Bertrand Interview

[Manuel]

A snippet from the Beeb. Not talking Saints, rather about Grenfell and his empathy having grown up in a similar London tower.

 

Adds to my impression of him as seemingly a decent bloke...even if he does look the most ****ed off on the pitch from time to time.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43345290

[Dellman]

If he was laughing joking smiling on the pitch with us in a relegation fight I would be quite worried, he looks like I feel and I undestand that. I am pleased he is captain.

[Saint Albert]

Here’s an interview with Bertrand posted today on the OS about the Newcastle game, the relegation run in and how the support of Saints fans is vital.

 

https://southamptonfc.com/news/2018-03-09/video-ryan-bertrand-interview-pre-newcastle-vs-saints-premier-league-1718

[LaptopSaint]

He comes across as a top bloke in both those interviews, to be fair. Honest, and no BS.

 

He’s probably my favourite player at the moment. Which means he’ll almost certainly be sold in the summer.

 

[Patches O Houlihan]

I haven't watched all of this but the piece I have seen he doesn't hold back about Ralph

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:33 The First Professional Contracts 06:45 Financial Education for Players 09:52 Agent Attitudes: Protectors or Profit-Takers? 13:42 Investing While Playing Football 19:38 Enjoyment of Being a Loan Player 24:24 Squad Building: How Directors and Managers Collaborate 25:52 Playing Under AVB, Ancelotti, Dimatteo 33:17 Pre-Match Dressing Room Feeling 36:29 Club Salary & Commercial Deals 38:21 On Ivanovic, F. Torres 39:57 The Players’ View of Abramovich 42:11 Playing Under a Disrespected Manager 46:25 The Preparation for a Matchday 47:30 From Chelsea to Southampton 49:42 Playing Against Diego Costa 50:46 On Eden Hazard 53:32 Players Balancing Cash and Commitments 57:13 Staying Driven Amid Distractions 58:48 Ryan’s Biggest Mistake 01:01:12 Playing for England 01:04:06 Why Southampton 01:09:32 Ryan’s Best & Worst Managers 01:15:38 The Decision to Retire 01:23:36 Quick-Fire Round

[Dr. Kucho]

1 hour ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

I haven't watched all of this but the piece I have seen he doesn't hold back about Ralph

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:33 The First Professional Contracts 06:45 Financial Education for Players 09:52 Agent Attitudes: Protectors or Profit-Takers? 13:42 Investing While Playing Football 19:38 Enjoyment of Being a Loan Player 24:24 Squad Building: How Directors and Managers Collaborate 25:52 Playing Under AVB, Ancelotti, Dimatteo 33:17 Pre-Match Dressing Room Feeling 36:29 Club Salary & Commercial Deals 38:21 On Ivanovic, F. Torres 39:57 The Players’ View of Abramovich 42:11 Playing Under a Disrespected Manager 46:25 The Preparation for a Matchday 47:30 From Chelsea to Southampton 49:42 Playing Against Diego Costa 50:46 On Eden Hazard 53:32 Players Balancing Cash and Commitments 57:13 Staying Driven Amid Distractions 58:48 Ryan’s Biggest Mistake 01:01:12 Playing for England 01:04:06 Why Southampton 01:09:32 Ryan’s Best & Worst Managers 01:15:38 The Decision to Retire 01:23:36 Quick-Fire Round

Thank you for sharing. Only listened to the last part when he spoke about his time with us. 

And a little spoiler, best managers were Ancelotti and Koeman, worst Pellegrino. And talks about a big bust up with Hasenhuttl. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 hours ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

I haven't watched all of this but the piece I have seen he doesn't hold back about Ralph

Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:33 The First Professional Contracts 06:45 Financial Education for Players 09:52 Agent Attitudes: Protectors or Profit-Takers? 13:42 Investing While Playing Football 19:38 Enjoyment of Being a Loan Player 24:24 Squad Building: How Directors and Managers Collaborate 25:52 Playing Under AVB, Ancelotti, Dimatteo 33:17 Pre-Match Dressing Room Feeling 36:29 Club Salary & Commercial Deals 38:21 On Ivanovic, F. Torres 39:57 The Players’ View of Abramovich 42:11 Playing Under a Disrespected Manager 46:25 The Preparation for a Matchday 47:30 From Chelsea to Southampton 49:42 Playing Against Diego Costa 50:46 On Eden Hazard 53:32 Players Balancing Cash and Commitments 57:13 Staying Driven Amid Distractions 58:48 Ryan’s Biggest Mistake 01:01:12 Playing for England 01:04:06 Why Southampton 01:09:32 Ryan’s Best & Worst Managers 01:15:38 The Decision to Retire 01:23:36 Quick-Fire Round

Thanks for sharing. Not a surprise at about his relationship with Ralph. You could see relationships with some of our independent minded, technical players going wrong, as Ralph focused solely on implementing his system, and wasn't one to take feedback on it kindly. Also interesting to hear how Ralph adjusted, during his time with us.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Ralph's biggest weakness (some might say strength) was his man management. Not many players liked him.

[Kenilworthy59]

8 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Thanks for sharing. Not a surprise at about his relationship with Ralph. You could see relationships with some of our independent minded, technical players going wrong, as Ralph focused solely on implementing his system, and wasn't one to take feedback on it kindly. Also interesting to hear how Ralph adjusted, during his time with us.

But was that adjustment his downfall? I contend that Ralph had something akin to a breakdown in the win over Liverpool and he was never the same manager again

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, Kenilworthy59 said:

But was that adjustment his downfall? I contend that Ralph had something akin to a breakdown in the win over Liverpool and he was never the same manager again

You don’t have to be liked as a manager to be successful, a lot of the Liverpool players found Benitez remote but they certainly respected him. The issue is when the methods and messaging wear off and players tune out, plus Ralph wasn’t backed in the transfer market with the types of players his system really needed. 

[revolution saint]

48 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

You don’t have to be liked as a manager to be successful, a lot of the Liverpool players found Benitez remote but they certainly respected him. The issue is when the methods and messaging wear off and players tune out, plus Ralph wasn’t backed in the transfer market with the types of players his system really needed. 

Yep, whether the players like a manager or not isn't really an issue as long as they respect him.  My problem with Ralph in this instance is he should have been playing Bertrand instead of dropping him for a perceived criticism.  That's the way you alienate players and lose the dressing room.  Agree that he should have been backed with a striker the summer we lost Broja.

[LiberalCommunist]

Woah. So he was on £50K a week when he left Chelsea. We paid him £60k. And the most he got was after this contract, £120K. Was that what Leicester paid him? 

[Saint Gifford]

Allegedly he used to turn up for training in his chauffeur driven car. 

The car would wait and he would finish training and jump straight back in and be Chauffeur driven home, little interaction with anyone, very full of self importance. 

I heard this from a former academy manager who left Saints and his lad played with mine at a different club, and have no reason why he would 1 he would make that up, or 2 no reason to disbelieve it. 
 

But that’s not my point. it’s just to add some perspective, and weight for the other side of the story.

 Ralph probably had every justification in his decisions with the player. 
 

 

[CSA96]

21 minutes ago, Saint Gifford said:

Allegedly he used to turn up for training in his chauffeur driven car. 

The car would wait and he would finish training and jump straight back in and be Chauffeur driven home, little interaction with anyone, very full of self importance. 

I heard this from a former academy manager who left Saints and his lad played with mine at a different club, and have no reason why he would 1 he would make that up, or 2 no reason to disbelieve it. 
 

But that’s not my point. it’s just to add some perspective, and weight for the other side of the story.

 Ralph probably had every justification in his decisions with the player. 
 

 

Bertrand? Yeah the stuff about the chauffeur-driven car to and from training is true, think he still lived in Surrey the whole time he played for us. Might have had an apartment for a bit but definitely didn't move his family down to Hampshire. Not sure on what he was like in terms of interactions but you could always tell (and still can) he has that 'I'm a Champions League winner from Chelsea' swagger about him with the way he is

Edited Saturday at 17:48 by CSA96

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

3 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Bertrand? Yeah the stuff about the chauffeur-driven car to and from training is true, think he still lived in Surrey the whole time he played for us. Might have had an apartment for a bit but definitely didn't move his family down to Hampshire. Not sure on what he was like in terms of interactions but you could always tell (and still can) he has that 'I'm a Champions League winner from Chelsea' swagger about him with the way he is

You need an element of swagger/arrogance about you to be a top player.

As for having a chauffeur driven car? Why not? If I could get someone to drive me home after a long day of work, I'd happily do it (in fact, I'm surprised more players don't have their own driver). Even better if it meant I could get away from work colleagues quicker.

[CSA96]

8 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

You need an element of swagger/arrogance about you to be a top player.

As for having a chauffeur driven car? Why not? If I could get someone to drive me home after a long day of work, I'd happily do it (in fact, I'm surprised more players don't have their own driver). Even better if it meant I could get away from work colleagues quicker.

Yeah, I wasn't criticising it!

[Saint Gifford]

28 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

You need an element of swagger/arrogance about you to be a top player.

As for having a chauffeur driven car? Why not? If I could get someone to drive me home after a long day of work, I'd happily do it (in fact, I'm surprised more players don't have their own driver). Even better if it meant I could get away from work colleagues quicker.

Get completely and absolutely if I had the money I would be doing the same. 

But the point was without going into the whole conversation, about his character and attitude around the club. 

Just saying no wonder he is trying to look the good guy now he is managing, oh wait he’s not. 

Just trying to put it politely. I would have sided with Ralph not the player in this situation. 
 

 

Edited Saturday at 18:24 by Saint Gifford

[Convict Colony]

Honestly no issue having a chauffeur, he lived in cobham/oxshott which is 1hr 15min on a good day, very sensible.

Betrand was a very good player for us and was a good pro, his points about ralph were valid but not vindictive, just outlining this isnt a negative hit piece 

[East Kent Saint]

Did he actually have a driving licence ? 

[East Kent Saint]

I'm always amazed when millionaire football players get done for drink driving etc Paul Ince the latest one !!

[OldNick]

He is a vey good business man