Clearout by next season

[It's There]

The Southampton Squad- Time for changes by August 2026

This is my take on the squad and the players- not including those on loan except Ramsdale…

Stay/Keep:

Ramsdale (ha) Long (as third choice), Moody

Quarshie, Wellington, Bree (new contract?) Jelert

Azaz, Scienza, Jander, Charles, Bragg, Williams, Sesay,

Fellows, Robinson, Stewart (… one year contract extension if fit through to May),

Undecided

Peretz, Stephens, Roerslev, Matsuki

Armstrong

Time to leave (variety of reasons)

McCarthy, Bazunu, Manning, Harwood-Bellis, Nathan Wood

Downes, Aribo, Edozie, Fraser, Romeo

Archer

Manager (Eckert)

 

We would need two new goalkeepers, central defenders, upgrades at left/right back.

Midfield ok if we keep Charles, Bragg & Jander– use u21 as support

Strikers…yep, we still need at least one tall, strong beast of a striker who can hold the ball up…as we’ve all been saying for years.

I know not everyone will agree- and I haven’t written my reasoning but could do so at length!

Truly fed up at wasted year as I don’t believe we can make playoffs – confidence is shot with clueless manager and negative habits.

[S-Clarke]

At this stage, I'd keep Jander, Leo, Fellows...I'm struggling?...Charles, Quarshie maybe ummm....Azaz and Robinson? I'm stretching a bit there though.

But that's as far as I'd go. New GK, entirely new defence, new full backs, new midfield, new strikers. And new owners. All of that needs to happen, nothing will change otherwise.

The rest can fuck off as far as I'm concerned. (I'm not including loan players, just our current perms)

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

At this stage, I'd keep Jander, Leo, Fellows...I'm struggling?...Charles, Quarshie maybe ummm....Azaz and Robinson? I'm stretching a bit there though.

But that's as far as I'd go. New GK, entirely new defence, new full backs, new midfield, new strikers. And new owners. All of that needs to happen, nothing will change otherwise.

The rest can fuck off as far as I'm concerned. (I'm not including loan players, just our current perms)

Agree with that and most of @It's There - Stewart is too risky though for any of kind of contract, good as he’s been in the tiny cameos we’ve seen. A lot of other contracts up in the summer.

[ally_uk]

Scienza, Robinson, Charles, Jander, Fellows. Quarshie. Armstrong 

The rest I couldn't give two shits about. 

Massive overhaul needed including Manager, Coaching Setup even the fucking Ownership needs to go 🤣

[Pamplemousse]

We need half a dozen new signings minimum. And that's just to be competitive

Anyone from this season still here should be squad options at best.

[die Mannyschaft]

Get rid of all the players, we have been sold duds, second hand banger with leaking engines and no breaks. This team is like Steptoe and Son FC. 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, Pamplemousse said:

We need half a dozen new signings minimum. And that's just to be competitive

Anyone from this season still here should be squad options at best.

More or less agree but Tom, Leo and Casper are good enough to be starters and Fellows is proven as a top player at this level. He must wonder what the hell he has joined. Clear the rest though. 

[badgerx16]

Clearout for next season;

Start at the Board and work down, don't stop until you get to the tea lady and matchday stewards.

[Dr. Kucho]

Clear out for next season, or better now: 

Sport Republic and all involved.

[woodsaint1]

I would only keep Jander, Charles, Bragg, Fellows, Scienza and Robinson

Quarshie (due to his potential) and Azaz (due to his record in this league) are both maybes

The rest can fucking do one

[bpsaint]

I genuinely would not care if we sold every single player and started over again. There are teams worth a fraction of this squad out performing us in the league, that’s the mindset we need to get behind, we need a complete and utter rebuild with a manager given the power over the signings rather than this director of football shite.

At a minimum though if there really is a clique in the squad then Macca, THB, Manning, Stephens, Downes and Armstrong need to be first out the door.

[Convict Colony]

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, bpsaint said:

I genuinely would not care if we sold every single player and started over again. There are teams worth a fraction of this squad out performing us in the league, that’s the mindset we need to get behind, we need a complete and utter rebuild with a manager given the power over the signings rather than this director of football shite.

At a minimum though if there really is a clique in the squad then Macca, THB, Manning, Stephens, Downes and Armstrong need to be first out the door.

Add in Bazunu, Wood as basic minimum as well. De-Martinisation needed. 

[Harry_SFC]

There are a core of players who I've just had enough of.

Downes, THB, Wood, Stephens, Manning, Bazunu, Aribo, Bree, Fraser, Archer. I'd probably replace Armstrong at the end of the season too. 

We need to build the squad around players like Charles, Jander, Fellows, Scienza and Quarshie (yes I think we should persevere with him). 

[S-Clarke]

2 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

There are a core of players who I've just had enough of.

Downes, THB, Wood, Stephens, Manning, Bazunu, Aribo, Bree, Fraser, Archer. I'd probably replace Armstrong at the end of the season too. 

We need to build the squad around players like Charles, Jander, Fellows, Scienza and Quarshie (yes I think we should persevere with him). 

I have some bad news for you.

Bree is on his way back on Monday, he's being integrated back into the squad.

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

There are a core of players who I've just had enough of.

Downes, THB, Wood, Stephens, Manning, Bazunu, Aribo, Bree, Fraser, Archer. I'd probably replace Armstrong at the end of the season too. 

We need to build the squad around players like Charles, Jander, Fellows, Scienza and Quarshie (yes I think we should persevere with him). 

Agree on all of that although one of the Martinettes (Fraser) has gone Down Under at least.

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

I have some bad news for you.

Bree is on his way back on Monday, he's being integrated back into the squad.

Right sided Centre Back (in a 3)...you knows it.

[Gloucester Saint]

2 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

I have some bad news for you.

Bree is on his way back on Monday, he's being integrated back into the squad.

Don’t mind that though, decent pro at this level and not known to be a trouble maker. We’ve not been good for his career. He’s a RB but can and did play LB tidily, there’s scope for that at the moment.

Edited 22 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[S-Clarke]

1 minute ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Right sided Centre Back (in a 3)...you knows it.

We could go completely rouge and play him as an inverted full back, linking up with Stephens as front sweeper. 

I can't wait.

[LVSaint]

It'll just be rinse and repeat though won't it. Bad owner allowing bad directors to make terrible decisions. They're not going to suddenly get it right after all this time. If they get very lucky and strike gold with a manager and coaching team, it'll only be short lived.

[Oisin]

Assuming he’s an option I’d keep Ramsdale. Of the current 1st team squad  I’d keep Quarshie, Charles, Bragg, Jander, Fellows, Leo and Robinson. And Williams if we count him as 1st team squad. The rest I couldn’t care less about.

To my thinking that leaves us with 4 full backs, 3 centre backs, 2 keepers, a winger and 4 forwards to find.  And that’s after SR have spent well over 100 million.

What a shambolic waste of time, money and effort

[Osvaldorama]

Fellows and scienza

A case could be made for Bragg. 
 

The rest I just think are awful, awful footballers that are league one level or below. 

(We’ll find out in league one next year)

[Roo1976]

38 minutes ago, Harry_SFC said:

There are a core of players who I've just had enough of.

Downes, THB, Wood, Stephens, Manning, Bazunu, Aribo, Bree, Fraser, Archer. I'd probably replace Armstrong at the end of the season too. 

We need to build the squad around players like Charles, Jander, Fellows, Scienza and Quarshie (yes I think we should persevere with him). 

the players you would like to build a team core around  sadly most of them will be gone ..................imo.

[Harry_SFC]

Just now, Roo1976 said:

the players you would like to build a team core around  sadly most of them will be gone ..................imo.

I'd imagine so. Charles (hasn't signed a new deal yet, so not looking good) and Scienza for sure.

[LoyalSaintSO50]

Not sure I can do another season watching manning being an utter fanny 

 

[LoyalSaintSO50]

https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2012545636709666816/pl/o-o71i1FT35atZci.m3u8?tag=14

[Gloucester Saint]

8 hours ago, LoyalSaintSO50 said:

https://video.twimg.com/amplify_video/2012545636709666816/pl/o-o71i1FT35atZci.m3u8?tag=14

Hideous. Would love to hear WGS’s views on that abomination. It’s failing propaganda football. I’d even watch Branfoot’s bilge over this Martinball/Pep Jr nonsense.

[bangkoksaint]

Of the ‘decent’ players it’s more a case of who will want to stay. We’re about to enter a period of mid Championship obscurity for a number of years. Not much quality will cross the line at SMS and if it does it’ll be sold. 

[Badger]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Hideous. Would love to hear WGS’s views on that abomination. It’s failing propaganda football. I’d even watch Branfoot’s bilge over this Martinball/Pep Jr nonsense.

Lump it forward quickly to Dowie , or piss around with at the back endlessly.

That must be the cowpat or dog turd option someone mentioned on here recently. 

Are other tactics available still ? 

[S-Clarke]

Do you know what gets me most about the group we have? They're dragging us down into our worst season in 17 odd years. It might end it relegation, it may end up fairly close....

Yet when it's finished whatever the outcome, you can bet your bottom dollar that the likes of Downes, THB, Armstrong, Wood, Manning, Archer and the such will be throwing their toys out and demanding moves to a better level. You can almost guarantee it.

Absolute pricks.

[influx]

Get rid of any player with a sleeve tattoo 

[coalman]

A good start would be to get rid of any player brought in by Martin. Start with the ones who had previously played for him.

The culture is so bad I'd seriously consider terminating the contracts of several of them on the spot even if it meant paying off their contracts.

[Badger]

10 minutes ago, influx said:

Get rid of any player with a sleeve tattoo 

A cull on hipster beards wouldn’t go amiss. 
 

Studs in ears also, especially if diamond studs etc, fucking posers. 

Edited 7 hours ago by Badger

[Toussaint]

16 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Clearout for next season;

Start at the Board and work down, don't stop until you get to the tea lady and matchday stewards.

I was going to say something similar, otherwise it’s just rearranging the deckchairs on the titanic 

[Toussaint]

14 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

Do you know what gets me most about the group we have? They're dragging us down into our worst season in 17 odd years. It might end it relegation, it may end up fairly close....

Yet when it's finished whatever the outcome, you can bet your bottom dollar that the likes of Downes, THB, Armstrong, Wood, Manning, Archer and the such will be throwing their toys out and demanding moves to a better level. You can almost guarantee it.

Absolute pricks.

The difference being that 17 years ago they were a rag tag army probably doing their best. If this mob did their best we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.

[Badger]

Just now, Toussaint said:

The difference being that 17 years ago they were a rag tag army probably doing their best. If this mob did their best we wouldn’t even be having this discussion.

How or why did the manage it for six games or so ?

It remains one of the greatest mysteries to man. 

[Toussaint]

Just now, Badger said:

How or why did the manage it for six games or so ?

It remains one of the greatest mysteries to man. 

I think Jo and Adam cover that quite well on this week’s going home. Besides, as much as I was swept along by that run there were obvious deficiencies 

[Gloucester Saint]

29 minutes ago, coalman said:

A good start would be to get rid of any player brought in by Martin. Start with the ones who had previously played for him.

The culture is so bad I'd seriously consider terminating the contracts of several of them on the spot even if it meant paying off their contracts.

In the case of Aribo, no need to even do that. He should have been set clear targets on body fat ratio and match fitness since the last transfer window which if he’s not met the club should be entitled to rip up his contract. If they’ve drafted the contract properly anyway…

Don’t know what happened to Edozie, more mentions of Lord Lucan.

[Brumsaint]

Players in our current squad who I would be happy to go into next season with:

GK: 0

Def: Welington

Mid: Jander, Bragg, Charles

AM/F: Scienza, Robinson, Fellows, Matsuki

I would happily ditch the rest, although I know that is not possible.

[Gloucester Saint]

36 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

I think Jo and Adam cover that quite well on this week’s going home. Besides, as much as I was swept along by that run there were obvious deficiencies 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0mvmhyj

[Badger]

13 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0mvmhyj

Thanks for posting that link. As a dinosaur wondered how you accessed it. 

[Badger]

Ultimately the clear out for me is dependent on: which division we’re in, who the decision makers or owners are, and manager involved. 

[Gloucester Saint]

6 minutes ago, Badger said:

Thanks for posting that link. As a dinosaur wondered how you accessed it. 

Eckert’s interview as well, if you can stomach it. Stronger questioning from Blackmore than we’ve heard for a while. Although he should have said the first goal was due to needless passing at the back. Pure denial, no-one gives a shit about XG. And he took Fellows off when Stewart was on.

He knows he’s out of his depth the kid, Tessem does, the players do, the whole league does https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0mvmb06

Edited 6 hours ago by Gloucester Saint

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Next season’s squad is already full even with 12 departures over the summer. This is after a massive overhaul last summer.

It just illustrates what an utter mess the club have got themselves into. Our massive clear out needs a massive clear out. This is something SR will find themselves repeating, in the absence of a structure above the squad, being able to manage and coach them properly.

GK          Gavin Bazunu 27, Aaron Ramsdale  28                                          
DR          Yukinari Sugawara 28, Rads Roerslev 29                                                                          
DL           Ryan Manning 27, Juan Larios 27, Welington ?                                             
DC          Taylor Harwood-Bellis 28, Jack Stephens 28,  Nathan Wood 28, Joachim   Kayi Sanda 29, Joshua Quarshie 29

MC         Cam Bragg 27,  Shea Charles 27,  Flynn Downes 28, Caspar Jander 29
AMC      Kuryu Matsuki 28, Finn Azaz 29                                                                          
AML/R   Samuel Edozie 27, Tom Fellows 29, Jay Robinson 29, Léo Scienza 29

SC/FC    Adam Armstrong 27, Ben Brereton Diaz 28, Cameron Archer 28, Damion Downs 29, Rento Takaoka   ?

That’s 27 players already.

Apparently, there’s an offer for Larios. It’s not likely Edozie will play again, having been in the bomb squad all season.

All the same gaps. Not to mention that the above isn’t in SR’s mandated 3 at the back formation, that forces Fellows out of position.

Of those with contracts ending in 27 are AA, who is still our top scorer, Bragg and Charles. 3 you’d want to keep.

Of those leaving this summer, if there’s a contract extension for ABK, we might exercise it and get loan money, or a fee back. He’s not likely to return.

None of the others leaving this summer have made enough of an impact. Stewart has improved us, but never for long before injury. Jelert has looked okay. But we’ll have two others in the squad, more if we are playing RWB.

The others, like most of our squad, are caught in a cycle of changing systems, managers and declining support. Bree and Taylor did little wrong when here, but put out on loan. Smallbone developed under Martin, but will be gone too.

As for who we should keep or try and move on? It will depend on SR’s next throw of the dice. We’ve had a sequence of managers coming in to squad’s not fit for their style of play.

The basics of power, pace, physicality are completely missing from our squad, and certainly our spine. There would be good places to focus recruitment on.

[Lord Duckhunter]

5 hours ago, Brumsaint said:

Players in our current squad who I would be happy to go into next season with:

GK: 0

Def: Welington

Mid: Jander, Bragg, Charles

AM/F: Scienza, Robinson, Fellows, Matsuki

I would happily ditch the rest, although I know that is not possible.

What’s Wellington ever done, he’s as pony as the rest of them.