eddie

best of luck free online courses always help prop up the CV if you've got the time, you know

How's the job search going mate? any new opportunities on the horizon?

Interesting signing as it reveals quite how little I know about what goes on behind the scenes. My assumption was that the board considered Davis, and then PEH/Clasie capable of being the starting partner alongside Romeu in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with no need to seek additional transfers. I had hoped they would strengthen central midfield but Reed's comments last year didn't give me a lot of hope. But it seems the board was largely on the same page - not wholly convinced by PEH/Clasie and planning for the future with Davis departure. I wouldn't be surprised to see additional transfers now. That gives me a lot more confidence about the board than I had before.

Seems about right

What is this ****

Guess what I'm trying to say is either way I'd be interested to see Cedric have some time further up the field. It would be quite useful if we knew he could also cover for RM.

I suppose the fullback rumours are nonsense. However, it were true... I thought for some time about how Cedric would do a winger/RM. He started his career there originally. Pied seems a lot stronger and I can't see Cedric getting a lot of game time if Pied plays at his best.

Not that we're linked and no word that he's unhappy but would love to go for Wijnaldum. Think he would be very good alongside Romeu.

If we sell him for 50m to Chelsea and a couple of solid young players of the likes of Christensen, I'll be very happy. I think that would be excellent business. What we do with that 50m is still a question but Chelsea has a good pool of promising players. Lewis Baker, Jeremie Boga. All would be nice additions.

It's not the fact he's on strike mate. Noone can prevent that. I doubt Koeman or Pocchetino could have. It's about the reaction to it. Puel just didn't seem the kind of guy to take a hard line and stand up to these players. Just a feeling - got nothing concrete to go on. But the way MP has conducted himself in pressers and club statements makes me think he's not going to be messed around. If the player wants to go, he doesn't even come on training camp. That's a pretty big call. I actually liked Puel and was sad to see him go. But this situation has made me think about how he would have handled it.

I get the impression, though I wasn't against the guy, that Puel wouldn't be able to stand up to VVD as much as MP seems to be doing. I have the feeling like Puel would defer to Les on these matters and take a back seat. MP seems to be taking more responsibility for this and taking more of a stance on it, including managing VVD himself. Good sign in my opinion.

I always thought Danny Ings and Charlie Austin had an almost identical playing style. Or that was 4 years ago when they were both performing very well. I don't see how we could play the two of them together. Unless Ings is a like-for-like injury backup for Austin. Is one faster/more technical/better at hold up?

Steps to take this to next level for guaranteed followers: 1. Post here that you are creating a new twitter account just for insider rumours 3. Tweet the snippets you've already posted on Saints web 2. ??? 3. Profit

I also saw that. Must have been another team then, the receptionist clearly doesn't know her way round English football.

Haha. In all honesty it was strange to see them just hanging around like any other person you might bump into while travelling, having a chat about fishing or the weather. They're a nice bunch of normal lads, you forget that when you just see their names on the transfer rumours page of BBC News.

I think that'll be a lot more difficult this season. Attacking, pacey fullbacks and ball playing centre backs are the 'in thing'. My guess is that means chances to outplay the opposition of stronger teams on pure pace is more limited that it was five years ago. Unless you play them on the counter attack - but to do that we need excellent midfielders who can quickly take a touch and pass. Plus Southampton like to have the ball which doesn't help as there's not as much space in behind. Playing counter attacking football wasn't our style last season at least, bar a few games. Wouldn't you say?

haha. too far for me! Interestingly Manchester City are also training in Evian at another hotel this week! Strange that two big premier league teams are training in what is a very small city.

For games where we need a stronger midfield in front of the defenders, such as against the bigger teams, I'd play Hojbjerg alongside Romeu and JWP. And drop Redmond.

Don't get this at all. A fit Austin all day long has to start. How the team around him is arranged, to get a good balance of link up play, pace and creativity, is up for discussion. My preference is for JWP, Romeu, Gabbiadini, Tadic and Redmond to start alongside Austin. I would drop this season Davis as a starter in favour of JWP. I suppose it would be a 2-3-1 given that's what the team is used to. This: --------Romeu----JWP---------- Redmond---Tadic---Gabbiadini ------------Austin---------------

Everyone was really open, friendly and had time for me. And the lads seemed to really get along. Was nice to see.

Didn't ask. Everything was quite relaxed, chatted to Clasie/Bertrand/Austin and Redmond while they were playing board games, but just about the local area and what to do. Had a chat to Shane, JWP and McQueen about the training and how it was going. Saw Pellegrino (he's very tall, you don't realise) but he was getting dinner so just walked past and said hi. But the guys were just in flip flops and it was 9PM, didn't feel the time to ask about VVD as I'm sure they get it all the time!

Update: Met the team at the hotel in Evian (i work across the lake in Lausanne), got to meet the team, had a chat with Shane Long and a couple others and got some photos to prove it! No one else was around and you could just walk into their room where the guys were playing table tennis and FIFA. The lads were super friendly and relaxed. All in all a great night ! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm heading over to Evian tomorrow or Wednesday night to check it out. Will stop by the pitches and hotel where they'll likely be. Anyone in the area want to tag along? I'm in Lausanne

thanks for the replies. as per the original post, i'll check out sevilla and feyenoord. any suggestions from french, german or italian football? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi There, Some history: I've been supporting Saints a while now, as my dad is a supporter and grew up in Bassett (even though I live abroad now). I get to the occassional game. It surprises me how much the club seem to fit most of what I'd look for in the ideal club. In terms of youth development, style of football played, quality foreign scouting and a smoothly run business as far as I can tell. The Southampton 'Way' seems to be a catchall phrase for a general way the club is run that seems positive and forward thinking. Saints seem to have made management and transfer decisions over the past 5-10 years that I'd say I'm overall happy with. There are other clubs in the league - West Ham, Swansea, Sunderland - who I would feel unhappy as a fan to support. I'm bias, but that's my feeling. In terms of Saints there's work to be done still in terms of ticket prices, availability, grassroots football and the lingering feeling that, while a lot of the clubs communication is quite open with fans, there are lots of higher level decisions that feel very untransparent. The behind the scenes dealings probably go on in every club, though. I'd love to get more into supporting/understanding European football because I ain't really got a clue other than the big clubs. I am not so motivated if I don't have a club to follow and support. My question: What other clubs, for those of you that are into European football, would seem to be similar to Southampton in terms of history, football style, model etc. etc. and who might be a good tip to look into for a Southampton fan? Caveat: I realise you can't force following one club over another, and it's random why we love some clubs and hate others. But still I think I'd rather try and follow a club, where I felt more of a connection to given their similar ethos.