20 Jan 2019 11:20:33
I think the problem I have had til now is the (misguided) belief that as professional footballers, they shouldn't need to be told how to play. I have sat back and watched and thought what the dickens is he doing, why did he make that pass, why did he not close that player down. Koeman was a manager that used to watch, analyse and guide the players and he left.

But SIR H. is different, he adds the dimension of passion! many are saying 'oh its great Bednarek, redmond, [other player]' has upped their game. but reality is they were great players, but just needed that tweak. that direction, that steering and now we have it! an exceptional manager in every way. And I know some think we'll lose him to a 'bigger' team, but fingers crossed he loves it here :-)


1.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 12:03:17
He will likely leave by the end of next season. by which point we should be rejuvenated and be able to replace him with similar. not the boring dross of a puel or Pellegrino.

It's no good having good players with no direction. Not in the modern game. Also having good players with just "passion" will work for a while but eventually come undone tactically. RH has given them the passion and fight and got the new manager bounce, but he's also sorted us out in terms of fitness, work rate, organisation defensively and a plan when attacking. All of which means it can actually LAST!


2.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 14:12:37
Hopefully the owners/ directors will realise that you can't run a club the size of ours purely as a business. I know that nobody will just throw money at a club the size of Southampton but they must know that if we don't invest we will fall down through the leagues again. Last time that happened we were lucky enough to get Marcus in to rescue us but that's unlikely to happen again. Unfortunately with smaller clubs it's a matter of speculate to accumulate. I just don't think that our present owners are willing to put the money in which makes me question their love of the club. With a little investment RH might be open to staying with us to see if he can get us back to where we were a few years ago.


3.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 19:55:24
I agree that with a bit of investment in new players, RH will stay. He seems to like the club and as he has said before he isn't ready for a big club yet. The fans also seem to love him and he appreciates it, even after matches you can see him looking at the travelling fans or at home.


4.) 20 Jan 2019
20 Jan 2019 21:59:25
You never know if we look after him he might be an old fashioned manager that likes to hang around and see where he can take us. He knows that we'll never be a big club but if he likes a challenge you never know. Whatever he decides in the future I think we need to back him as much as we can now.


5.) 21 Jan 2019
21 Jan 2019 11:33:00
Have you guys watched the fans conference that both Ralphs did last week? Kreuger underlined the whole financial situation. Although Mr Gao hasn't invested a lump sum of money into the transfer window yet, every penny that the club makes goes back into the club. From player sales to match day tickets. They're unlikely to invest in January, but he has hinted that they will be looking to recruit heavily in the summer.

RH summed it up perfectly, by saying that we can't always sign expensive new players and that he'd rather sign someone young into the club that he can develop, so another Bednarek or Hojbjerg or Redmond. Essentially reinstalling the "Southampton way". I mean look at all the players we've spent a lot of money on and how they've worked out:
Vestergaard - okay he's come into the first team under RH but no one has been rating him all season
Carrillo - he played like 2 seconds last season now he's off on loan
Boufal - he's gone off on loan elsewhere
Lemina - good player, but I doubt he'll be able to get into our current team

I just don't think we'll ever be able to please our fans. Half of them want to see youth players coming through the ranks, then the other half want to see millions spent on new players.


6.) 21 Jan 2019
21 Jan 2019 11:29:09
Does anyone think he might get the best out of Carillio and Boufal?


7.) 21 Jan 2019
21 Jan 2019 11:44:49
I would love to change back to the old Southampton way by signing young, hungry players and develop them. Rumours are we trying to sign Clarke from Leeds. "The Southampton Way" type of player. :)

Ralph seems to be really happy here and I hope he will stay at least 'til the end of his current contract. Hopefully much longer!