Jack Stephens

[disconnect]

Very random news to offset what should be a good new signing for us... I guess this news is to keep us grounded?! I dont dislike Stephens and like all our players, hope he plays very well every time he puts on the shirt, but not sure what use he's going to be in 2 or 3 years time when I'd say he's barely good enough now. I guess it does allow us to get a fee, but are say Plymouth really going to pay much more than a couple of million anyway?

[James]

He’s solid in the Championship so fine for him to be a squad player.
 

However, I really don’t get this “leadership” stuff - last season he was banned for lengthy periods mouthing off at the ref and for pulling an opposing player’s hair. Not exactly model behaviour from a so called leader is it?

[Oh no Mick Mills]

11 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

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?

Didn't Frannie get sent off a few times for dumbass reasons? 

Strange how two limited but committed players to Saints can be seen so differently through the lense of time. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Just now, disconnect said:

Very random news to offset what should be a good new signing for us... I guess this news is to keep us grounded?! I dont dislike Stephens and like all our players, hope he plays very well every time he puts on the shirt, but not sure what use he's going to be in 2 or 3 years time when I'd say he's barely good enough now. I guess it does allow us to get a fee, but are say Plymouth really going to pay much more than a couple of million anyway?

Fair enough that he sticks around to see out his contract until the end of the season if that's what he wanted. We should as a club told him no extension, thanked him at the end of this coming season and given him a free transfer. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

1 minute ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Didn't Frannie get sent off a few times for dumbass reasons? 

Strange how two limited but committed players to Saints can be seen so differently through the lense of time. 

Pretty sure Frannie never pulled a opposing players hair, plus he was never captain.

[Sunglasses Ron]

Genuinely surprised about this (other than the red flag of him spearheading the new kit launch).

It really worries me that the club have made this move in light of what we saw from him last season.

>Not a very good player at Premier League level.

>Not a very good role model on the pitch (albeit probably a good one off it).

>Not a very good decision by the club (in my humble opinion).

I guess the only saving grace is that we're not a Premier League club at present, so we have to accept this fact (and all that comes with it).

[skintsaint]

1 hour 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.

FFS. I would hope to be promoted before 2026...

[Saint_clark]

5 minutes ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Didn't Frannie get sent off a few times for dumbass reasons? 

Strange how two limited but committed players to Saints can be seen so differently through the lense of time. 

I wouldn't put Stephens committment level the same as Frannies. I've seen him bottle challenges and make no effort to get back plenty of times. 

[Colinjb]

Says a lot about the player, who has been a very loyal servant that i'm dissapointed he has signed a new contract.

[trousers]

58 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.

Saved me having to type out my thoughts.... Spot on...

[Harry_SFC]

Very interesting how the club announced the Downs deal very shortly after the Stephens contract news. Obviously knew the extension wouldn't be received well..

[suewhistle]

1 hour ago, SouSaint said:

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. 

This, I'm afraid. Two year contract perhaps, but 3?

[trousers]

52 minutes ago, sad saints fan said:

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.

A fair point but surely you don't give a "back up" player the captaincy? The ceremonial role of "club captain" maybe, but our on-field captain should be someone who is pretty much guaranteed to start every game. I've no problems with retaining Jack as a good character to have in the squad but having him retain the captaincy raises concerns about shoehorning him into the starting 11....

[Themotherfunky]

I mean the only positive I can think of, is having him as 'club captain' a-la Kelvin Davis. Limiting the damage he does on the pitch.

And also keeping the homegrown quota up, if we're focussed on getting in youngsters from abroad 

[trousers]

1 hour 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. 

Fair point 👍🏻

[hypochondriac]

THB 

Wood 

Edwards 

Quarshie 

Do we really need Stephens in that group too? I assume ABK, Bednarek and probably THB are all off so that he gets in. Shame as I'd have preferred he wasn't involved. 

[MarkSFC]

1 minute ago, hypochondriac said:

THB 

Wood 

Edwards 

Quarshie 

Do we really need Stephens in that group too? I assume ABK, Bednarek and probably THB are all off so that he gets in. Shame as I'd have preferred he wasn't involved. 

Might need 5 CBs if Still plays 3..

[hypochondriac]

Just now, MarkSFC said:

Might need 5 CBs if Still plays 3..

Sounds like he's not planning on playing 3 at least initially. 

[Football Special]

Hopefully the new contract includes a testimonial at St Mary's, slight twist being current Saints XI v worst Saints XI put together from the "Stephens era" and must have played at least one game for Saints , could be comedy gold 

[MarkSFC]

5 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Sounds like he's not planning on playing 3 at least initially. 

Hadn't seen that but nevertheless. I much prefer 2 CBs but all I care about this season is he produces winning football. I don't care how much possession we have or what formation😂

[Disco Stu]

What concerning news.

[Chez]

I'm not a hater of Stephens, but I struggle to understand why a player who couldn't get a game for us in the championship last time around and did nothing to suggest he was PL quality last season gets three more years. 

Were we concerned he might walk on a free next summer? really? To who? No one in the PL is trying to sign him and no one in he championship is paying him what we do. 

We should not be giving second and third contracts to players. if they have not been snapped up by sides bigger than us, then that says everything about them. Not good enough, time to try again with another player. We seem to have zero confidence in our own scouting.

[hypochondriac]

Just now, Chez said:

I'm not a hater of Stephens, but I struggle to understand why a player who couldn't get a game for us in the championship last time around and did nothing to suggest he was PL quality last season gets three more years. 

Were we concerned he might walk on a free next summer? really? To who? No one in the PL is trying to sign him and no one in he championship is paying him what we do. 

We should not be giving second and third contracts to players. if they have not been snapped up by sides bigger than us, then that says everything about them. Not good enough, time to try again with another player. We seem to have zero confidence in our own scouting.

It's akin to giving McCarthy such a ridiculously long contract last time. Absolutely baffling. 

[DT]

Mystifying. Sub-standard player, bad role model, and now captain. WTF? Had my worries when I saw him in the kit leaks. If this is Still's decision it's the first bad one (of a few to come, I reckon)

[davefizzy14]

Despite what some on here say, I'm pleased that Jack has signed a new deal, he's a leader and loves the club 😊 he always give his all too. 

[goodymatt]

Wonder if this extends his contract but reduces his wages? Might help from a PSR perspective. We are going to be left with young CBs only when Bednarek leaves, so I’m not massively against retaining him as a squad option, leader and emphasis on club captain. We don’t have too many players that are Southampton through and through. Last seasons 9 game suspensions let us down and he may have struggled to be a LB come CM roamer but at championship level playing sensible tactics he is a decent enough option IMO.

[swannymere]

52 minutes ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Didn't Frannie get sent off a few times for dumbass reasons? 

Strange how two limited but committed players to Saints can be seen so differently through the lense of time. 

Spurs cup game chopping Ronnie Rosenthal in half rings a bell? 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

5 minutes ago, davefizzy14 said:

Despite what some on here say, I'm pleased that Jack has signed a new deal, he's a leader and loves the club 😊 he always give his all too. 

Just a shame that his all is not really good enough. I also don't get all this leader bollocks, he's no more a leader than JWP was. 

[egg]

26 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

THB 

Wood 

Edwards 

Quarshie 

Do we really need Stephens in that group too? I assume ABK, Bednarek and probably THB are all off so that he gets in. Shame as I'd have preferred he wasn't involved. 

Quarshie is 20 years old and never played above Bundesliga 2. I think that's probably somewhere between the championship. and league 1. He's not the answer, at least not yet. 

I think we need Stephens around the squad, although I'm surprised we've extended his deal. I think you're right that there will be CB departures though. My money is on Bednarek (and ABK if we can find him a home), and possibly THB, leaving Stephens as the senior man. 

[hypochondriac]

Maybe Martin will come in for Wood. 

[sockeye]

I haven't seen anything from Stephens that suggests he deserves a three-year extension. He is a mediocre player and is not good enough for the Premier League, which is where we are aiming to be. As a captain, he sets a terrible example with poor discipline (reminder: he missed NINE games from two red cards because of his conduct) and organisational skills. He should have been a squad player for this season only and nothing more. 

[Edmonton Saint]

Doomed to repeat the failures of the past. Jack Stephens is an awful player, mistake after mistake and should have been shipped out years ago. If ever a player is synonymous with the malaise that has infected Southampton Football Club then it’s Jack Stephens.  Seems no lessons are being learned so the carousel turns once more. 

[egg]

7 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Maybe Martin will come in for Wood. 

Possibly.It may be that we're hedging our bets on outgoings, so Stephens plus 2 from the others, plus Quarshie. 

[Give it to Ron]

40 minutes ago, davefizzy14 said:

Despite what some on here say, I'm pleased that Jack has signed a new deal, he's a leader and loves the club 😊 he always give his all too. 

Where was his leadership last season? 3 year deal though ?

How many other clubs want him?

Edited Wednesday at 13:03 by Give it to Ron

[Willo of Whiteley]

He’s starting every match then

[Matthew Le God]

Just now, Give it to Ron said:

Where was his leadership last season?

In the stands cheering them on during the multiple games he missed through suspension

[beatlesaint]

Absolutely fkin speechless at that decision, ridiculous !

[hypochondriac]

Lets say hypothetically we get promoted this season, he's not getting a game in the prem and then if we get relegated again who wants him hanging around like a bad smell for the third crack at this league? I don't get the logic of three years. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

Lets say hypothetically we get promoted this season, he's not getting a game in the prem and then if we get relegated again who wants him hanging around like a bad smell for the third crack at this league? I don't get the logic of three years. 

Thought the obession with beards had gone with Martin. Guess Llanana still wants his little group

[SWLondon Saint]

2 hours 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.

Exactly how I feel. And what about accountability? As captain, getting sent off twice, leaving your teammates in the shit and also being banned for 9 games isn't the kind of behaviour I expect to see from a club captain. Not to mention all the goals we conceded by Jack playing brainless passes to people in no position to receive the ball. I'm convinced he was the 'trigger' for several other teams to press our players as they know he'll put someone in trouble with the ball.

[Stowmarket Saint]

Stephens must have some naked photos or some juicy gossip on someone who works within Sport Republic.

Slightly above average Championship defender but way below what is required in the Premier League.

An uninspiring piece of news to say the least. 

[HKsaint]

It fences off any interest from other clubs. Great!

[Verbal]

Well I for one am happy at this news (although I'm presently under sedation after a colonoscopy). 

[Hawkswood]

Oh ffs. That's on par with the FF contract extension.  Well, possibly not as bad but still.

 

[Charlie Wayman]

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!

FFS Just when you think things can only get better….

 

[saintstowin]

I came for the Downs news and then saw this. I'm as surprised as most. If he had a year left then see how it looks at Christmas and offer an extension (not 3 years) if appropriate, and if not then he can leave like others have. That clearly didn't happen.

I don't get it. Especially the length.

Definitely not an on-field leader even without the stupid red cards. A leader doesn't regularly leave opponents unmarked through lack of focus and think this is acceptable.

I had hoped we would move on after RM inflated his head with platitudes and the captaincy.

I don't hate him, and there's a good 90 minutes now and then, but he's not the future I wanted.

Edited Wednesday at 15:22 by saintstowin

[coalman]

Let's face it, we needed to move quickly to tie him down to a deal. Lots of clubs are going to be looking for a leader capable of playing the libero sweeper enforcer floating centre back role. And Jack has made it his own.

Seriously, wtaf?

[LGTL]

What a ridiculous situation. Just seems like a contract for the boys. Don’t get me started on this leadership nonsense either, where the fuck was he last season?

[saintant]

3 hours ago, goodymatt said:

Wonder if this extends his contract but reduces his wages? Might help from a PSR perspective. We are going to be left with young CBs only when Bednarek leaves, so I’m not massively against retaining him as a squad option, leader and emphasis on club captain. We don’t have too many players that are Southampton through and through. Last seasons 9 game suspensions let us down and he may have struggled to be a LB come CM roamer but at championship level playing sensible tactics he is a decent enough option IMO.

No chance he's secured a three year extension on less money. This club never seem to learn from past mistakes.

[AlexLaw76]

Another £4m-£6m at least going to the shoe-horn

marvellous