddenly have McCarthy in goal.
00:11:39
Zak
just it's not it's not even that
00:11:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm just saying that that's, how you know that's to me, the the one thing I would improve about Baz's game more than anything. It's just...
00:11:49
Zak
They're both okay, right? but The problem is is we need more than an okay keeper, and that's where we're at.
00:11:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:11:55
Zak
And we had that in Ramsdale for a little bit. And so we want to recapture that again, and it's going to be difficult to do it.
00:12:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed.
Ben Broughton Diaz's Future
00:12:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. ah Let's move on. first, let's have a little ah break and a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:12:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, mate, and we are back. ah Right, sticking on the theme of transfers, ah somebody might actually sign Ben Broughton Diaz. Can you believe it?
00:13:00
Zak
Well, this is what i was talking about with January, right? Like when we said it was going to be quiet, that's because we probably weren't expecting many outgoings apart from maybe Joe Eribo. um But yeah, I mean, if somebody wants to hire Ben Bereton Diaz, and I just feel like his sane story is over, right?
00:13:16
Zak
Before it barely started.
00:13:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:18
Zak
at And um ah it's going better for him at Derby for sure. Like he gets game time and i don't know know how they feel about him. But the idea of him... as this kind of cult hero for Chile, going and signing for the MLS and playing for a team in the MLS, maybe that that'll be a big boost in confidence for him.
00:13:37
Zak
It'll be a big decision, though, for sure, because like the things that we forget about, which we often don't talk about, is things like, you know, he's got quite a young family and he's got to ship them off and move them to, well, if it's Toronto, be Canada, right?
00:13:48
Zak
So...
00:13:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:49
Zak
Like, but...
00:13:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, that doesn't sound like too much of a hardship to me. That sounds like a lovely taste of this one.
00:13:54
Zak
Not in the current climate ah of anywhere in the world, be to be honest. But it depends. it's it's a big deal It's a big deal. But like for us, I guess it would probably be nothing but beneficial because i just don't really see him playing a role if he even comes back off loan.
00:14:09
Zak
He'll just be perpetually loaned out until he goes, if not.
00:14:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm. No.
00:14:11
Zak
So, you know...
00:14:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
But let's face it nobody as a Saints fan is thinking that him coming back off of loan is the answer to the striker question we've already asked. So, I mean, that doesn't really leave him in a particularly good position here. So so somewhere else makes sense, right?
00:14:30
Zak
Alas, if only you know if only things have been different, but they have not been.
00:14:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:35
Zak
o
00:14:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. ah And then, ah kind of... Kind of transfer-related, tangentially, to do it contracts, so I'm going to take it as a that's a link.
00:14:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I don't know if we talked about it on the show before or not, but from the Johan Spores interview with Alfie Haas, it came out that Shea Charles you know has an extra year on his contract that we're able to activate, so it doesn't run out of contract this year.
Shea Charles' Contract and Injury
00:15:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
it it will be potentially next year if we like activate the option.
00:15:03
Zak
Yeah, that's good.
00:15:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Although we mentioned that this week he's potentially re-injured himself, so he might be slightly further away from coming back than we hoped. So hopefully that's not the case and he'll be back sooner rather than later.
00:15:15
Zak
It's a lot more pressure on Romayu in it to get up to scratch.
00:15:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:22
Zak
like where he was Like, his 15-minute cameos might have to be a bit longer, depending on where we're at with, you know, how quickly it'll be before Flynn Downs racks up another four yellow cards is beyond anyone's, you know, beyond that anyone's estimations. So, yeah, it's it's less than i ideal, but the contract situation is is better news than we first thought, but...
00:15:43
Zak
you know I didn't really see anybody out there panicking about how he only had the six months left on his contract anyway, which meant that i felt like we would have had a new story by now, right, if it was a problem.
00:15:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:54
Zak
But it's good news. It's been really good for us.
00:15:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, good to have it in hand. ah Also coming out from sort of the Spores interview, bits have been sort of coming out in drips and drabs, presumably the Echo trying to um keep their sum news to talk about in an otherwise pretty quiet period, I suppose. But he was saying that none of the rumours of him leaving have come from him.
00:16:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's very happy where he is and has no intention of leaving and hopes really that there are no more rumours linking him anywhere. er I mean, it would be weird for him to say anything else though, right? this is where I'm at.
00:16:33
Zak
it's Yes and no, because like he's right. It's not a controllable for him. He can't control... um It's not way controllable for him, right? like he He literally can't control other people sort of saying...
00:16:48
Zak
oh, you going to come here? Or, oh, he's potentially here. And like there might be targets looking at him. But I think if he said he's happy and he's, you know, what would be the purpose of saying that other than to dispel rumours, I guess?
00:17:00
Zak
Like, I'm sure if someone comes in with a life-changing amount of money, sure.
00:17:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:04
Zak
But also, i don't think he'd want to run after having a project that clearly he wanted to sink his teeth into where he has a lot of control. i don't think he's currently at a point where he wants to abandon all of that to just do it again.
00:17:16
Zak
swear And you you'd feel like if it was going to be anywhere, like Juventus are probably arguably a much bigger club than us. You'd have thought we'd been there. ah Not like just some like a couple of random teams in Germany. So yeah, I think it's... You've got to take it face value until don't, right?
00:17:32
Zak
I don't think that there's some big conspiracy theory going on in the background. um I think it's my problem. And it will be... It'll be interesting to see where it goes and hopefully he'll stay.
00:17:45
Zak
And even if you don't like what he's done and you're not a fan of how that's been going on for more so because of stability, right? Like we want to be able to be in a position where we can go like more than a year, just like six months to a year of of just actual stability at the club would be lovely to see.
00:17:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, look, you look at ah ah what he's done since coming into the club... and sure it's not perfect, right? Was Will still an issue? i don't know if he was the issue, but certainly we're getting more of a a go of it from Tonda. But, you know, the quote that jumps out as the one that was either going to become back in to bite him or to make him look good was squad buildings and art that's much easier in hindsight and the pitch all becomes clear, right? And...
00:18:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it's hard to argue with the form of six wins in eight games under his manager, who was his succession plan thinking forward, right? Like, like it's it's his job to think ahead, right?
00:18:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's And it's sometimes harder to think about that through the fog and the lens of the fan where you're in the present, right? Like, without trying to get too, like, Master Uge way on it.
00:19:07
Zak
Yeah, but like too too too like too philosophical about it.
00:19:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:19:13
Zak
Like what where I'm at is... it It feels like there's more buy-in and you can see there's more buy-in in the things that have been done as opposed to Wilcox where there wasn't. Obviously, it was because also for him, it was Man United.
00:19:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:25
Zak
And that is a big name that meant a lot and probably meant a lot more maybe two or three years ago than it does now. Even two or three years ago than it does now. Right now, I feel like anyone looking at it thinks, God, that's a poison chalice.
00:19:39
Zak
Apart from tearing up Paul Wolfe's chances of staying up this season.
00:19:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:43
Zak
It's it's one of those situations where... like I can understand why he says that and I can understand why people like oh it's all just a conspiracy but I just I don't know what it is about him but i seem to believe more because of what he's shown so far right he has invested a lot of time he has brought in he is thinking about succession plans he is planning all of that stuff I don't feel I feel like he would have gone already if he kind of wanted to shoot off right I feel like you get a feel for something like that and go actually I'm going to stick around
00:20:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, indeed.
00:20:16
Zak
I feel like if if they if they if they randomly decided to sell the club, like, yeah, sure.
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely.
00:20:20
Zak
i think that's that's a big part of the big different thing, right?
00:20:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah that's a whole That's a whole different thing to think about, though.
00:20:23
Zak
the that's not happening.
00:20:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
like That's too many moving factors take in. ah Speaking of his succession plans, I've got ah some more thoughts and some more opinions and some news from the club and stuff. But first, let's have a little break and hear a word from our partners at Zencastr.
00:20:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, and Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that removes all those uns and ours, it's super easy to start podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:21:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster. Right,
Adam Lallana's New Role
00:21:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
mate, and we are back. So, yeah, speaking of succession plans, it's been made clear that Adam Lallana is going to be appointed as the under-21s manager until the end of the season.
00:21:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah They're working on the like official contract and stuff, but confirmed by Spores that that is their work in progress. And then there was – I read it from the article – ah that Sporza's left the door open for future progression, hinting at a preference for internal appointments to reduce the black box of unknowns.
00:21:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, I mean, does that mean Adam Nalana is the next Saints manager after Tonda? Like, that's how I'm reading it. Yeah.
00:21:53
Zak
Maybe, but I think it's i think it's they've realised now that constantly they they tried, right? Pulling in this like crack A-team style squad of you've got a couple of people from inside the club and then Paul Trollope from outside the club and then you've got Will Still from from France and over and it it went down like a lead balloon and it turns out that you need people from inside the club but they've got they've got rid of clearly the people that they thought weren't the best or people that they thought that, you know, maybe have either been in too long, but it it makes sense to promote within because if you, you build somebody up and you coach them and they coach in a specific way and they're inside the club already, you don't have to relearn all the external factors. Like one of our pons and problems is this stability issue, right? Where we've got people from outside that come in that change everything up. Like, look how much, I don't want to like damage Russell Martin's done necessarily, but how much he changed.
00:22:46
Zak
And how much other people have come in and changed stuff. And then somebody else comes in and changes stuff. Like Ivan Juric came in, changed the complete, na like, you know, well, supposed to come in and play this heavy metal style football. Came in, changed the front 11, changed some, you know, brought in his own backroom staff that I can't name a single one of them. unlike And then they left with him. Whereas if you've got like Southampton people that are in Southampton and somebody leaves and you just promote from within, it's going to be easier to understand how everything works. It's just...
00:23:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:16
Zak
that's just basic like knowledge, right? Like any company usually benefits by promoting from within the company because you have knowledge of the company they have. And not to be, to be crass and crude whatever, but they have no knowledge of the internal politics who they need to speak to, you the right people to speak to, to get things done. You don't have to worry on like people having to establish that over time, whilst also in, for example, Will Still's case, also having to get expected results. Like,
00:23:43
Zak
ji um I don't have a problem with it. I don't know if it necessarily means that he's going to be the next manager. he might end up completely messing up the under-21s and they get rid of him. We don't know. But if he does well and then they kind of, you know, and the academy does well and then he goes on to become the first team manager later on and does exactly what Tomber's doing now, which is bringing through specific players that you think can suit, you know, suit sort of professional ah like pro football at the top level.
00:23:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah. yeah.
00:24:12
Zak
Like that, that also is in complete line with the company, like ethos they have where they want to build the Academy into something great. hey, I've said a lot about it.
00:24:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it doesn't have to be... look like It's easy to make the joke as well, right? Like, oh, it just means Lallana's going to be our next manager. But like that's not actually necessarily what internal progression rate means, right? He might have a good six months with the youth with the youth team as the as the manager and then move up to like assistant manager with the first team to work under Tonda to get that experience. And then...
00:24:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like it's, there are, there are roles, right? It doesn't have to be as, as clear cut. So i think it makes sense. And it's like I say, it's good to have that insight that his, the way his mind is working, the way his brain is thinking about the club is not just fixing the here and now it's the, what happens next?
00:25:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
What's coming the build for the future, because you know, that's as important, you know, if we're going to get promoted this season, Yeah, if we're going to get promoted this season, we need to have a plan because it's not going to be easy to stay up.
00:25:10
Zak
Yeah, and we've been bad at We've been so bad at it historically.
00:25:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look at Wolves, right? Like...
00:25:21
Zak
Yeah, exactly. But then also the vice versa, there needs to be a plan for if we don't get promoted and what we do next and how we're going to deal with the the players and this, that and the other. And like you need to make sure that somebody's thinking about those things and he at least is demonstrating that he's thinking about them. And that probably is also you know tongue in cheek of what promotion from within means is that you know if we don't go up and we don't get all of that money and we've already got people at the club, then okay, it's fine. We put some of the youth up and they replace the players that we would usually spend money out on.
00:25:52
Zak
ah You know, whereas like, let's face it, a vast majority of the transfers we've had this season have been paid for by two transfers, which are one of our academy prospects at the moment is barely getting any game time Everton.
00:26:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:03
Zak
And the other is Matty Fernandes, who had barely been with us a season. So, yeah i I don't know.
00:26:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:09
Zak
Like, I think that it's progression from within is only is, is can only be a good thing so long as they, you know, concentrate on it a little bit.
00:26:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed. Right. And, uh, look,
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:26:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's it. That brings us to a, to a close on this saints news episode.
00:26:25
Zak
Thank you.
00:26:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, been a lot to talk about, mate. it's nice thinking about the future. And, uh, I mean, nice to ease ourselves into talking about transfers for what is, uh, likely to be a hot topic for the entire month of January, no doubt.
00:26:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, uh, But look, that that's all we've got time for today. Zach, thank you so much for joining me. And thank you, everybody, for listening. Let us know in the comments or on the socials, what are your main targets for January?
00:27:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
What do you think? Striker and a goalkeeper sound like what we need?
00:27:02
Zak
Thank
00:27:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or do your opinions differ? What about fullbacks? We seem to be struggling there. Who knows? Let us know. We are GSPN Southampton on all the socials, on X, Blue Sky, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, absolutely everywhere. Hit us up. We love hearing from you. We will be back tomorrow to preview our upcoming game against League Leaders Coventry ah for what is bound to be a very exciting early kickoff on Saturday. But until then, everyone, hope you have a wonderful day and we'll see you then.