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!

[Willo of Whiteley]

I think most would take James Ward-Prowse back. I don’t think he will return now unless he becomes a Romeu style signing in years to come.

I’d rather have a player of his experience and love for the club than Joe Aribo. 😂
We’d be lucky to have him back.

[Lord Duckhunter]

31 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I think most would take James Ward-Prowse back.

The nods might, but it’s a no from me. Over rated, done fuck all since leaving. The last thing we need is another son in law recycling the ball.

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

The nods might, but it’s a no from me. Over rated, done fuck all since leaving. The last thing we need is another son in law recycling the ball.

Do you not think it would not lift the dressing room....

[saintant]

2 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

The nods might, but it’s a no from me. Over rated, done fuck all since leaving. The last thing we need is another son in law recycling the ball.

Spot on. We don't need another small, slow bloke who gets knocked off the ball, can't tackle or intercept and passes sideways and backwards. He had good moments for us in his prime but isn't what we need now.

[Mboto Gorge]

1 hour ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

Do you not think it would not lift the dressing room....

He didn’t lift the dressing room at all last time he was bizarrely made captain. If Theo Walcott is to be believed, several players were on their phones at half time during that era . Interestingly, both West Ham and Forest fans think he’s a nothing player who passes sideways and contributes very little when he’s played. 

Edited February 3 by Mboto Gorge

[Suhari]

8 hours ago, Saint NL said:

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

Have either of them ever been to Glasgow?

[St. Ciervo]

I dont want him back now. I just wish he never left. He would have broken the record the next year if he didn't go to West Ham. I will instead look forward to listening to the JWP/Saints podcast or his color commentary on solent in a few years to come. 

[Oisin]

I’d happily have him back, but the reality is we can’t afford his wages and the one part of the pitch we have sufficient players of quality is central midfield. So until or unless both those things change it shouldn’t happen (I’d say won’t, but we’re run by morons so am not prepared to vouch for them).

If we had the money for JWP I’d want it spent on a CF and if there was any left I’d want an experienced CB.

[Stripey McStripe Shirt]

10 hours ago, Sergei Gotsmanov said:

Do you not think it would not lift the dressing room....

Why? Most of the current crop of players have probably never met him or barely heard of him. Those that do probably think he's a nice enough guy but not exactly an inspirational leader or world beating footballer. 

[swedish dave]

15 hours ago, Saint NL said:

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

maybe we were for a time, as after the chaos of the relegation, I left the site for a while after the massive

amount of criticism and abuse that came on here, and I wasn't impressed by Will Still's performances either.

When I tried to come back, the " system" wouldn't allow me to return with my old name, and my 11,000+ 

postings disappeared off into the ether.   Hence " my new name ", but I am the same " David ", but my

thanks for the interest, anyway. 

[Matthew Le God]

4 minutes ago, OldNick said:

I keep reading that JWP is a leader, Im not sure I can recall him ever shouting

Shouting isn't leadership

[suewhistle]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

 

"Sorry mate, we had the studwork replaced by breeze block in the close season."

[Lighthouse]

8 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

Why if we're being told we should accept an over the hill free crab as a replacement for Charles.

Calling him a crab is such a lazy insult. Truth is he’s played a variety of different roles in midfield since making his debut and he covers a lot of ground during a game. If the manager tells him to sit deep and pass it around, he’ll do it. If the manager tells him to get forward into the box, he’ll do that too.

One thing that has been consistent is that every manager we’ve had from Adkins to Martin has played him regularly and not wanted to offload him. I doubt Tonda would be any different, as he has a fairly decent haircut.

[Matthew Le God]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Shouting isn't leadership

 

2 minutes ago, suewhistle said:

 

"Sorry mate, we had the studwork replaced by breeze block in the close season."

 

I think Gary 'Wacko' Wackett would punch through the breeze block!

[Sir Ralph]

32 minutes ago, Baird of the land said:

 

I expect us to reinvest a significant proportion of the transfer fee into signing someone with similar dynamism to Charles.  I doubt if THB leaves you'll be championing signing Jannik vestergaard on a free.

Football is about opinions. In my opinion JWP on a free or nominal fee is a good replacement at our level for Charles, even though he isn’t as good (we don’t have £30m to spend). It sounds like we could get preferential terms from JWP in terms of his contract because of his affiliation with the club. I would say it would be poor on our part if we weren’t interested. Subject to the finances of the agreement it would mean that we can save upfront payments for transfer fees and reinvest elsewhere.  Your last point doesn’t merit a response but we should be in for Adam Webster on a free

Edited 11 hours ago by Sir Ralph

[hypochondriac]

7 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

#WeMarchOn

Bewaretheides

[Saint86]

42 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

I think it's worth remembering that some of that cash alongside paying debts may be used to enable us to fend off and keep the likes of Scienza and Jander. 

We need to cover the £15M loss in parachute payments from last season (regardless of servicing any other debt / losses). 

Charles for circa £22M into the club (rest to city) and £6M for fernandes will offset the Dobbin £11M, Peretz and Larin fees (circa £8M).

Debates can be had on where the AA monies sit within this.

But ultimately, some of that THB money will likely be squirreled away to cover our drop in parachute payments and servicing the existing debt. I'd be pleasantly pleased if we reinvest 2/3 of it.

Fail to get promoted next season and we drop another circa £40M in revenue.

Edited 11 hours ago by Saint86

[Sunglasses Ron]

34 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Shouting isn't leadership

 

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

JWP has more in his locker than Charles, is more versatile and vastly more experienced. 

🤣🤣🤣🤣What a load of old  pony. 

[goodymatt]

https://www.instagram.com/stories/alfiehouseecho/3972925479792468150?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&igsi=cXhyMjNpZnNpanYy

 

Does feel like this one will happen.

[SaintsFan86]

Jwp is done.

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Jwp is done.

Source?

[goodymatt]

1 minute ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Jwp is done.

Source?

[goodymatt]

Just now, saintant said:

Source?

[Disco Stu]

5 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Jwp is done.

He's not done he's only 31.

[Baird of the land]

6 minutes ago, SaintsFan86 said:

Jwp is done.

Hoping you mean jwp is past it, not that we’ve signed the crab.

Edited 10 hours ago by Baird of the land

[Lord Duckhunter]

So that’s a no from the last 2 clubs he’s played for, who are in the same league as us. But a yes from us. 
 

If he hadn’t played for us, people would rightly be asking why West Ham don’t want him, & why Burnley appear to be showing no interest in a bloke, with more in his “locker” than Shea Charles. 
 

OR, Theo Walcott & Lallana were far better players than he ever was, and look how those worked out. You wouldn’t want him above Manning on free kicks, he wouldn’t add more energy & wouldn’t toughen up the centre of the pitch. Bill Shankley once said there’s a difference between old players and experienced players, I know which side of the line Prowse falls imo…

[Paul_B]

Do you know what, I've been mulling it over since hearing the first lot of JWP chat, but fuck it, I'd welcome him back in a heartbeat. As long as he returns with more of his shithouse streak than son in law! 

Who are these centre backs we're linked with anyway? Any good? Are they as good as Lyanco?

[Willo of Whiteley]

Anyone that says they wouldn’t welcome him back is talking bollocks.

He isn’t a bad player.

He just isn’t the type we were expecting, but I think most people would gladly take him back. 

[Graffito]

1 hour ago, Chez said:

He's never had pace, and that doesn't matter a lot for a CM, but CMs do need to get around the pitch quickly to shut down attacks and that's been a weakness in Prowse's game. An ability to cover the ground wont get better with age. Being in the right position helps a lot, but athleticism in the middle is needed fro a defensive point of view.

Agree re pace not being essential for a CM. The weakness I saw in his game is that he was slow on the turn and sometimes got caught square to his man so players went past him. Always thought that was something that could be addressed with coaching. Haven’t seen enough of him recently to know whether he’s improved it.

[hypochondriac]

24 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

We need to cover the £15M loss in parachute payments from last season (regardless of servicing any other debt / losses). 

Charles for circa £22M into the club (rest to city) and £6M for fernandes will offset the Dobbin £11M, Peretz and Larin fees (circa £8M).

Debates can be had on where the AA monies sit within this.

But ultimately, some of that THB money will likely be squirreled away to cover our drop in parachute payments and servicing the existing debt. I'd be pleasantly pleased if we reinvest 2/3 of it.

Fail to get promoted next season and we drop another circa £40M in revenue.

I know it will. Hence the "alongside paying debts" bit.

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, Graffito said:

Agree re pace not being essential for a CM. The weakness I saw in his game is that he was slow on the turn and sometimes got caught square to his man so players went past him. Always thought that was something that could be addressed with coaching. Haven’t seen enough of him recently to know whether he’s improved it.

This is where Oriol Romeu was so good first time around. Not quick whatsoever but superb positional awareness and very comfortable on the half-turn. 

[goodymatt]

4 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

So that’s a no from the last 2 clubs he’s played for, who are in the same league as us. But a yes from us. 
 

If he hadn’t played for us, people would rightly be asking why West Ham don’t want him, & why Burnley appear to be showing no interest in a bloke, with more in his “locker” than Shea Charles. 
 

OR, Theo Walcott & Lallana were far better players than he ever was, and look how those worked out. You wouldn’t want him above Manning on free kicks, he wouldn’t add more energy & wouldn’t toughen up the centre of the pitch. Bill Shankley once said there’s a difference between old players and experienced players, I know which side of the line Prowse falls imo…

I‘m not sure if he wasn’t given many free kick opportunities at WHU/Forest/Burnley but he’s one of the best free kick takers the PL has seen. I think he’d be first choice on free kicks unless it suits Manning’s left foot.

Otherwise, I do share concerns on what 31yo JWP is going to be like. I do think fitness and stamina wise he is super reliable, like Milner he could play for a few more years yet. Might not be getting an over the hill player as a result and he’s stepping down a level too.

My biggest concern is the absence of that strong and powerful box to box player in our squad options. Charles profile will very much be missed.

[franniesTache]

2 hours ago, Chez said:

yeah, skate c**t appears to be the more appropriate turn of phrase 😉

he was a pompey season ticket holder who called their fa cup win the best day of his life, was a mascot for them, and counted andy awford as his favourite player.

I really don't understand why people seem to want to erase this because it doesn't fit the narrative, he's a skate cunt, he was born there and supported them, and held a season ticket.

If people are going to say he's not then no one is. Then again they'll also be the same people singing "we hate pompey", or fathers gun, when clearly they don't actually hate them. I on the other hand do.

[OldNick]

58 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

His teammates, ex managers and guys who have reported on the club for years said he was a leader of the dressing room which probably means more than someone on a forum talking about hair flicks, in fairness

On the second point, not sure he will know a lot of the squad really? He'll know Bree, Stephens and Edozie as they played together for a bit and he'll know Manning because they did a preseason together but I don't think there is anyone else from back when we got relegated from the PL in 2023 that will still be here after the deadline

The dressing room that were relegated during his inspirational captaincy. 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, OldNick said:

The dressing room that were relegated during his inspirational captaincy. 

yeah, not sure it was his fault what so ever

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, franniesTache said:

he was a pompey season ticket holder who called their fa cup win the best day of his life, was a mascot for them, and counted andy awford as his favourite player.

I really don't understand why people seem to want to erase this because it doesn't fit the narrative, he's a skate cunt, he was born there and supported them, and held a season ticket.

If people are going to say he's not then no one is. Then again they'll also be the same people singing "we hate pompey", or fathers gun, when clearly they don't actually hate them. I on the other hand do.

why do you care about this?

Bobby Stokes was a Pompey lad also wasn't he