Sofiane Boufal

[Daft Kerplunk]

Happy to leave for Olympique Marseille according to a French TV show with him speaking on it

[austsaint]

So with Boufal, Gabbiadini and Lemina all prospects for leaving, the three players who can get you on the edge of your seat might all be off.

[Batman]

Lemina leaving is he?

[Lighthouse]

He is an entertainer. I would like to see Hughes puts his arm round him and try to get the best out of him. It would be a good gauge of how good a manager he is.

 

So with Boufal, Gabbiadini and Lemina all prospects for leaving, the three players who can get you on the edge of your seat might all be off.

 

If a few fancy dribbles and tricks excite you, head down to Milbrook Rec. on a Saturday morning, there’re load of kids doing it. Boufal isn’t an entertainer, he’s an arrogant show off.

[doddisalegend]

So with Boufal, Gabbiadini and Lemina all prospects for leaving, the three players who can get you on the edge of your seat might all be off.

 

Boufal has had me on the "edge of my seat" once in two seasons. Gabbi has been **** poor most of the season...I like Lemina though. I'd say Shane Long has had me on the "edge of my seat" more than any of them even if I know he is going to put it somewhere in row z when he shoots.

[pimpin4rizeal]

Would still take him all day long over Redmond, redmond has to be one of the most frustrating players ever in my opinion. Hardly ever makes the right decisions

[austsaint]

Boufal has had me on the "edge of my seat" once in two seasons. Gabbi has been **** poor most of the season...I like Lemina though. I'd say Shane Long has had me on the "edge of my seat" more than any of them even if I know he is going to put it somewhere in row z when he shoots.

 

Cedric's crosses?

[austsaint]

Lemina leaving is he?

 

Just a lot of rumour stories about Arsenal, Spurs, Everton and West Ham keen to sign him in the Summer.

[alpine_saint]

Happy to leave for Olympique Marseille according to a French TV show with him speaking on it

 

Considering the behaviour of the Marseille team and the fans that I witnessed, having closely watched their Europa League SF against Red Bull Salzburg over 2 legs, I have to say Marseille is the PERFECT place for him.

 

Dont let the door hit your arse on the way out, you useless little c**t.

[scotty]

Lemina leaving is he?

 

Very likely, I'd have thought.

[Matthew Le God]

Very likely, I'd have thought.

 

Based on what is it 'very likely'?

[K,Billy's supersound]

Can't wait to see the back of him. Jumped up little pr**k

 

You eber meet the bloke?

[Micky]

Without doubt a very talented young man, but if you are the 'flair' player in any side you have to deliver, and unfortunately he doesn't deliver enough. Without the ball,or when he loses the ball he falls to recover. If we had better players to fill in for his shortcomings he may be worth a long run in the side, but he was never going to get that this season.

Personally I'd like to keep him and see how we go next season, but I think that's highly unlikely now.

 

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[verlaine1979]

Without the ball,or when he loses the ball he falls to recover.

 

This is absolute balls. He's clearly an arrogant sort who is in the process of comprehensively burning his bridges with the club, but the one thing that always stood out to me was how aggressively (verging on recklessly) he always tried to get the ball back after he'd lost it. I'm not disputing that separate to that there were times when he just couldn't seem to be bothered with any aspect of the game, but I'd rate Boufal's commitment to getting the ball back after he's lost it has much higher than either Redmond or Tadic.

[doddisalegend]

Cedric's crosses?

 

The only reason Cedric's crosses would have me on the edge of my seat is that I was in fear of being hit by the ball..

 

Hoedt and Stephens have had me on the edge of my seat a lot this season, not in good way, more in a "oh **** how many mistakes are those two guys posing as CBs going to make this game" kind of way...

[Pamplemousse]

Another failed signing.

 

When will the recruitment team be held responsible? We can sack the managers, move players on, but the real issue has yet to be addressed IMO.

[OttawaSaint]

I would be inclined to give Boufal one last chance. Knuckle down, listen and learn. Maybe if Hughes is coach he can get Bouf going like he has with Tadic.

 

He has to understand though that there’s a time and a place for fancy stuff. Matt Le Tiss had all the skill in the world but he knew when to use it. Bouf seems to not know when to shoot or when to pass. It’s possible the ****ty tactics of Puel and MoPe ****ed him up a bit.

[niceandfriendly]

What is it with some of these professional footballers? How do they allow themselves to be so lacking in gratitude, a sense of reality or self-awareness? What a wonderful opportunity you've been given Mr. Boufal to play professional football in the world's most exciting league and you can't bring yourself to have the right attitude. Oh and you're being highly paid for the privilege.

 

I hope he can sort himself out and perhaps Hughes can get the best out of him. On occasions he has come off the bench and changed the game, and we all know he can score beauties from time to time, so there's something in there. Let's hope he can mature and perhaps Hughes and his team can help him with that.

[Norm]

https://sport.sfr.fr/football/premier-league/exclu-video-boufal-veut-quitter-southampton.html

[JRM]

Fingers crossed Marseille use their windfall from Europa league run to give us £15M for Boufal to recoup funds and we can write this off as a bad signing and move on. He's definitely better suited to the French league.

Someone once described him as playing as if he was watching himself in the mirror which was spot on in my opinion, all about him and zero awareness of the team.

 

I'd hoped he'd follow in the footsteps of Hassan Kachloul but it wasn't to be so no need to get the Fez out for fancy dress away day.

[Heisenberg]

Reports will leak out saying we've sold him for £25 million. As standard we will lap it up as 100% true.

 

Financials will then come out in 2 years showing we probably got closer to £9 million ala Shaw, Morgan, Mane ect ect ect

 

Ultimately what we sell players for is irrelevant if we 1) don't reinvest it all and 2) don't reinvest it sensibly

 

I wouldn't let Reed and Josh Baskin (aka Wilson) waste more money on players

[DT]

Good riddance to bad rubbish. Pretty much personifies all that is wrong with modern football. Take what we can get for a bad apple

 

 

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[Heisenberg]

Where has his reputation for a trouble maker come from?

 

Seen him labelled as a bad boy a few times, but not seen any specifics to explain why?

 

Anyone ITK on this?

 

 

August 2016.

[Lighthouse]

I would be inclined to give Boufal one last chance. Knuckle down, listen and learn. Maybe if Hughes is coach he can get Bouf going like he has with Tadic.

 

He's had 2 years to knuckle down and not done it. There's a big difference between those 2 players in that I've never once questioned Tadic's attitude. He has had prolonged period of poor form in the last 2 years but I've always got the impression he was trying and if anything needs to be more selfish and look for a shot instead of a pass more often.

 

Tadic improved because of hard work, better coaching, confidence and the team around him being better. Boufal just spat his dummy out.

[Ashby Saint]

For me he is the definition of an uncoachable player. He felt the team should adapt to him and not the other way around. Don't let the door hit your arse on the way out.

 

There are some of the negative elements of Boufal in Redmond's play, but I hope that he is more coachable.

[beavis17]

Just a lot of rumour stories about Arsenal, Spurs, Everton and West Ham keen to sign him in the Summer.

 

If we sell him to Everton or West Ham we may as well all pack up and go home.

[le_tiss]

Reports will leak out saying we've sold him for £25 million. As standard we will lap it up as 100% true.

 

Financials will then come out in 2 years showing we probably got closer to £9 million ala Shaw, Morgan, Mane ect ect ect

 

Ultimately what we sell players for is irrelevant if we 1) don't reinvest it all and 2) don't reinvest it sensibly

 

I wouldn't let Reed and Josh Baskin (aka Wilson) waste more money on players

 

Can you extrapolate on this? seems a very strange thing to say?

[EkonOkereke]

His move to France was on the cards before the spat with Hughes, he was waltzing around staplewood saying his goodbyes.

[doddisalegend]

If we sell him to Everton or West Ham we may as well all pack up and go home.

 

 

Why we've already sold west ham one lame duck...

[once_bitterne]

Can you extrapolate on this? seems a very strange thing to say?

 

Do you mean expand rather than extrapolate?

[mrfahaji]

I would be inclined to give Boufal one last chance. Knuckle down, listen and learn. Maybe if Hughes is coach he can get Bouf going like he has with Tadic.

 

He has to understand though that there’s a time and a place for fancy stuff. Matt Le Tiss had all the skill in the world but he knew when to use it. Bouf seems to not know when to shoot or when to pass. It’s possible the ****ty tactics of Puel and MoPe ****ed him up a bit.

 

I would too, except if this latest stuff is true then it shows a complete lack of humility. Strikes me that he will always be one of those players to let his manager, teammates and fans down with his attitude and approach.

 

Maybe Hughes can "talk him round", and I would be happy if he does because he is a talented player. But how long will it be until the next fall out? And say we start seeing the player many of us think he could be, how long before he starts wanting to jump ship for a bigger club? Faster than you can say "I'm on strike", I'd wager.

 

You also have to wonder who is advising him (and footballers in general).

Edited 15 May, 2018 by mrfahaji

[mrfahaji]

You eber meet the bloke?

 

Have you? Do you think these comments and actions are out of keeping with his personality?

 

(this isn't a flippant comment btw, as much as it sounds like it!)

[SKD]

You eber meet the bloke?

 

Doesn’t sound like it. All things considered from what I’m led to believe he’s a decent lad. One of the jokers in the camp.

[GGalpin]

http://sportwitness.co.uk/id-interested-southampton-forward-already-club-mind-next-season/

 

The quotes from his interview on SFR sport are starting to appear online. Like him and think he's very talented, but get the feeling this won't ever work out. Probably best to sell him on with a tidy sell on clause just in case he flourishes elsewhere.

[VectisSaint]

Very talented individual, but football is a team sport. Adds nothing to the team (though defensively far better than Redmond or Tadic). Our scouting team should have seen this and never signed him, I wish him no ill-will but will not mourn his leaving, and the sooner he is gone the better for all concerned.

[notnowcato]

Has he gone yet??

[K,Billy's supersound]

I have a few times yes. He is a really nice bloke as is 99% of people at the club. He is the most gifted techincal player at the club without a doubt. but perhaps is too lightweight for a grafting team hughes is known to build. So it was always going to be a clash of styles. Put him in man citys team and he would be very good imo. I hope he stays along with gabby cedric tadic. The quality of this team really could/should have have pushed for europe. Grossly mismanaged.

[eelpie]

This is absolute balls. He's clearly an arrogant sort who is in the process of comprehensively burning his bridges with the club, but the one thing that always stood out to me was how aggressively (verging on recklessly) he always tried to get the ball back after he'd lost it. I'm not disputing that separate to that there were times when he just couldn't seem to be bothered with any aspect of the game, but I'd rate Boufal's commitment to getting the ball back after he's lost it has much higher than either Redmond or Tadic.

 

Boufal was disciplined for refusing to warm up during a match. So he should never play for Saints again.

Stoke players were renowned for their poor discipline. Mark Hughes must not allow similar to happen here, should he be given the post of Saints manager for next season (which I hope happens).

[SuperSAINT]

I have a few times yes. He is a really nice bloke as is 99% of people at the club. He is the most gifted techincal player at the club without a doubt. but perhaps is too lightweight for a grafting team hughes is known to build. So it was always going to be a clash of styles. Put him in man citys team and he would be very good imo. I hope he stays along with gabby cedric tadic. The quality of this team really could/should have have pushed for europe. Grossly mismanaged.

 

Have we got a plan of action with targets lined up, K Billy?

[K,Billy's supersound]

Honestly i dont know. We got to sort out the manager position first.

[Saint Garrett]

Honestly i dont know. We got to sort out the manager position first.

 

Surely it's all but signed?

[SuperSAINT]

Honestly i dont know. We got to sort out the manager position first.

 

Ok, thanks mate.

[scotty]

Based on what is it 'very likely'?

 

Seems a classic case of "premier league shop window" to me, and the chances of holding on to him won't have been improved by a narrow miss with relegation. I hope I'm wrong.

[SuperSAINT]

Left out of Morocco World Cup squad.

[The9]

This is absolute balls. ... but the one thing that always stood out to me was how aggressively (verging on recklessly) he always tried to get the ball back after he'd lost it. I'm not disputing that separate to that there were times when he just couldn't seem to be bothered with any aspect of the game, but I'd rate Boufal's commitment to getting the ball back after he's lost it...

 

Quite. It's amazing how much of some people's football "knowledge" is based on lazy stereotypes rather than what actually happens on the pitch in front of them.

[Saint Garrett]

Left out of Morocco World Cup squad.

 

A shame but fully deservred...huge ability but no care in thr world and no drive or ambition...justified IMO.

[stu0x]

I have a few times yes. He is a really nice bloke as is 99% of people at the club. He is the most gifted techincal player at the club without a doubt. but perhaps is too lightweight for a grafting team hughes is known to build. So it was always going to be a clash of styles. Put him in man citys team and he would be very good imo. I hope he stays along with gabby cedric tadic. The quality of this team really could/should have have pushed for europe. Grossly mismanaged.

 

Pretty much sums it up.

 

Sadly experience has told us that Hughes has no time for the more 'mercurial' type so if he stays, we might as well look to move Boufal (and Gabbiadini). Shades of Arnautovic et al.

 

 

 

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[Saint Pete]

Pretty much sums it up.

 

Sadly experience has told us that Hughes has no time for the more 'mercurial' type so if he stays, we might as well look to move Boufal (and Gabbiadini). Shades of Arnautovic et al.

 

 

 

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If Hughes has little time for players with a poor attitude like Boufal, there's no "sadly" about it in my opinion. He really isn't good enough to put up with him refusing to come on in crucial games etc.

 

All of our squad were grossly mismanaged under Pellegrino, but not all of them behaved in the way Boufal did when Hughes came in and tried to put things right.

 

I think Hughes may want Gabbi to stay however, but that probably depends more on what the player wants to do.

 

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[verlaine1979]

If Hughes has little time for players with a poor attitude like Boufal, there's no "sadly" about it in my opinion. He really isn't good enough to put up with him refusing to come on in crucial games etc.

 

All of our squad were grossly mismanaged under Pellegrino, but not all of them behaved in the way Boufal did when Hughes came in and tried to put things right.

 

I think Hughes may want Gabbi to stay however, but that probably depends more on what the player wants to do.

 

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Hang on, I thought the refusing to come on thing wasn't true? Someone on here said the real story was that Hughes had a go at Boufal for being slow to warm up in a game we lost, and that Boufal had a go right back by refusing to take the blame for a loss when he wasn't even on the pitch.

[Sergei Gotsmanov]

I have a few times yes. He is a really nice bloke as is 99% of people at the club. He is the most gifted techincal player at the club without a doubt. but perhaps is too lightweight for a grafting team hughes is known to build. So it was always going to be a clash of styles. Put him in man citys team and he would be very good imo. I hope he stays along with gabby cedric tadic. The quality of this team really could/should have have pushed for europe. Grossly mismanaged.

 

I was in a queue at the petrol station with his mother and aunt. True story.