Southampton are paying the ultimate price of success
If there ever was a victim of their success from last season, Southampton may find themselves condemning their critically acclaimed attack-minded football under the now departed Mauricio Pochettino. Reports have surfaced today that striker Rickie Lambert is rumored to be close to completing a 4million pound move to Liverpool.
This would not be a knockout punch if it as the only move Southampton would have to deal with, but reports of Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana also leaving for Champions League pastures, and the increasing speculation that Morgan Schneiderlin, James Rodriguez and Dejan Lovren are garnering plenty of suitors, this could end up being a torrid summer for the south coast club.
With so many uncertainties over the future of playing personnel at the club, it begs the question if Pochettino was so willing to leave his building project, rather than having to clean up the aftermath of the summer transfer sweepstakes. The rumors on Shaw and Lallana began as soon as the season ended, but with the World Cup primed to start, those rumors have quieted down, but that is not to say that those moves are completely dead in the water. With Pochettino now at Tottenham, it is entirely plausible that a hijacked move for Lallana is on the cards given Spurs’ lack of creative players on the books other than Christian Eriksen. Interest in Shaw still remains high, but Lambert is new to the list, and he will not be the last.
"Lambert (13), Lallana (9), Schneiderlin (2), Rodriguez (15) and Lovren (2) accounted for 41 of Southampton’s 54 league goals this past season"
Morgan Schneiderlin is very much an identical player to Emmanuel Petit and as such, many Arsenal supporters have thrown their weight behind the rumors that Arsene Wenger has his eyes trained on the player as the Gunners seek to bring in a proper defensive midfielder. Dejan Lovren was quietly one of the most well-rounded and efficient center-backs in the league, and speculation of his departure has begun to pick up steam as well. The only player that has not garnered rumors is Rodriguez – he was primed for Hodgson’s England team this summer, but a season ending injury left him unavailable for selection. Questions will also be raised on his effectiveness if Lallana and Lambert depart the club – he is the only risk out of the potential departed.
The unfortunate reality for Southampton, is that the odds of them ever being more than a selling club are slim to none. For those that need reminding, they also parted ways with Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale, and granted that the pair of them left at a far younger age, it is next to impossible for them to hold on to their top players because they will never be able to offer European football or higher wages required to keep their talent at the club.
The harsh nature of the modern game and the influential role that money now plays in it will undoubtedly keep Southampton in mid-table obscurity, if not even worse. As more and more top clubs in England are beginning to realize that more domestic players are needed on the books, a club like Southampton, who has one of the top youth systems in the nation, will constantly be raided for their domestic talent. Such a realization means the likes of Nathaniel Clyne, James Ward-Prowse and Callum Chambers are also likely to leave at some point in the future.
The biggest question of all that the club must address moving forward if they are stripped of their best players, is how precisely can they be replaced? Should the aforementioned players be sold, Southampton is looking at roughly 75million received even if Rodriguez as not sold – a ton of cash to be reinvested in the squad, but for whom, and more importantly, by whom?
Southampton have yet to name Pochettino’s replacement, but whomever decides to take up the posting will potentially have a hectic summer in regards to player recruitment. What is needed at Southampton is a Dutch manager – someone who knows how to rely on a youth system and who knows the many hidden low-priced gems of the Erdivisie. To keep up with Pochettino’s legacy of high-pressure attacking football, someone like Ronald Koeman would fit the bill nicely.
Given Southampton’s status in the Premier League, it will be hard to find ready made quality players who can come in and be as influential as those who may be on the outs. While they may not be in a relegation fight next season, they will certainly regress from their 8th place finish.
Unfortunately for Soton, even if they right the ship this summer in the wake of a potential dismantling of their squad, they will never be more than a spring board selling club – if you love this club, love it for what it is. The footballing world, especially in England, is never a fair one – after all, sometimes it’s okay to accept things for what they can and cannot be.