Do any of the first team players give a d@*n?

[SFKA South Woodford]

About their reputations as top flight footballers, let alone playing for Southampton fc and representing the city, as it certainly doesn't look like it?

 

Week after week we get the same lacklustre performances from each of them followed by the same excuses and rallying call about how they will work hard in training to put it right along with how important it is for the fans to stick with them, only to then see exactly the same s*ite from each of them!

 

How about they accept that it should be the opposite way around for once and they get told that they need to stick with the crowd and to then for each of them to deliver a half decent performance that will give them some pride to take home to their families after the match!

 

Let's face it, they are stealing a living at the moment!

[Pilchards]

How does a footballer perform to his best ability when the coaches don’t teach them properly and the confidence is rock bottom?

Maybe a decent change is a good option as it’s not going to get better anytime soon.

[Toussaint]

I think most do, I’m not sure about Cedric and Bertrand, they seem to go through the motions, some just aren’t that good, others are devoid of confidence.

[Ultimatt]

Why should they when they're all on bumper long contracts from recent renewals? Give it 2 years and they'll start playing harder.

https://www.transfermarkt.com/fc-southampton/vertragsende/verein/180/vertragsendeJahr/2022

[Pilchards]

I think most do, I’m not sure about Cedric and Bertrand, they seem to go through the motions, some just aren’t that good, others are devoid of confidence.

 

Interesting reading an article about Bertrand and Cedric.

The reason why they are singled out as being useless and don’t care is because they are no longer attacking full backs because (1) The cover is shocking so they have to stay back more often.

(2) The players ahead of them don’t allow them to have the confidence to bomb forward as they lack the killer pass to set them free.

(3) They are not really defensive defenders but more as wingbacks. Our systems is not suited for them.

 

Bertrand would be better suited in a Manchester City format while Cedric in Barca’s according to the article.

[tajjuk]

Austin clearly did in that ref rant, that looked like someone who cared, shame his body does not seem up to it to actually making a difference on the pitch.

 

I think most do, they are just down on confidence and have been a while, they don't seem to have confidence in each other, as Cedric's comments show and you have to question how much faith they have in a manager that seems to not set them up in any sort of shape or style and you wonder how much instruction he gives them.

 

Like I said look at Bournemouth, they have a manager who looks after the details, individually coaches each player to improve them, makes sure they all know their roles, has a style of play etc. etc. . Before the game against Arsenal Defoe was talking about their training, saying Howe expects them to be 100% at it at training each day, he said some days previously (I am presuming at places like Sunderland) you could slack off a bit in training if you weren't feeling it, but not at Bournemouth, he said if you weren't up for it then you might as well not go to training as there is no slacking off with Howe.

 

Do you reckon we are the same? I highly doubt it, Hughes to me strikes me as a manager who thinks he can just shout at them a bit with his strong personality and that will be enough, I think he is out dated, most top managers these days are more coaches, they are details managers, they coach and drill their players in their roles on what they want them to do with the ball, off the ball, in transition, on set pieces etc. from what we have heard coming out of the club, Hughes barely even is at training, we've seen Hoedt complain about the level of defensive training and similar comments were heard about Stoke under him.

 

We look rudderless and leaderless, and a lot of that comes from off the pitch, especially as the confidence of the players is massively low, they are no getting that direction and instruction from their manager.

 

A good manager can make a lot of an average team by making them more than the sum of their parts, Howe is showing that at Bournemouth, Dyche showed it at Burnley last year, Rafa and Wagner are starting to show it at Newcastle and Huddersfield.

 

There is no way our squad is worse than Newcastle, Brighton, Burnley , Cardiff, Huddersfield, Palace etc. but our manager probably is worse than all those clubs

[Lord Duckhunter]

In moments of anger and disappointment I don’t think they do, particularly Bertrand. But when I calm down, take the emotion out of it and think rationally, I think they all care deeply on the game day.

 

Whether they care enough day in day out is another matter. Do they give their all every day in training, do they practise finishing etc enough, do they make sacrifices in their lifestyles top players need to, do they hurt enough when we lose, are they prepared to accept constructive criticism and work at their game, will they stand up and be counted. From where I’m sitting the answer is pretty much no from all of them. They are mentally weak and have no leadership qualities at all. Blame the manager all you want, but none of them show half the mentality he had as a top player. I can honestly say this is the softest group of players I can ever remember representing us.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Dusic]

Was at Fulham on Saturday and clearly they do care, yes.

 

Players like Lemina and Redmond in particular gave absolutely everything.

[Cabbage_Face]

Does any footballer care about anything but themselves?

[thesaint sfc]

I'm not really surprised they don't care. As fans, we have absolutely no idea what the plan is for the club. We've had no information about the owner since he took over. It seems to me that this continues at club level - no one really seems to have a bloody clue. I've worked for companies owned by investors who don't have much interest in the company itself. It doesn't work for football clubs which require fans who require INFORMATION.

 

Look at the top clubs in the league - the manager seems to know the intricate details of what is going on within the club and acts not just as manager but also the voice from the club to the fans. We don't have that.

 

I don't think replacing Hughes or half the team is going to change much to be honest. Unless the owner changes his approach or puts a chairman in charge who actually says what is going on, I think we're destined to fail.

[Dr. Kucho]

Austin clearly did in that ref rant, that looked like someone who cared, shame his body does not seem up to it to actually making a difference on the pitch.

 

If Austin really cared, he would have taken much more care of his body and nutrition. If he goes to a professional strength coach and gets someone to sort his diet out, he could be a good PL striker.

[East Kent Saint]

Austin's rant was a product of his poor form and knowing he is on the way out , he was only a £4M stopgap signing that turned into long term stay !!!!

[East Kent Saint]

The mentality of the team is normal for a side that can't win a game , as seen before over numerous years at any level of a team game .

[Lighthouse]

If Austin really cared, he would have taken much more care of his body and nutrition. If he goes to a professional strength coach and gets someone to sort his diet out, he could be a good PL striker.

 

I agree. I’m not saying Austin doesn’t care but he certainly looks way off the levels off fitness you would expect from an athlete at his level.

 

It also annoys me in society that the people who throw the biggest public melodramas are the ones perceived as caring the most. Being a bit shouty on MOTD isn’t enough to convince me he puts more effort into his game than a player who keeps quiet and busts a gut in training.

[doddisalegend]

How does a footballer perform to his best ability when the coaches don’t teach them properly and the confidence is rock bottom?

Maybe a decent change is a good option as it’s not going to get better anytime soon.

 

 

Most of them aren't wet behind the ears academy lads they shouldn't really need coaching on how to get a shot on target, complete a pass, deliver an effective cross, mark at set pieces, getting goal side when defending or when to play out from the back and when to clear it into row Z.

 

These are experienced professional footballers a lot of the game changing mistakes they are making are tyro Sunday league stuff.

 

The coaches job is to drill them in formation and tactics so they play as a cohesive unit (something they are failing to do) not teach Hoedt the basics of defending or Long how to shoot straight.

[benjii]

He was just gutted he lost a goal bonus, I expect.

[Nordic Saint]

About their reputations as top flight footballers, let alone playing for Southampton fc and representing the city, as it certainly doesn't look like it?

 

Week after week we get the same lacklustre performances from each of them followed by the same excuses and rallying call about how they will work hard in training to put it right along with how important it is for the fans to stick with them, only to then see exactly the same s*ite from each of them!

 

How about they accept that it should be the opposite way around for once and they get told that they need to stick with the crowd and to then for each of them to deliver a half decent performance that will give them some pride to take home to their families after the match!

 

Let's face it, they are stealing a living at the moment!

 

They have become thoroughly demoralized. But, even in our last game I could see they were still trying and most are playing to the best of their limited ability, minus the 1 or 2% you get from confidence and being surrounded by quality team mates, albeit in a shambolic, disorganised team. Since Fonte and van Dijk left, there is no real leadership on the pitch and it's clear there is very little effective leadership from Hughes and his coaching team off it. Also, the lack of match fitness from what is apparently a poor training regime at the club means that their efforts flag in the final twenty minutes of games.

[warsash saint]

Austin clearly did in that ref rant, that looked like someone who cared, shame his body does not seem up to it to actually making a difference on the pitch.

 

 

That rant was probably down to losing his bonus for scoring & nothing to do with how much he cares for the club!

[Golac's Iron Gonads]

The contrast in how Rickie Lambert worked on and improved his fitness, short sprint speed and control over the seasons to how Austin conducts himself is stark. I'd say Lambert cared or had a great deal more pride.

[tajjuk]

Think that is harsh to say he wanted a goal bonus, it to me looked like a fairly hurt outburst from a player playing in a team knowing they desperately needed a home win and they thought they had it but the ref took it away.

 

I think most of the players care, there is no lack of effort or want, they are just devoid of confidence and don't look like a team, which a lot of which comes down to the manager and coaching staff.

[Saint-Fred]

Think that is harsh to say he wanted a goal bonus, it to me looked like a fairly hurt outburst from a player playing in a team knowing they desperately needed a home win and they thought they had it but the ref took it away.

 

I think most of the players care, there is no lack of effort or want, they are just devoid of confidence and don't look like a team, which a lot of which comes down to the manager and coaching staff.

 

If this is true why didn't we get a rant from him at any other game this year? Where was he when Watford stole a point last year? He wasn't on TV demanding VAR then was he? It's Probably Because he is so self involved he only bothers commenting on "his" goal because he lost "his" bonus. He couldn't give a **** if we go down he just wants as much money as he can get whilst he can get it.

[Toussaint]

Interesting reading an article about Bertrand and Cedric.

The reason why they are singled out as being useless and don’t care is because they are no longer attacking full backs because (1) The cover is shocking so they have to stay back more often.

(2) The players ahead of them don’t allow them to have the confidence to bomb forward as they lack the killer pass to set them free.

(3) They are not really defensive defenders but more as wingbacks. Our systems is not suited for them.

 

Bertrand would be better suited in a Manchester City format while Cedric in Barca’s according to the article.

 

We can only have perception , we don't really know what's going on. However, I agree It must be very dispiriting for a competent player to not have confidence in the management, the players around him, team selections or tactics. I know it would throw me off my game, as it has in my " normal" working life in comparible situations.

[kyle04]

I wonder if anybody at all involved in the SFC setup has ever said to Austin this season, "we need more from you matey". It looks as though no one has, or if they have he's incapable of upping his game, in which case why does he start so many games ?

The training is clearly an issue, half an hours light jogging and a game of 6-a-side then back to the golf course or PS4 seems the order of the day. Regardless of talent Pep or Poch would not tolerate players not being fully fit, they just wouldn't get a game. The fans don't expect to see Man City mk2 at SMS, but do expect a high level of effort and fitness to compensate. This is a basic starting point in any sport in any league and we don't have it. That is down to Hughes alone, there are no excuses.

As for the players caring I think they do but not nearly enough. If I was a player feeling leggy after 70 minutes I'd want to improve on that. Get on the treadmill Charlie...

[Dr. Kucho]

The contrast in how Rickie Lambert worked on and improved his fitness' date=' short sprint speed and control over the seasons to how Austin conducts himself is stark. I'd say Lambert cared or had a great deal more pride.[/quote']

 

One of the better strength coaches in the south is based in Southampton. For someone on a average wage his services might cost a little, but Austin being on 50k or more a week it’s peanuts. Can’t imagine the club refusing him to get fitter and stronger outside Staplewood.

[Dalek2003]

Austin clearly did in that ref rant, that looked like someone who cared, shame his body does not seem up to it to actually making a difference on the pitch.

 

I think most do, they are just down on confidence and have been a while, they don't seem to have confidence in each other, as Cedric's comments show and you have to question how much faith they have in a manager that seems to not set them up in any sort of shape or style and you wonder how much instruction he gives them.

 

Like I said look at Bournemouth, they have a manager who looks after the details, individually coaches each player to improve them, makes sure they all know their roles, has a style of play etc. etc. . Before the game against Arsenal Defoe was talking about their training, saying Howe expects them to be 100% at it at training each day, he said some days previously (I am presuming at places like Sunderland) you could slack off a bit in training if you weren't feeling it, but not at Bournemouth, he said if you weren't up for it then you might as well not go to training as there is no slacking off with Howe.

 

Do you reckon we are the same? I highly doubt it, Hughes to me strikes me as a manager who thinks he can just shout at them a bit with his strong personality and that will be enough, I think he is out dated, most top managers these days are more coaches, they are details managers, they coach and drill their players in their roles on what they want them to do with the ball, off the ball, in transition, on set pieces etc. from what we have heard coming out of the club, Hughes barely even is at training, we've seen Hoedt complain about the level of defensive training and similar comments were heard about Stoke under him.

 

We look rudderless and leaderless, and a lot of that comes from off the pitch, especially as the confidence of the players is massively low, they are no getting that direction and instruction from their manager.

 

A good manager can make a lot of an average team by making them more than the sum of their parts, Howe is showing that at Bournemouth, Dyche showed it at Burnley last year, Rafa and Wagner are starting to show it at Newcastle and Huddersfield.

 

There is no way our squad is worse than Newcastle, Brighton, Burnley , Cardiff, Huddersfield, Palace etc. but our manager probably is worse than all those clubs

 

Brilliant summary of our problems. Details and thoroughness really count. I recently read Bob Paisley autobiography, The Quiet Genius. His and his coaching team attention to detail and professionalism made the difference.

Pochetino had this, so did Gordon Strachan and Glenn Hoddle. Lawrie Mach was thoroughly commited and expected the players to be. I am not sure of our players, manager, coaching staff or owner.

 

 

Hope we stay up, but it might need us to go down to sort it out. Painful but necessary?