Why we are surprising people this season

Just before Christmas I was in the car driving to work . We had just announced that Elia was joining us and Swansea had announced the acquisition of a new player (Oliveira I think). I

then caught the sports news on Talk S hite. Did either of these acquisitions warrant a mention? No way. The only football news that day was apparently Matic announcing that Chelsea can do the quadruple and that Wenger believes that Walcott has lost none of his pace. Acquisitions by 2 clubs that are perceived as punching above their weight are not of interest to the football "world."

Is it surprising therefore that our achievements this season have come as a surprise to so many? When I get asked by people whether I am surprised by us this season I reply that I am more surprised by the poor standard of football punditry in this country. If the information that people get fed on football is a diet of soap opera style tittle tattle it is little wonder that they are amazed by us unearthing yet another "surprise" player capable of scoring twice at St James Park.

To be fair to the pundits, after the upheavals of the summer I am surprised by us. Also with Victor and Morgan out yesterday I thought we would lose, so I was surprised again. I never bother to listen to TS as whenever i do they always seems to talking about how great the London clubs are.............

And long may it stay that way, love the fact that our "little" club is sticking it up the big boys arses. Let's keep ourselves under the radar as long as we can!! Come on you saints #wemarchon

Just before Christmas I was in the car driving to work . We had just announced that Elia was joining us and Swansea had announced the acquisition of a new player (Oliveira I think). I

then caught the sports news on Talk S hite. Did either of these acquisitions warrant a mention? No way. The only football news that day was apparently Matic announcing that Chelsea can do the quadruple and that Wenger believes that Walcott has lost none of his pace. Acquisitions by 2 clubs that are perceived as punching above their weight are not of interest to the football "world."

 

Is it surprising therefore that our achievements this season have come as a surprise to so many? When I get asked by people whether I am surprised by us this season I reply that I am more surprised by the poor standard of football punditry in this country. If the information that people get fed on football is a diet of soap opera style tittle tattle it is little wonder that they are amazed by us unearthing yet another "surprise" player capable of scoring twice at St James Park.

This.

MOTD last night was another typical example. 5th ranked game. Minimal discussion about Saints. Too much about Newcastle who are NOT third in the league and who actually LOST not won the game.

Though on the positive side, the pundits may wake up a smell the roses come May!

Well, because we're finally taking our chances in front of goal really. We've been pretty good these last 2 seasons but were often wasteful in the opponents box, when you look at some of the goals we've scored of late you'd have to say that we're wasting far less, if any really.. Oh and less defensive fecks up as well.

This.

 

MOTD last night was another typical example. 5th ranked game. Minimal discussion about Saints. Too much about Newcastle who are NOT third in the league and who actually LOST not won the game.

 

Though on the positive side, the pundits may wake up a smell the roses come May!

TBF to MOTD, even though they often mess up, last night's game was (1) not the best, certainly compared to some of the others and (2) had been live in Sky earlier on. They have been pretty complimentary about us and shown a lot of analysis on what we do well already this season, mistakes not withstanding

It always surprises me how football 'experts' are allowed I get away with so little knowledge about teams outside the big few or London teams. It even happens in the champions league where the commentators very often appear to have little knowledge of other countries in European football. I guess I have high expectations that those who get paid to watch football should have wider knowledge of players, teams, tactics, form. As for print media, the red tops still dominate what most fans read about football and they almost completely ignore the actual football and focus on personality from any time I see them. Commentators I guess are just responding to the tabloid needs of most fans.

Most of pundits on our screens are ex players who do not work hard at their craft and are allowed to come out with lazy platitudes for a easy payday. The biggest culprits by far is the BBC & BT Sport given the pundits they have recruited, the only exception for me for total contempt is Lineker and I never thought I'd say it Shearer as they at least challenge the lazy perceptions being issued.

Sky are far more demanding of their pundits for the cash they pay out to their pundits across Soccer Saturday, Saturday Night Football, Super Sunday and Monday Night Football.

Would you prefer watch Robbie Savage, Michael Owen, Phillip Neville or would you watch Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Thierry Henry.

Most of pundits on our screens are ex players who do not work hard at their craft and are allowed to come out with lazy platitudes for a easy payday. The biggest culprits by far is the BBC & BT Sport given the pundits they have recruited, the only exception for me for total contempt is Lineker and I never thought I'd say it Shearer as they at least challenge the lazy perceptions being issued.

 

Sky are far more demanding of their pundits for the cash they pay out to their pundits across Soccer Saturday, Saturday Night Football, Super Sunday and Monday Night Football.

 

Would you prefer watch Robbie Savage, Michael Owen, Phillip Neville or would you watch Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Thierry Henry.

Agree with that apart from soccer saturday. When it gets to the 12th game of the season and Paul Merson says he hasn't watched Southampton play yet i wonder what the **** he does for the other 6 days of the week. The vast majority of people doing that job would at least make sure they watched a recording of every premier league game. They do, after all, only cover that one league

Totally agree with the OP. Football 'pundits' are very lazy and know very little about a data base of thousands of players.They only really follow the five biggest clubs and do little research beyond them. I suppose that satisfies the larger part of their readership/ listeners for little outlay.

Then they try and stir up individual moves from clubs like Saints, with no thought that the team (spirit) is way bigger than the sum of the players individually.

PS - Koeman is a class act way better than LVG etc.

We have surprised ourselves. Why deride those with nothing to do with us for being surprised.

Thought Henry was a fairly weak pundit at World Cup. Maybe Sky can draw him out, I don't know. TV is obsessed with getting 'name' players in rather than professional journos, who are becoming a dying breed on TV., cricket too.Totally agree with Neville/Carra praise though. Quality.

Looking on here and social media, Saints fans seem to care a lot about exposure. Personally, I'd rather we go under the radar as much as possible.

Agree with that apart from soccer saturday. When it gets to the 12th game of the season and Paul Merson says he hasn't watched Southampton play yet i wonder what the **** he does for the other 6 days of the week. The vast majority of people doing that job would at least make sure they watched a recording of every premier league game. They do, after all, only cover that one league

Do you actually think they bother watching any more games than your average fan?

We can't pretend that fans pre-season predictions were much different to those of the pundits.

why are we surprising people?

bit obvious, isnt it?

I'm a bit surprised that some of us are surprised that other people are surprised by us.

My problem in all this is why journos are not questioning why the top 4 is such a closed shop and why it is so harmful to the league that it is. Let's face it, we are a blip in proceedings now and even more so if we do actually manage to finish top 4. I imagine that the wages on offer from the big boys will then rip the side to pieces again over the summer, and normal order will be restored. Why don't journos write about that and why it is that it is so "strange" to see little old Southampton being plucky and where they are? They are complicit in the acceptance of the usual hierarchy of football, that has me and so many so close to giving up on things.

Why don't journos write about that and why it is that it is so "strange" to see little old Southampton being plucky and where they are?

They do. Martin Samuel, for example, has written quite a few long pieces on the issue using us as a case study

My problem in all this is why journos are not questioning why the top 4 is such a closed shop and why it is so harmful to the league that it is. Let's face it, we are a blip in proceedings now and even more so if we do actually manage to finish top 4. I imagine that the wages on offer from the big boys will then rip the side to pieces again over the summer, and normal order will be restored. Why don't journos write about that and why it is that it is so "strange" to see little old Southampton being plucky and where they are? They are complicit in the acceptance of the usual hierarchy of football, that has me and so many so close to giving up on things.

This is an interesting article which challenges that assumption.

Three reasons Southampton are a long term threat to the Premier League's big boys

http://www.footballfancast.com/premier-league/southampton/three-reasons-southampton-are-a-long-term-threat-to-the-premier-leagues-big-boys

They do. Martin Samuel, for example, has written quite a few long pieces on the issue using us as a case study

I thought that most of his pieces were about FFP rather than the blocking off of the top of the table. I did point out to him, which he admitted he didn't know, that Germany is just as bad if not worse. Italy and Spain are the same really.

This is an interesting article which challenges that assumption.

Three reasons Southampton are a long term threat to the Premier League's big boys

http://www.footballfancast.com/premier-league/southampton/three-reasons-southampton-are-a-long-term-threat-to-the-premier-leagues-big-boys

Hadn't read that, maybe due to the publication not being hugely mainstream, but it rather (as they say) depends whether we "will be able to keep hold of their overachieving stars during the current and the next transfer window ." If Sunderland can splash £80k per week on Defoe, does that mean we could as well? I know their crowds are higher, but is that it or is there something else?

I'm a bit surprised that some of us are surprised that other people are surprised by us.

Not really surprising though, is it?

My problem in all this is why journos are not questioning why the top 4 is such a closed shop and why it is so harmful to the league that it is. Let's face it, we are a blip in proceedings now and even more so if we do actually manage to finish top 4. I imagine that the wages on offer from the big boys will then rip the side to pieces again over the summer, and normal order will be restored. Why don't journos write about that and why it is that it is so "strange" to see little old Southampton being plucky and where they are? They are complicit in the acceptance of the usual hierarchy of football, that has me and so many so close to giving up on things.

There are always articles about that stuff from time to time.

However, lots wouldn't agree that the current set up is particularly "harmful" to the league. What's harmful about it and who is it harming?

And haven't we we "ripped" players from Burnley, Palace, Twente, Feyenoord and others with big fees and "wages on offer"?

But you're "complicit" in us doing that, right?

Just before Christmas I was in the car driving to work . We had just announced that Elia was joining us and Swansea had announced the acquisition of a new player (Oliveira I think). I

then caught the sports news on Talk S hite. Did either of these acquisitions warrant a mention? No way. The only football news that day was apparently Matic announcing that Chelsea can do the quadruple and that Wenger believes that Walcott has lost none of his pace. Acquisitions by 2 clubs that are perceived as punching above their weight are not of interest to the football "world."

 

Is it surprising therefore that our achievements this season have come as a surprise to so many? When I get asked by people whether I am surprised by us this season I reply that I am more surprised by the poor standard of football punditry in this country. If the information that people get fed on football is a diet of soap opera style tittle tattle it is little wonder that they are amazed by us unearthing yet another "surprise" player capable of scoring twice at St James Park.

It's not so much surprise by the media, it's ingrained indifference to any club that does not have the largest followings/readers/viewers. Discussions STILL so often talk about the top 8 money clubs (the Manchesters, Liverpools, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham and of course Chelski) omitting ex League 1 third placed Southampton.

Long may we remain under the radar!

We're staying up!

The American news agency Associated Press (AP) provides stories on the Premier League for north American newspapers. I read their summary of the Saturday games every week in the Toronto Star.

Their reporters invariably focus on the "big clubs". This week's article is no exception. Of the 15 paragraphs in their summary of games, the Man Utd vs QPR match gets 13 paragraphs, with two paragraphs devoted to the Chelsea game. Revealingly, Southampton's one mention (a single sentence) is given as an aside in their focus on Man Utd: "United remains in fourth due to Southampton's surprising form continuing with a 2-1 win at Newcastle." That's it.

And so it goes every week.

The American news agency Associated Press (AP) provides stories on the Premier League for north American newspapers. I read their summary of the Saturday games every week in the Toronto Star.

 

Their reporters invariably focus on the "big clubs". This week's article is no exception. Of the 15 paragraphs in their summary of games, the Man Utd vs QPR match gets 13 paragraphs, with two paragraphs devoted to the Chelsea game. Revealingly, Southampton's one mention (a single sentence) is given as an aside in their focus on Man Utd: "United remains in fourth due to Southampton's surprising form continuing with a 2-1 win at Newcastle." That's it.

 

And so it goes every week.

 

Who cares what some sports journo in Toronto thinks about us? He's writing on behalf of loads of ex-pat plastics and plastics who even have no connection with this country at all. Like all sports journos everywhere, he is just pandering to what he feels is the majority readership of his rag.

Like others, we can take the view that whatever they want to write about, or however much they ignore us, it doesn't alter our league position, which is currently above their beloved Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Spurs, Everton, etc. This doesn't stop any of us having a nice warm glow about what we have achieved and where we are currently, which is generally way above where most of even our most avid fans expected us to be.

And long may it continue. Match by match, we are gradually starting to turn heads and get people to sit up and take notice of us. If we maintain this form to the end of the season and achieve a top four finish and there are some bone-headed journos who failed to notice our rise from left-field by then, more fool them. We can all laugh at their blinkered incompetence.

Not really surprising though, is it?

Think it will surprise all including Us if we hold our position with some surprise wins in the next couple of months.

The thing I'm surprised about St KL, just as I was with her Papa.

Who cares what some sports journo in Toronto thinks about us? He's writing on behalf of loads of ex-pat plastics and plastics who even have no connection with this country at all. Like all sports journos everywhere, he is just pandering to what he feels is the majority readership of his rag.

 

Like others, we can take the view that whatever they want to write about, or however much they ignore us, it doesn't alter our league position, which is currently above their beloved Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Spurs, Everton, etc. This doesn't stop any of us having a nice warm glow about what we have achieved and where we are currently, which is generally way above where most of even our most avid fans expected us to be.

 

And long may it continue. Match by match, we are gradually starting to turn heads and get people to sit up and take notice of us. If we maintain this form to the end of the season and achieve a top four finish and there are some bone-headed journos who failed to notice our rise from left-field by then, more fool them. We can all laugh at their blinkered incompetence.

FYI, these AP reporters are not based in Toronto. They would be based in London and sending reports back to N.A. And they are not writing for a particular "rag"; their reports would be picked up by papers across the continent.

My point is that they ought to write their summarizing articles as an over-view of many games, not just focusing on one of the perennial "big clubs".

Think it will surprise all including Us if we hold our position with some surprise wins in the next couple of months.

 

The thing I'm surprised about St KL, just as I was with her Papa.

You're absolutely right, of course. What I meant was that it's not surprising that anyone should be surprised that some of us are surprised by others being surprised by our position.

I know I am

Agree with that apart from soccer saturday. When it gets to the 12th game of the season and Paul Merson says he hasn't watched Southampton play yet i wonder what the **** he does for the other 6 days of the week. The vast majority of people doing that job would at least make sure they watched a recording of every premier league game. They do, after all, only cover that one league

I remember watching an ESPN programme about Am. Football (I know, it's not football, but stick with me). The analyst - a former player, no less - showed us the strengths and weaknesses of the quarterbacks playing in a few games that week by referencing things that no ordinary supporter could pick up. He then off-handedly mentioned that he had watched about 20 hours of footage that week to do so.

My feeling, watching the pundits on TV, is that there might be one (G. Neville) who does this. Maybe. The rest of them simply watch the same games most of us do and pick up received wisdom from the papers, others, etc - which means the same old crap is regurgitated.

My problem in all this is why journos are not questioning why the top 4 is such a closed shop and why it is so harmful to the league that it is. Let's face it, we are a blip in proceedings now and even more so if we do actually manage to finish top 4. I imagine that the wages on offer from the big boys will then rip the side to pieces again over the summer, and normal order will be restored. Why don't journos write about that and why it is that it is so "strange" to see little old Southampton being plucky and where they are? They are complicit in the acceptance of the usual hierarchy of football, that has me and so many so close to giving up on things.

What this man said exactly

It's not so much surprise by the media, it's ingrained indifference to any club that does not have the largest followings/readers/viewers. Discussions STILL so often talk about the top 8 money clubs (the Manchesters, Liverpools, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham and of course Chelski) omitting ex League 1 third placed Southampton.

 

Long may we remain under the radar!

 

We're staying up!

They didi it again on MOTD tonight

Could be worse. Near enough every week on 606 I hear a text or a caller say that no one pays attention to 'little old Bournemouth'.

I thought that most of his pieces were about FFP rather than the blocking off of the top of the table. I did point out to him, which he admitted he didn't know, that Germany is just as bad if not worse. Italy and Spain are the same really.

 

 

 

Hadn't read that, maybe due to the publication not being hugely mainstream, but it rather (as they say) depends whether we "will be able to keep hold of their overachieving stars during the current and the next transfer window ." If Sunderland can splash £80k per week on Defoe, does that mean we could as well? I know their crowds are higher, but is that it or is there something else?

I cannot say what is actually happening, but Sunderland's owner is about as rich as Liebherr, which means he can afford to kick in millions of pounds a year. Sunderland is not targeting Europe right now. This matters because UEFA's financial fair play rules are much more stringent than the Premier League's rules. Under BPL FFP rules, he can pump in the full costs of youth development and infrastructure costs, plus 35 million pounds a year. If we are targeting Europe, Liebherr is limited to putting in youth development costs and infrastructure costs, plus around 8 million pounds a year. That is 27 million pounds a year more they have to spend. If Liebherrr wants us to break even, including youth costs, then that is somewhere close to 40 million pounds less a year we have to spend. Even less than that if the costs of the new facilities are being paid out of club income.

That being said, I really doubt the owner of Sunderland is putting in the full legal amount. And we have players who are on salaries comparable to Defoe's including Ramirez, Osvaldo, and Alderweireld. http://redsloscf.blogspot.com/2015/01/southampton-weekly-salaries.html.

The unspent summer transfer profit could fund some significant salary increases, but it may be needed to exercise the options on Betrand, Alderweireld, and Elia.

Of course, Liebherr has, in the past, pumped money in and perhaps she intends to continue doing so.

One of the worst pieces of punditry in recent years was Dwight Yorke on Saturday Night Football when he called St. Mary's "The Dell" and then was half corrected by Hayley McQueen saying "they call it St. Mary's now Dwight" :lol:

Gary Neville is the only one I like, thought Henry was a bit dour today.

The American news agency Associated Press (AP) provides stories on the Premier League for north American newspapers. I read their summary of the Saturday games every week in the Toronto Star.

 

Their reporters invariably focus on the "big clubs". This week's article is no exception. Of the 15 paragraphs in their summary of games, the Man Utd vs QPR match gets 13 paragraphs, with two paragraphs devoted to the Chelsea game. Revealingly, Southampton's one mention (a single sentence) is given as an aside in their focus on Man Utd: "United remains in fourth due to Southampton's surprising form continuing with a 2-1 win at Newcastle." That's it.

 

And so it goes every week.

 

On the other hand, NBC's Premier League montage that starts their coverage every game and every show opens with a shot of Southampton huddling before a game in our red and white stripped shirts.

My problem in all this is why journos are not questioning why the top 4 is such a closed shop and why it is so harmful to the league that it is. Let's face it, we are a blip in proceedings now and even more so if we do actually manage to finish top 4. I imagine that the wages on offer from the big boys will then rip the side to pieces again over the summer, and normal order will be restored. Why don't journos write about that and why it is that it is so "strange" to see little old Southampton being plucky and where they are? They are complicit in the acceptance of the usual hierarchy of football, that has me and so many so close to giving up on things.

What this man said exactly

The problem is that there are only so many ways to say "money, money, money." I started and gave up on blog posts on this exact subject a half dozen times in the past four months. Eventually I will finish something that I believe is worth publishing and it will boil down to "money, money, money, relegation fears, money, money."

Could be worse. Near enough every week on 606 I hear a text or a caller say that no one pays attention to 'little old Bournemouth'.

A fair point to be fair.

Looking on here and social media, Saints fans seem to care a lot about exposure. Personally, I'd rather we go under the radar as much as possible.

Agree with this.......lets stay under the radar before they talk about Scheindelin and Wanyama and Clyne going to a BIG club..........oh wait.........

As a follow-up to my comment about the AP news agency, here's how they summarize the situation at the top of the table after Sunday's games:

"With the loss, City fell five points behind leader Chelsea. Arsenal climbed above Tottenham into fifth place, one point behind Manchester United. In Sunday's other game, West Ham also gave its European ambitions a boost as a superb second-half display saw the Hammers beat struggling Hull 3-0."

I rest my case.

On the other hand, NBC's Premier League montage that starts their coverage every game and every show opens with a shot of Southampton huddling before a game in our red and white stripped shirts.

And everybody tries to figure out whether that is Stoke or Sunderland.

Need to tune into some American NBC broadcasts - they love us, especially Robbie Earle and the yummy Rebecca Lowe.

Need to tune into some American NBC broadcasts - they love us, especially Robbie Earle and the yummy Rebecca Lowe.

Yeah they do love us same with TSN.......Rodgers seem split although Danny Dicchio (remember him?) is very complimentary

Who cares what some sports journo in Toronto thinks about us? He's writing on behalf of loads of ex-pat plastics and plastics who even have no connection with this country at all. Like all sports journos everywhere, he is just pandering to what he feels is the majority readership of his rag.

 

Like others, we can take the view that whatever they want to write about, or however much they ignore us, it doesn't alter our league position, which is currently above their beloved Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Spurs, Everton, etc. This doesn't stop any of us having a nice warm glow about what we have achieved and where we are currently, which is generally way above where most of even our most avid fans expected us to be.

 

And long may it continue. Match by match, we are gradually starting to turn heads and get people to sit up and take notice of us. If we maintain this form to the end of the season and achieve a top four finish and there are some bone-headed journos who failed to notice our rise from left-field by then, more fool them. We can all laugh at their blinkered incompetence.

That first paragraph is a bit tough me old Wes. There are many ex-pat supporters living outside of the UK for employment or family reasons who still have a genuine love for the Club. I watch every game live on the box (usually in the middle of the night with three kids fast asleep) and have made three trips back to the UK in recent times to take in a Saints game. The EPL, and the Club for that matter are global interests, and not every non-plastic supporter can remain in the UK.

That first paragraph is a bit tough me old Wes. There are many ex-pat supporters living outside of the UK for employment or family reasons who still have a genuine love for the Club. I watch every game live on the box (usually in the middle of the night with three kids fast asleep) and have made three trips back to the UK in recent times to take in a Saints game. The EPL, and the Club for that matter are global interests, and not every non-plastic supporter can remain in the UK.

I've got to say that's pretty impressive. Not sure I could be that dedicated - only thing I love more than the Saints, is my sleep!

That first paragraph is a bit tough me old Wes. There are many ex-pat supporters living outside of the UK for employment or family reasons who still have a genuine love for the Club. I watch every game live on the box (usually in the middle of the night with three kids fast asleep) and have made three trips back to the UK in recent times to take in a Saints game. The EPL, and the Club for that matter are global interests, and not every non-plastic supporter can remain in the UK.

Ignore him, he's just bitter that he once had his lunch money stolen by a Canadian.