Saints fan here.
Good luck with Ronald. You have got a good manager.
Oddly, although I am annoyed with this (who wouldnt) I am not as angry as when Pochettino left as Ronald is not in the same bracket.
Koeman is a very pragmatic manager (not so much a coach) Defence first and pace wide up top
He very likes a big lump as the central striker. Pelle was that man for us. Even when pelle was playing like an absolute donkey for months on end.
In the last two seasons, Pelle went on enormous droughts in the middle of the season and would always play. Only an injury cut that undeserved playing time short in the last season and the emergence of Shane Long playing centrally. And when things are not going well, he goes 352 as a formation for a few games. It is like his go-to set up to get out of a slump. His performances in the cup were terrible to be fair. Liverpool at home was an embarrassment. but his league performance ultimately was excellent
We had 2 very poor runs in his two seasons with us. Last year, 1 win in 10 (4 points from 30) and we were woeful. There was talk that he fell out with the board at SFC and was worried about the sack. He turned it around and did so magnificently. 2nd to Leicester in the form table for 2016. (which I am sure you have seen) Fraser Forster coming back from injury rested that slide as we were terrible (Pulis stoke but worse) but we were excellent in the last 10 games.
We were something like the highest scorers from headers last season and put in the most long passes. Those are the facts and not me being bitter or anything. He does like a long hoof up to the big man up top.
Last season, he also fell out with a couple of players. Mane, Pelle and Tadic. A genuine in the know (ITK) poster on saintsweb has claimed that those players are glad he is going. Those who were his favourites have just signed long terms deals (Forster, Van Dyke and Ward-Prowse) with Long and Bertrand (who have a few years left on their deals) to buy any of those would cost an absolute fortune (apparently)
He was not good in promoting youth/young players into the first team. James ward-prowse is one (England U21 captain) who get few starts but done well and matt Target (u21 again) who was brought in due to an injury to Bertrand at the start of last season. Saints have some very good players (harry reed for example) who simply do not ever get a look it. Now, many say that it is because we are experiencing a lull in the quality of youth players due to our time in administration 8 years ago or so and the money was cut back. But ronald never gave them a proper chance. Maybe your current crop are better but then again, he is going to you as you are showing 'ambition' and have this £100m+ to apparently spend. So I guess, kiss good-bye to that.
You will all like ronald, he is a very personable bloke and honest in his post match assessments. Best result of last year was when we beat Liverpool 3-2 and he clearly trolled the idiot that is Klopp on the touchline and starting running all over the place at 2-2 and went beserk at 3-2 (which he just does not do)
is he good enough to get you top 4? nothing is his career suggests that. But maybe, the money with clever recruitment is all he needs. We finished 6th, Group stages of the Europa League and 3 points from the Champions League. He surely has to beat that next season as he is not coming to finish 7th is he.
Enjoy, no animosity against Everton as it is what it is. We will get someone else and we tend to do well on that front. Pardew - Adkins - Pochettino - Koeman. That ITK poster (who is never wrong) on saints web has stated that Emery, AvB, Howe and (ffs) Moyes are the shortlist.
Be interesting if (however unlikely) we got Emery and you lot paid for it
Be an interesting season
