In praise of Southampton

At The Rust wwe have many contributors on football who write on their own team who support the notion that often the most insightful view comes from a supporter. I write less often on my beloved Brentford. Many national reporters have an allegiance to a club and indeed the clubs exploit this to release stories . In local newspapers the chief football correspondent is virtually the press officer of the club.

Aside from the Bees, I have been looking for a premier side to follow. I did not want it to be a London club nor one of the big boys. Equally , not much point in settling on a team that will only spend one season in the top flight. Some will say that my choice of Southampton had a lot to deal with their shirts like Brentford of red stripes . This maybe was subliminal but not the real reason. Over the last couple of seasons the Saints have sold virtually a whole team -Louven, Clyne, Lallana, Mane, Lambert went to Liverpool for north of the£90m- and they have transferred Schneiderlin and Shaw to Manchester United , Chambers to Arsenal and Wanayama to Spurs. Their last two managers Pocchetino and Koeman, successes both, have moved on. They have lost their owner aged 62 and the CEO Nicola Cortese resigned . Yet they finished 6th last season, are in the upper half this and reached the final of the League Cup. There is a ethos of developing your own talent, appointing excellent managers, the latest Claude Puel, a powerful scouting network all of that survives whatever changes happen . This was the club that produced Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Oxtade -Chamberlain .

I was dispponted that they showed scant respect for the FA Cup last night by fielding a second team v Arsenal that were thrashed 5-0. Ther fans had to watch a humiliation, the confidence of the youngsters will be shattered and Saints have neither relegation fears nor Champions Leadue aspirations . A rare case of they letting football and their fans down.