Excellent article from the BBC

Well written article about Saints

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37954971

Well worth a read

Not sure about the accuracy as usual. Luke Shaw had not played in the first team before that opening city game and its was Ward Prowse's debut wasn't it? Poor research.

Or poor or poor memory from me.

Not sure about the accuracy as usual. Luke Shaw had not played in the first team before that opening city game and its was Ward Prowse's debut wasn't it? Poor research.

They had both appeared in first team cup games before that.

A very good article, Reed always comes across well! Long may the success and stability continue I'' sure there will be few bumps along the way!

The only thing that worries me about any potential takeover is the new owners not understanding and changing the culture that has flourished under Les.

I'll be gutted if Katarina does sell up but I'll be utterly devastated if Les goes.

The only thing that worries me about any potential takeover is the new owners not understanding and changing the culture that has flourished under Les.

 

I'll be gutted if Katarina does sell up but I'll be utterly devastated if Les goes.

Judging from the last few summer meltdowns plenty of posters on here will celebrate wildly if Les gets the heave ho. They will probably change their minds after a few months of some random family member, of Landers CEO, running the show....

The only thing that worries me about any potential takeover is the new owners not understanding and changing the culture that has flourished under Les.

 

I'll be gutted if Katarina does sell up but I'll be utterly devastated if Les goes.

It does sound a little bit like a "come and get me" plea from Les.

Hope he stays out if new owners come in. He's been the constant for us.

Have journos not got anything original to write about he club? It's the same rehashed topic used ever since Poch left. Just type the headline into Google or similar and there are loads.

Oh it's because Les Reed won't talk about anything else, or refuse to be pressed on anything with an ounce of interest.

Nice bit of propaganda for Les. He's done an excellent job, which he knows. I wonder ifor we have a database for a Director of Football replacement?

Hopefully Reed won't leave!

The BBC just can't help themselves. Even in an article about Saints, they still have to mention 'Jose'. Does this guy have some f**king bizarre contract with them that he has to be mentioned every time the BBC talk about ANYTHING to do with football??

"Eight weeks after Southampton won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in 2010, Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan "

Seems like a rehash of countless other stories. Getting a bit tired of this particular angle now, especially when we have scored from open play in about 3 league games this season.

Looks like we've replaced the telegraph with the BBC as our outlet news agency - after the Eric Black stuff.

It does sound a little bit like a "come and get me" plea from Les.

It really doesn't! Unless you think he's been making these pleas for the years he's been contributing to these sorts of pieces.

Have journos not got anything original to write about he club? It's the same rehashed topic used ever since Poch left. Just type the headline into Google or similar and there are loads.

 

Oh it's because Les Reed won't talk about anything else, or refuse to be pressed on anything with an ounce of interest.

It's for the BBC, not Saints r Us. The most interesting nugget for me (that we'd been watching Tadic since 2010) is the least interesting thing for almost everyone else. If any of us read a feature on, say, Crystal Palace or Swansea, we'd learn things that their fans are sick to death of reading.

That said I would like to read more about how our academy targets have moved and changed over the last few years, how much each manager could and did affect things on that front.

very positive article for any outsider reading it.

It's not aimed at Southampton supporters

It really doesn't! Unless you think he's been making these pleas for the years he's been contributing to these sorts of pieces.

I know, but I'm in "full-on paranoia" mode during take-over rumours

With the all the coverage we have had in the last few years about the success of our system, I can't believe that all the other top clubs haven't now copied our formula for success. Managing to stay ahead of the game will be the problem now.

With the all the coverage we have had in the last few years about the success of our system, I can't believe that all the other top clubs haven't now copied our formula for success. Managing to stay ahead of the game will be the problem now.

Don't think Ed Woodward's sat refreshing BBC Sport, mate!

Im a fan, but there's a lot of spin in that article.

Little message from Les to the potential new owners !

People will probably dismiss this article as harmless PR fluff but considering the takeover rumours I reckon there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.

I've wondered if it was Reed who decided that Redmond should be bought and turned into a striker . It strikes me as odd that he is pretty much first on the team sheet even though he is inconsistent. Not even the squad rotation seems to apply to him . Pressure from Reed perhaps ?

Sent from my SM-G925I using Tapatalk

It really doesn't! Unless you think he's been making these pleas for the years he's been contributing to these sorts of pieces.

 

 

 

It's for the BBC, not Saints r Us. The most interesting nugget for me (that we'd been watching Tadic since 2010) is the least interesting thing for almost everyone else. If any of us read a feature on, say, Crystal Palace or Swansea, we'd learn things that their fans are sick to death of reading.

 

That said I would like to read more about how our academy targets have moved and changed over the last few years, how much each manager could and did affect things on that front.

No, it's rehashing. The same article is out there on countless other publication websites. That's my argument. It's almost cut and paste.

It's like the journalist is told by Les Reed or the club not to ask questions other than ones with a positive answer. It's the same with any Jeremy Wilson article too.

No one gives a f*** unless you're a Southampton fan.

No, it's rehashing. The same article is out there on countless other publication websites. That's my argument. It's almost cut and paste.

 

It's like the journalist is told by Les Reed or the club not to ask questions other than ones with a positive answer. It's the same with any Jeremy Wilson article too.

 

No one gives a f*** unless you're a Southampton fan.

Of course it's rehashed, but it's probably for the biggest broadcaster on earth to judge who cares. They wouldn't keep writing it if no one did.

I do sometimes wonder what this big negative angle is that all the reporters are missing. Access-based football journalism is not in a good state but the fact that we're, y'know, a good club and things are going well for us does contribute to positive coverage.

Chinese might care tbf...

Probably keen that the goose keeps sh|tting out golden eggs

Great, we always seem to lose after one of Reed's masturbatory articles.

It does sound a little bit like a "come and get me" plea from Les.

 

Hope he stays out if new owners come in. He's been the constant for us.

Thats what i and the lads at work said as well. If he ain't sure, or he doesn't like what he is hearing with regards this proposed takeover the current club philosophy could be going out of the window. So he is getting himself out there just in case. My gut feeling regarding this Chinese consortium is not that positive.

On face value, another nice piece but these days, this type of article fills me a weird sense of anxiety that something bad is round the corner.

Minimum being a tonking from our former players on Saturday.

Does feel like a PR piece constructed with something else in mind though. Takeover is one conclusion to leap too as others have.

Still, rather read press like this - there's plenty worse that could be written. We're never happy really are we? The life of the real football fan is always glass half full

People will probably dismiss this article as harmless PR fluff but considering the takeover rumours I reckon there is a lot more to it than meets the eye.

A cynic will look at the "Les Did It All" angle and think there's something afoot, maybe a pay rise, that he's decided he won't want to work under someone else after a takeover, etc, but most people will just see it as the BBC wanting to do something about Saints as we're playing the leaders this weekend and about half their team used to play for us...

What I've taken away from it is that while we have a plan for everything else, we don't appear to have planned secession for the DoF role, and that holds the rest of it together. But I think I knew that already.

Losing Les Reed (and to an extent Ralph Krueger) is one of my bigger fears. I just hope the 'system' is ingrained in the foundation of the club now, and that it's more than just one man (i.e. Reed). We can survive player and managerial departures, but there's going to come a point where the wrong person goes. I don't know who that person is, but I suspect it's Les Reed.

But then, if you can set up a self-sustaining model where the model repairs itself by adequately replacing (or bettering) anyone who leaves, then it's a very, very good model indeed. I really hope that's what it is, because personally speaking I love the way the club goes about its business, and in the world of Premier League football, where for most simple minded fans (and indeed some clubs) the solution always seems to be chuck money at any problems. I love the fact we don't, because the amount of money in the game almost makes me sick.

Worst case scenario, the wrong jenga block gets pulled and it all comes crashing down one day, but I can honestly say I've enjoyed the last 2-3 seasons more than any other I can remember, including 2003. I just hope there's more to come.

It does sound a little bit like a "come and get me" plea from Les.

 

Hope he stays out if new owners come in. He's been the constant for us.

Little message from Les to the potential new owners !

Thats what i and the lads at work said as well. If he ain't sure, or he doesn't like what he is hearing with regards this proposed takeover the current club philosophy could be going out of the window. So he is getting himself out there just in case. My gut feeling regarding this Chinese consortium is not that positive.

I'm inclined to agree with these trains of thought. A few pieces of a jigsaw being put out there at the moment is my hunch.

I always assumed Tadic was a Koeman signing. It was interesting to read that the club had been monitoring him since 2010 as a potential Lallana replacement.

I always assumed Tadic was a Koeman signing. It was interesting to read that the club had been monitoring him since 2010 as a potential Lallana replacement.

I'm pretty sure I can remember Ronald saying when he joined that Tadic & Pelle were both "already on the list".

3 points off the drop zone with some tough games ahead. Not really sure now is the right time to release a smug interview? Especially as we are not scoring like we used to.

3 points off the drop zone with some tough games ahead. Not really sure now is the right time to release a smug interview? Especially as we are not scoring like we used to.

How many goals do we need to score for Les Reed to give an interview?

It makes me wonder, if Les has a secret dossier or potential coaches, does Ralph have dossier of potential Les replacements.....

I'm pretty sure I can remember Ronald saying when he joined that Tadic & Pelle were both "already on the list".

Probably a bit of both - if we had appointed, say, Puel instead then the Lallana/Lambert replacements would likely be from the French league or have some connection to him. Just like we have just happened to have started signing players from the French league now.

If Les Reed suggests we would have signed Pelle and Tadic regardless of manager I say that is bullcr ap.

How many goals do we need to score for Les Reed to give an interview?

We have failed to score in 6 of our games this season.

In comparison Sunderland have 5. So I think a few more would be nice no?

Probably a bit of both - if we had appointed, say, Puel instead then the Lallana/Lambert replacements would likely be from the French league or have some connection to him. Just like we have just happened to have started signing players from the French league now.

 

If Les Reed suggests we would have signed Pelle and Tadic regardless of manager I say that is bullcr ap.

The thing all along seems to be that the black box identifies a load of targets based on performance metrics and specific player need using streams of data, but it's the intangible stuff like personal relationships and how players respond to instructions which the black box can't give you. When it comes to that stuff, managers presented with a list of otherwise similar types will always gravitate towards players they're familiar with or have heard about from trusted colleagues.

We have failed to score in 6 of our games this season.

In comparison Sunderland have 5. So I think a few more would be nice no?

We've played 17 matches in Premier League, EFL Cup and Europa League and failed to score in 5. Those were Man U away, Be'er Sheva away, Leicester away, Inter away and Chelsea at home.

You'll forgive me for not remotely caring about us not scoring in two European away games when we were playing for a draw from kick off, and not scoring against the current Champions and two teams who've won nine titles in the past 12 years between them.

We've played 17 matches in Premier League, EFL Cup and Europa League and failed to score in 5. Those were Man U away, Be'er Sheva away, Leicester away, Inter away and Chelsea at home.

 

You'll forgive me for not remotely caring about us not scoring in two European away games when we were playing for a draw from kick off, and not scoring against the current Champions and two teams who've won nine titles in the past 12 years between them.

We have scored from open play in 4/11 league games this season which has to be a concern.

We have failed to score in 6 of our games this season.

In comparison Sunderland have 5. So I think a few more would be nice no?

Of course, but it's got absolutely nothing to do with Les Reed doing interviews.