Jack Stephens

[OldNick]

In my opinion he is like Frannie, wholehearted who loves the Saints neither were superb footballers but both gave their all

[Simo is back]

He's not fit to lace Frannies boots , Shouldn't be in the squad let alone captain. Just shows how far we've fallen from the likes of Toby , Vvd and Jose to Jack Jan and Thb.

Edited May 14 by Simo is back

[OldNick]

11 minutes ago, Simo is back said:

He's not fit to lace Frannies boots , Shouldn't be in the squad let alone captain. Just shows how far we've fallen from the likes of Toby , Vvd and Jose to Jack Jan and Thb.

I feel time has clouded your judgement. 

[warsash saint]

6 minutes ago, OldNick said:

I feel time has clouded your judgement. 

Agreed - Franny was 100% committed, has been a legend with his service to the club since BUT he was a shocking defender!

[Oh no Mick Mills]

Franny was someone who'd make a great last ditch sliding tackle or be there on the goal line to clear a goalbound shot .

He'd then spend the rest of the game simply passing the ball to the oppostion! 

I used to think maybe he suffered with colour blindness as his passing was so bad! 

But Total wholehearted commitment meant we forgave him. 

 

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

Captain Jack. Here til 2028.

Whatever your feelings about the guy, I don't doubt he loves the club and will be an asset in the Championship.

[Oldandtired]

Sorry but if that's the level we aspire to then I feel it's not going to go well next season.

[Greenridge]

It's like a new signing....

[kitch]

I fucking despair of this club sometimes. 

[kitch]

3 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

Captain Jack. Here til 2028.

Whatever your feelings about the guy, I don't doubt he loves the club and will be an asset in the Championship.

I love the club too, doesn't mean I should be playing centre back!

[SouSaint]

So we'll be stuck with with this bang average Championship CB once again if we manage to get back up at the first attempt, great stuff SR. 

[Saint_clark]

FFS.

[Give it to Ron]

Johannes Spors: “Jack Stephens has been an important figure for the club on and off the pitch over many years. We value both the quality and leadership that he brings and we see him continuing to be an influential part of the squad moving forward."

Leadership what sent off for hair pulling? If that’s the quality Spors sees I’m worried!!! We are stuck with a non prem quality player if we are lucky enough to get back up - madness!

[S-Clarke]

This makes me question the decision making of those in charge, unfortunately. I had hoped we had a new clean sweep and the new folks had a general idea of what was needed long term. Jack Stephens certainly isn't that.

He's a good lad, certainly gives his all for the club, but he's so, so limited and not good enough for where we want to be. He's the sort of player we needed to be shifting if we had long-term plans to be established in the PL. I doubt those plans now.

If this is the start of a 'theme', I can see us going with Bazunu as first choice keeper once Ramsdale is sold and Will Smallbone holding the CM.

Edited yesterday at 10:45 by S-Clarke

[Wade Garrett]

Same old same old.  

Fucking shite decision.  We should be trying to get him out the door.  

[bpsaint]

For fuck sake. Idiotic, why does this club accept such mediocrity.

[Leighsterrr]

8 minutes ago, kitch said:

I love the club too, doesn't mean I should be playing centre back!

But would you be willing to give it a try? Or maybe a different position...striker possibly? Anything? Pleeeeaase!

[CSA96]

I thought we'd let him play out the last year of his contract and then move on as a free agent in 2026. He's never likely to command a big fee anyway, so that would've been a totally fine outcome for a player in their 30s who has been at the club for a decade and a half. Disappointing extension really 

[MarkSFC]

I am a surprised by this BUT he is good enough to be in tbe CB group in The Championship. In the PL NO!!!!!

Maybe we are planning to sell next summer if we go up, with a longer contract helping that. 

[Mattio]

[Jack]

Multiple more game throwing sending offs to come then. Can’t wait. He’s a liability and not the leadership we need. 

[Appy]

11 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

This makes me question the decision making of those in charge, unfortunately. I had hoped we had a new clean sweep and the new folks had a general idea of what was needed long term. Jack Stephens certainly isn't that.

He's a good lad, certainly gives his all for the club, but he's so, so limited and not good enough for where we want to be. He's the sort of player we needed to be shifting if we had long-term plans to be established in the PL. I doubt those plans now.

If this is the start of a 'theme', I can see us going with Bazunu as first choice keeper once Ramsdale is sold and Will Smallbone holding the CM.

Far less of an issue with Smallbone than Bazunu or Stephens. He shouldn’t be first choice but played a far bigger part on getting us promoted last time. 

Edited yesterday at 10:56 by Appy

[sad saints fan]

I think what Spors said about being an important part of THE SQUAD is important . As a back up and leader on and of the pitch it is better than signing someone like ABK whohas been a complete waste of time and money.

I think it is a good move.

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, MarkSFC said:

I am a surprised by this BUT he is good enough to be in tbe CB group in The Championship. In the PL NO!!!!!

Maybe we are planning to sell next summer if we go up, with a longer contract helping that. 

He's not really though. We were at our best when we played Bednarek and THB.

Whenever Jack came into the team, usually shoehorned in some way, we conceded goals and looked all over the shops.

He's a lower half Champ CB, at absolute best. He is not someone who should be anywhere near the starting 11 of a promotion chasing team.

There's no 'protecting' value involved here, as he's never going to command a big fee - 3 years or 1 year.

Edited yesterday at 10:53 by S-Clarke

[Midfield_General]

Fuck sake, Saints. 

Presumably that means he's staying captain as well then, which basically means he's starting every week. So either THB and/ or Simple Jack must be close to being off. 

Edited yesterday at 10:55 by Midfield_General

[Patrick Bateman]

Dear god ... I hope it's for his "off field" leadership and we won't see much of him "on field" ... worrying. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

One of Russell Martin's biggest mistakes was making him captain

[SW5 SAINT]

Will Still obviously rates him very highly…..

[Midfield_General]

2 minutes ago, Patrick Bateman said:

Dear god ... I hope it's for his "off field" leadership and we won't see much of him "on field" ... worrying. 

Difficult for your captain to 'lead' if he's not on the pitch

[MarkSFC]

Just now, S-Clarke said:

He's not really though. We were at our best when we played Bednarek and THB.

Whenever Jack came into the team, usually shoehorned in some way, we conceded goals and looked all over the shops.

He's a lower half Champ CB, at absolute best. He is not someone who should be anywhere near the starting 11 of a promotion chasing team.

I said CB group, not a starting player. As 3rd or 4th choice he's a good option because he loves the club. He does have good experience for some of the younger ones to learn from. We don't need very many of his type but two or three "locals" so to speak are good to have. 

I do not think he better than a mod championship starting CB, but he'll do as one of the back up options, plus has a little bit of versatility to cover RB if desperate or even DCM.

Squad player in Championship. Useless in PL. 

[ant]

Barely good enough for the Championship, miles out of his depth in the Prem, and too old to learn.

We had a golden opportunity to shake Jack's hand and move on at the end of this season.

He must give a bloody good turndown service... 🙄

[Give it to Ron]

5 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

He's not really though. We were at our best when we played Bednarek and THB.

Whenever Jack came into the team, usually shoehorned in some way, we conceded goals and looked all over the shops.

He's a lower half Champ CB, at absolute best. He is not someone who should be anywhere near the starting 11 of a promotion chasing team.

There's no 'protecting' value involved here, as he's never going to command a big fee - 3 years or 1 year.

Exactly look at Swansea away we were coasting it until Stephens came on and started passing it to their forwards in the box! 
I was hoping of a clear out but we reward the captain of the worst performing team we have ever had with a 3 year deal and some think it’s a good idea?

[SouSaint]

Rewarding failure. We tried to give him away three years ago ffs. 

[AlexLaw76]

The shoe horn remains 

[Matty's Caddy]

He must have been pinging long balls in training

[Midfield_General]

11 minutes ago, MarkSFC said:

I said CB group, not a starting player. As 3rd or 4th choice he's a good option because he loves the club. He does have good experience for some of the younger ones to learn from. We don't need very many of his type but two or three "locals" so to speak are good to have. 

I do not think he better than a mod championship starting CB, but he'll do as one of the back up options, plus has a little bit of versatility to cover RB if desperate or even DCM.

Squad player in Championship. Useless in PL. 

You don't have your captain as 3rd or 4th choice 

[Oh no Mick Mills]

Pleased to hear this. A decent player for this level . 

[sad saints fan]

1 minute ago, Midfield_General said:

You don't have your captain as 3rd or 4th choice 

Why not? 

[santolijador]

Every decent squad has a couple of older heads who have been through both the good and the bad times with the club. 

Whilst legitimate questions are rightly raised about his footballing ability and standard, he very clearly wants to be at Southampton and wants the best for the club, and by all accounts is influential in the dressing room. He came through our last Championship season as Captain and went through that playoff win. 

What remains to be seen is how he is used, and if he has learnt anything from the last dismal year in the PL.  

I, perhaps blindly, (although no reason not to) have faith in Still to, if Stephens does play and is shit, make changes accordingly to lineups and so on. He has said he wants to play 4 at the back - we have plenty of CBs with Stephens, Quarshie, Wood, Edwards (not counting Bednarek/ABK as they are likely off) for Still to rotate and react to performances on the field. 

I believe that decent teams need a couple of influential players - Jack having been captain will be close to lots of player and play an important, but intangible, role I'm sure. I hope this is why he has been extended. 

[Dan Johnson]

Shocked by the response to this news.

Sometimes signings aren't always about performances on the pitch, they're about influence off it.

We've had an abundance of chancers sign for us in the last 5 years or so, absolute wasters who couldn't give 2 shits about this football club. We need solid voices in the dressing room, committed professionals who live and breath Southampton football club and lead by professional example.

He is a more than capable footballer at this level, he is a leader and when we go up and we improve the squad, he'll happily play 3rd or 4th fiddle to better quality CBs and he wont moan or bitch, he'll set an example to younger players about professional conduct and what it means to play for this club.

I would rather have 11 Jack Stephens than a Bella Kotcha, Wesley Hoedt, Mara, Caleta-Car, Orsic, Sulemana, Salisu, Lemina, Vestergaard etc etc etc

[MarkSFC]

1 minute ago, Midfield_General said:

You don't have your captain as 3rd or 4th choice 

True. Promote (😂) him to Club Captain and appoint someone else as Team Captain who is first choice every game. 

[Matthew Le God]

1 minute ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Pleased to hear this. A decent player for this level . 

He doesn't need a contract until 2028 to play for us in the Championship next season. They could leave it how it was. He isn't good enough after another promotion.

[Greenridge]

Just now, Dan Johnson said:

Shocked by the response to this news.

Sometimes signings aren't always about performances on the pitch, they're about influence off it.
 

Like Walcott and Lallana?…

[SambaMaverick]

I've got no problems with the bloke other than the two stupid reds last season, he seems a good egg in the main.

But a contract until 2028?? I'd be surprised if any other top half Championship club would've offered him 12 months, it just seems a bit stupid.

[sad saints fan]

3 minutes ago, MarkSFC said:

True. Promote (😂) him to Club Captain and appoint someone else as Team Captain who is first choice every game. 

Good plan

[Lee On Solent Saint]

3 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

We've had an abundance of chancers sign for us in the last 5 years or so, absolute wasters who couldn't give 2 shits about this football club. We need solid voices in the dressing room, committed professionals who live and breath Southampton football club and lead by professional example.

is that the same guy who sets examples by pulling opponents hair and gobbing off at officals after they have quite rightly sent him off?

[Weston Super Saint]

3 minutes ago, Dan Johnson said:

Shocked by the response to this news.

Sometimes signings aren't always about performances on the pitch, they're about influence off it.
 

Which is a wonderful sentiment.

However, cap'n Jack has been influencing off the pitch for the whole of last season with the worst team in history and a piss poor team ethos.

Maybe he's not up to the job of influencer?

[ChrisPY]

5 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

He doesn't need a contract until 2028 to play for us in the Championship next season. They could leave it how it was. He isn't good enough after another promotion.

He does for the 2027/28 season though.

[Ekelund]

3 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

He doesn't need a contract until 2028 to play for us in the Championship next season. They could leave it how it was. He isn't good enough after another promotion.

No but trying to secure a transfer fee is sensible, if that’s the plan. It would be pure profit for the books, even if it’s a low fee.

If we don’t go up he’ll be part of the squad.

[SaintsLoyal]

Appeasing the agent is the only thing i can think of.

shambles