Matthew Le God

The implication he made was that Saints think it would affect the price. Given how it is potentially only for two games and not the rest of the competition then I struggle to see how that is true.

He already has a contracted job from Jan to June on a players wage. Why give that up and drop to a coaches salary. Plus Saints already have a number of keeper coaches Watson, Bartram & Flood.

Thats not Kelvin's fault, so he is within his rights to see it through. Especially given the good service he's given the club.

If you were him would you give up a years worth of player wages?

Davis' contract expires in June 2016 and Stekelenburg's loan would have finished. Why would he do that? Coaching who and where?

I wouldn't even know where to begin picking this nonsense apart. :mcinnes:

Perhaps having worked with David Watson for a year he has improved. A lot of Gazzaniga's problems when he played for the 1st team came from poor decision making (and that then affected his confidence) which can be taught, he has a lot of other good attributes to be a decent keeper.

Gazzaniga has done little (if anything) wrong in pre-season. It was Gazzaniga on the bench vs Vitesse Arnhem, so perhaps he is second choice.

His article says van Dijk would be cup tied in Europe which isn't true.

Perhaps Isgrove is on the verge of a loan (or just injured). McCarthy was in the Europa League match day squad rather than Stephens and Turnbull on Thursday, with Stephens at the time close to a loan to Middlesbrough and it seems Turnbull close to returning to Swindon.

Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC 7m7 minutes ago #SaintsFC team against @RCDEspanyol: K. Davis, Martina, Fonte ©, Caulker, Targett, Wanyama, Ward-Prowse, Long, Juanmi, Rodriguez, Pellè. Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC 7m7 minutes ago #SaintsFC substitutes against @RCDEspanyol: Gazzaniga (GK), Cédric, Yoshida, S. Davis, Mané, Tadić, Reed, McCarthy, Debayo, McQueen.

His name is Virgil van Dijk, not Van Dyke... [video=youtube;k_mpaF5-SlU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_mpaF5-SlU

Its not a problem if he isn't a regular starter, he is only 20 years old. The number of 20 year olds that are regulars in the Premier League is tiny, let alone for one in the top half. Given the number of games we could play this season and injuries/suspensions he'll still get a good amount of gametime, as he has for the last 3 years.

McCarthy is 19 years old and will probably captain the under 21s again next season. Turnbull is 20 and Stephens is 21, when McCarthy gets to their age he may need a Championship/top League 1 loan as the next stage of his development. Its difficult for a centre back to break through into the first team of a top half Premier League club at a young age. Its a position where experience and build play a big part and young centre backs tend to struggle in both of those.

The bar for an academy player to reach our first team keeps rising and has done further since he made those comments in 2013/14. In order for an academy player to start in the Saints first team they are competing with the largest number of international players the club has ever had. They will therefore need more time to develop to the level required and well picked loans will help give them first team game time and experience. Saints gave debuts to 5 academy players in the Premier League last season (plus also have Gallagher, Reed & Ward-Prowse who had debuts in previous seasons) and have large number of academy players regulary training with the first team, how many other Premier League sides did that? Let alone that finished in the top half of the league whilst doing so.

He talked about youth player loans during the 2013/14 season on Sky's Footballers' Football Show. http://www1.skysports.com/watch/tv-shows/footballers-football-show/news/9207235/footballers-football-show-les-reed-reveals-secret-behind-southamptons-youth-success http://podcasts.skysports.com/podcasts/SkySportsFootballersFootballShow/FFS_SKYGO_100314.mp3 The alternative for Stpehens is to return to Saints under 21s after a season of regular first team football at Swindon. He needs to be tested at a higher level and returning back to under 21 football and 5th choice for Saints won't do that. Turnbull & Stephens out on loan again, McCarthy & Wood playing for Saints under 21s.

If Koeman uses it for gametime in pre-season for those not starting the Europa League games, then perhaps Saints may line-up like this... Koeman has already stated Rodriguez will start. It could be useful to give the likes of Ward-Prowse, Reed, Caulker, Juanmi, Martina, Long & Rodriguez a game if they won't start on Thursday vs Vitesse or Sunday vs Newcastle.

I think Turbull will be loaned out again as well. It would be a backward step in his development for him to return to Saints after a season of 3rd tier football and play for the under 21s again. Perhaps ending up with centre backs of... - Fonte - van Dijk - Caulker - Yoshida - Gardos (long term injury) - Turnbull & Stephens out on loan in the Championship/top of League One. - McCarthy & Wood playing for the under 21's and acting as 5th choice for the 1st team.

The general point still stands that the number is low, its hard to see Wickham getting to such levels.

The variation in the number of games Saints could play this season is huge. It could be in the early 40's or close to 70. A 20 goal striker who played 40 games has a lot better record than one played in 60+ games. A "20 goal striker" sounds good, but you need context on it which is why generally it is only used as a term for league games. Plus you then have the variation in standard of opponent, which is less if you only look at league games.

Its rare for someone to talk of a "15 goal striker" or "20 goal striker" etc and be referring to all competitions. Its generally a phrase for league competitions only, given the huge variation in both number of possible matches and standard of the opponent you play if you include all competitions.

I think its likely Turnbull and Stephens will both be loaned out again. They've already outgrown under 21 football and to return to it after both being regulars for a good League 1 side last season isn't going to help their development. They need a Championship loan now to test themselves at a higher level. Jason McCarthy being on the bench last night for the 1st team perhaps indicates something may happen soon. McCarthy will probably have another season as under 21 captain and if we sign another centre back, McCarthy will be the 5th choice option getting his game time for the under 21s, with Turnbull and Stephens out on loan in the Championship/top of League One.

They have the cheek to call it "innovative"! There is very little incentive in anyone using the Pompey scheme compared to the Saints one, if the Pompey fans don't benefit financially from it. They'd be better off giving it to a friend/relative or selling it themselves.

"Easily"? Last season only 5 players scored 15 or more Premier League goals... Aguero Costa Kane Austin Sanchez 15+ Premier League strikers are rare.

That hasn't been made clear... Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC 2h2 hours ago #SaintsFC’s trip to champions @ChelseaFC on Saturday 3rd October will now kick off at 5.30pm BST. Southampton FC ‏@SouthamptonFC 2h2 hours ago However, if #SaintsFC reach the @EuropaLeague group stage, they will travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday 4th October at 12pm BST.