James Ward-Prowse

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

Your posting style reminds me of that chap that used to post here, David in Sweden?

As for JWP, he always seemed like a decent, hard working pro for our level, though probably not much more. No idea why Nuno hates him so much. 

Having said that, he's probably never coming back, not do I want him back. No I'll feelings, but just leave the past in the past. Would be nice if he finally breaks that free kick record at some point.

I'll leave others to comment on the comparison with Jack Grealish...

[Holmes_and_Watson]

31 minutes ago, swedish dave said:

....or so it seems. .  A move back to SMS was much-vaunted in the summer, but now we can see that..." ...it 'aint gonna happen."

Last night, I watched Sunderland clinically dissect a very-poor Burnley outfit.  Prowsey looked sadly on from the bench, whilst Scott Parker

frantically tugged on his gum.  Parker's appointment as Burnley manager might please his bank manager, but won't look good on his CV by May

- or even before that, if he doesn't last out the season. "Prowsey" will be there - until the end of the season, and I wonder what his thoughts are 

as he looks on, realising that Burnley already have one foot in the drop zone, and next season offers nothing more than a place in the Championship.

 

JWP's place in Saints' history is almost unique, and although his near 400 games aren't a club record, his long service to the club was marked by 

a player who had always played "above his age", and he is amongst the youngest Saints players to make a Premier League debut (at age 17- in 2012).

His career was often criticised by certain fans on this site - for lacking whatever they saw as his shortcomings - whilst his Prem. stats show that he

is superior to many of his contemporaries  (like Jack Grealish, who warranted  100 million transfer, yet showed no real improvement whilst at Man City).

 

Prowsey's performances (like playing every minute in two Prem. seasons), and his 16+ Prem. free-kick goals are just stats. in the Saints record book.

His reluctant move was a last ditch attempt to maintain Prem. status, (and his place in the LAST World Cup squad) was to no avail. David Moyes recognised

his talent, and signed him for WHam, (where he clocked up  8 goals and 8 assists) - not a bad return for ANY Prem. midfielder, before Moyes was

unceremoniously sacked by an unforgiving Board even after winning their first trophy in 40-odd  years. Subsequent  managers came and went, changing

formations leaving JWP was out in the cold, and their current manager is on thin ice having ditched Prowsey, as WHam (like Burnley) look set for the drop. 

 

For those Saints fans who appreciated him, any thoughts of a .." Prodigal's return" was never going to happen.  Ignored by Will Still, and everyone in the 

current management, who quite simply - had never seen him play, has led to us ignoring him.. yet again.  I believe(?).. his current WHam contract still

has one year to run, by which time any thoughts of a return to Saints will (fairly obviously) have disappeared, while we still struggle to replace his talent.

 

I think the main reasons for him not returning are:-

SR would not match his wages.

He will surely think he can do a job for a PL side (you rightly mention the changes around him at clubs)

Far too well known to be on the Rasmus shortlist.

We'd have to lose Charles first, for starters.

He was easily our best midfielder when he left. In those early Martin games, he helped get us over the line. Without him, others had to improve. The system had to alter to allow the group to pick up the gaps he left.

There were also hints at him being a threat, just a little futther foward too.

You never know. A season or three down the line, when we're looking to bring in our annual veteran, he might end up here again. 

[Saint NL]

33 minutes ago, Stripey McStripe Shirt said:

Your posting style reminds me of that chap that used to post here, David in Sweden?

I'm going to guess that David in Sweden and Swedish Dave are two completely different people 

[Dark Munster]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought he had just died. Anyway, RIP James and thanks for all those free kicks. 

[AlexLaw76]

[hypochondriac]

He's probably be shite for us and spoil the good memories we have, a bit like Romeu and to a lesser extent Walcott and Lallana.

[DT]

Just now, hypochondriac said:

He's probably be shite for us and spoil the good memories we have, a bit like Romeu and to a lesser extent Walcott and Lallana.

Yes. What has happened to Romeu? Is he still here? What a great shame

[Ex Lion Tamer]

Never go back

[spyinthesky]

4 minutes ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

Never go back

Mike Channon????

[East Kent Saint]

He did well when he had a more aggressive phase , had Zaha in his pocket when Saints played Palace .

Great free kicks , often praised/highlighted on Motd .

I assume he has aged like all 30+ prem footballers , but being blanked by your manager must feel like being hamstrung (having your hamstrings cut with a sword to stop you escaping) . Not sure joining  a doomed team will help his career but he can see out his WH contract and retire gracefully 🙂

[Cuddles]

Look, he's gone there to score one more free kick. Leave the poor bloke alone.

[Mboto Gorge]

He’s massively overrated by our fans. He’s a very average midfielder who isn’t brave enough or direct enough to succeed in the premier league. He was also a dreadful captain for us in 2022/23 and allowed us to surrender fairly meekly that season after 10 seasons of top flight football. Can’t understand the pining for him 

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

10 minutes ago, Mboto Gorge said:

He’s massively overrated by our fans. He’s a very average midfielder who isn’t brave enough or direct enough to succeed in the premier league. He was also a dreadful captain for us in 2022/23 and allowed us to surrender fairly meekly that season after 10 seasons of top flight football. Can’t understand the pining for him 

You seem to set a very high bar. A player that scored around 10 goals from midfield for us, is articulate and intelligent, a good guy to have around the club. Somebody who is a Southampton stalwart. Not succeeded in the premier league yet fetched £35m!