Hi Toffees,
I joined so I could read what the latest information is on our current manager, as there seems to be more news on your site about what is supposedly (not 100% convinced yet) happening than reported anywhere else. Anyway, in reply to the OP:
The Koeman brothers (Ronald and Erwin) have been good appointments for us, just what we needed after losing Poch, our first team coach, fitness coach and head of recruitment to Spurs, a lot of our first team players to Liverpool and one of our main scouts to Man U (morale was understandably low). Yes we vented online when that happened too (who wouldn’t). On the plus side, we seem to be getting used to having players, managers and staff taken by the ‘bigger’ teams and getting told that we are a small team from a small city and we should know our place (they all said it too after taking them) and yes we still react, it is natural, but less so than we used to (although as you will see when reading our main forum, saints web, we still like to vent and people do lose perspective for a short time – although the comment in relation to those that died, I cannot and will not defend).
I guess as long as we keep coming back stronger (within the finance targets set by our owner, Katharina Liebherr - she wants us to grow and be able to stand on our own two feet financially) then it is all good.
So, back to the Koeman brothers (and mainly Ronald). His laid back attitude and what appeared to be a dry sense of humour was just what we needed, he is someone who comes across as honest and answers questions truthfully (does not do politics), which is a nice change. He seemed happy with the Saints as well, also for the first time in his career as a manager he was working with his brother Erwin (he bought him in as the first team coach at Southampton). Ronald seems to have a good tactical mind and can respond to what he sees on the pitch (both what his team does and the opposition), making the correct changes (for your information if he does join you he will most likely bring his fitness coach as well).
His teams seem set up to be able to change formations quite easily, which obviously helps the tactical changes. He also seems to learn from his mistakes on team set-ups (and is willing to hold his hands up that he got it wrong). One caveat, there has been a suspicion (at least by me) that Erwin has helped a lot with that (I remember reading, when he first joined us, that his brother Erwin was considered the better of the two at tactics, in the Eredivise). With regards to playing styles, we have played good attacking (easy on the eye) football. Not as fast paced as we were when under Pochettino (nor do we close down as much in the opponents half), but that has also meant the team did not tire out at the end of the season, as Pochettino’s teams do (the players are knackered). We had a problem defensively for a while, partly due to our no.1 keeper being off injured, partly due to some people not seeming bothered in some games (that may help explain some of the points in relation to Wanyama on earlier posts). He switched us to 3 CBs , which did the job (along with some other aspects like Forster returning).
It is worth pointing out we also seemed to have a morale issue, players not wanting to perform for a while this season (mid season), some of the players seemed unhappy with Koeman, it may be nothing to do with Koeman though (but I am not certain). Mane, Tadic, Wanyama and Pelle all seemed upset at points this season, in relation to their playing, so I would put a small question mark (very small), in relation to man management on some of our ‘bigger names’. During that period, we played 10 games, lost 8, won 1, drew 1 (which included losing 6-1 at home to Liverpool). Given we finished 3 points behind 4th place, you can see what that run cost us. However, we had an outstanding end to the season after Christmas, so perhaps it balances out.
With regards to recruitment, there seems to have been some tie up between out scouting, the black box, the DoF and Koeman, but who takes the most credit I am not sure. Most of the players we have got since he has been in charge have worked out well, a few loans signings last season were not so good, Juanmi was a bit of punt that did not work out either. We have certainly been more active in recruiting from the Eredivise, which is hardly surprising and would certainly have been influenced by the Koeman brothers. But we did have everything in place before they joined, scouting system, youth set up, training, etc.
Youth set-up and academy players. Probably the only disappointing area under Ronald Koeman, recruitment has been good, but at the cost of playing our own academy players. The academy teams themselves have not been performing so well either, certainly heard rumblings that Ronald Koeman was not so interested in that aspect, no-where near as much as past managers. Given youth development and giving a pathway into the first team is one of Southampton’s strategies, this aspect has to go down as a failure (probably the worst we have done in the last 7 years in this aspect).
Short point on training - from what I have seen both brothers get involved, I have had the feeling that Erwin is the one who grafts more in the training (again my perception maybe wrong here). I guess what I am getting at is, you probably want to recruit both brothers (both managers in their own right), not sure if that is what has been agreed / discussed (but no one knows what has been discussed yet).
Sorry for the long post, guess I had a lot to say. For your Information I quite like Everton, there are a few of their fans down here and I have always got on well with them, some good banter and often a common feeling of struggling against a system that seemed stacked against us and in favour of the teams with rich owners, I guess the trick is not to forget that struggle when a new rich owner comes in, the same goes for us though. Regardless of what happens with managers, I wish you well and good luck, except when you play us! Anyway, back to supporting my club, regardless of the latest troubles and I hope it does not cause further arthritis and pain to my working class, 6 fingered, 7 toed bones, else my mother sister will put me out in the dogging house again until I stop crying
FYI (as this question was addressed to another Saints supporter who replied), I only support (and have only ever supported) one team, the team from my home city where I was born, went to school and Uni in and still live in. Southampton FC.
