Where do we go from here ?

[ally_uk]

Beyond the Championship, where do we go from here? The highs of Wembley feel like a distant memory, and the initial excitement when Sports Republic took over has all but faded. What’s next for our club?

Murmurs of a ten-year plan—or is it just speculation? What exactly is the vision here? A little transparency wouldn’t go amiss. Fans deserve to know the true direction of this ownership and tenure. What’s the plan for our club’s future?

What I witnessed after the abysmal display at Brentford was deeply saddening. It epitomized everything currently wrong with our club. The players seemed to throw in the towel, imploding under pressure. There was no direction, no cohesion—no pride, grit, or willingness to fight. This isn’t the team we stand behind.

The lack of urgency and fragile mindset has become a recurring theme at Southampton FC in recent years. Too often, the team resembles rabbits caught in headlights, crumbling under pressure. It’s a pattern that’s all too familiar—and deeply concerning for the club’s future.

So, what’s the real catalyst for our current predicament? Is it the poor managerial appointments? Are the players simply not good enough for this league? Is it a fitness issue? Or are they lacking the mental resilience and fight needed to compete at this level?

Sports Republic have now been our owners for three years. At this point, you have to start questioning their football knowledge and decision-making abilities as overseers of this club.

Dress it up however you like, but something has to change. It’s too early to judge or blame Jurić, but appointing a Director of Football and refreshing the scouting setup wouldn’t hurt the situation.

Sports Republic need to adapt, evolve, and learn from their mistakes. They’re creating a legacy—but not in a positive way. We’re on track to match or surpass Derby's record in the Premier League. These statistics are damaging and humiliating, and I truly feel for the fanbase, especially the younger generation who will have to endure ridicule because of such records.

Dragan, it’s time to wake up and smell the reality. Tough footballing decisions need to be made because, right now, you don’t have the right footballing minds in place to oversee this club.

 

You and the fans have been sold a lie.

 

We March On!

[AlexLaw76]

Turn on the anger at the directors box 

[Farmer Saint]

[Matthew Le God]

The main issues...

1) Player recruitment. A reluctance to sign a for example a player of £40m quality and instead opting for two players at a combined total of £40m but lesser quality. 

2) Managerial appointment decisions plus timing of when to make changes

3) Loyalty to players that got promoted. The quality gap between the Championship and Premier League is too big to be loyal. Probably should have risked early season team gelling by being more ruthless and sidelining some more of the players from  the promotion season.

___________

All need to be resolved if Saints are to have a positive impact after any potential next promotion. 

Edited Sunday at 20:49 by Matthew Le God

[coalman]

First step is working like angry bastards in training. We're never going to recruit the best of the best so anything we do has to be predicated on being willing to outwork our opponents.

In the meantime our recruitment is an expensive joke. Without fixing this we're done for.

[Mr Saints]

1 minute ago, Matthew Le God said:

The main issues...

1) Player recruitment. A reluctance to sign a for example a player of £40m quality and instead opting for two players at a combined total of £40m but lesser quality. 

2) Managerial appointment decisions plus timing of when to make changes

3) Loyalty to players that got promoted. The quality gap is too big to be loyal. Probably should have risked early season team gelling by being more ruthless and sidelining some more of the players from  the promotion season.

Pretty big issues for owners of a football club. Almost seems like they don’t know what they’re doing and are completely fucking useless. 

[egg]

3 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

The main issues...

1) Player recruitment. A reluctance to sign a for example a player of £40m quality and instead opting for two players at a combined total of £40m but lesser quality. 

2) Managerial appointment decisions plus timing of when to make changes

3) Loyalty to players that got promoted. The quality gap is too big to be loyal. Probably should have risked early season team gelling by being more ruthless and sidelining some more of the players from  the promotion season.

___________

All need to be resolved if Saints are to have a positive impact after any potential next promotion. 

All valid points, but you overlook fitness and commitment. 

 

[Matthew Le God]

3 hours ago, egg said:

All valid points, but you overlook fitness and commitment. 

Both of those can be put in part down to points 1 and 2 (recruitment of players and managers). 

Edited Sunday at 23:29 by Matthew Le God

[Sarisbury Saint]

5 minutes ago, egg said:

All valid points, but you overlook fitness and commitment. 

 

Think we have problems well beyond that.

[saint francis]

3 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

1) Player recruitment. A reluctance to sign a for example a player of £40m quality and instead opting for two players at a combined total of £40m but lesser quality. 

Hasn't this worked well at times in the past though?  We could all name plenty of good purchases within the last 15 years that have gone on to be world beaters.  Look at our 2012 to 2016 squads.  We seemed to get recruitment right back then on the whole.  

[Lee On Solent Saint]

Just now, Matthew Le God said:

Both of those can be attributed in part to points 1 and 2 (recruitment of players and managers). 

You mean we've just signed a whole load of lazy bastards? There is absolutely no excuse for a professional footballer to be blowing out of his arse after 60 minutes. Even Le Tiss could manage to play 90 minutes without looking like a football pitch was the last place on earth he wanted to be. 

[Galway saint]

12 minutes ago, saint francis said:

Hasn't this worked well at times in the past though?  We could all name plenty of good purchases within the last 15 years that have gone on to be world beaters.  Look at our 2012 to 2016 squads.  We seemed to get recruitment right back then on the whole.  

 kevin phillips is a really good example of the type of player we used to sign and who were established PL quality.

with the exception of Ramsdale when was the last time we signed one of those when in the PL ?

 

[Lord Duckhunter]

If Russell Martin can get us out of the championship, I’m pretty sure a half decent manager will be able to as well. 

[egg]

32 minutes ago, Sarisbury Saint said:

Think we have problems well beyond that.

Agreed...I was adding to MLG's points. 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

We are turning away the next generation of fans. My lad is 13, he turned to me yesterday and said he'd had enough of watching Saints lose and didn't want to come again. I know he's only young and kids say these kind of things, but this is how we as a club will start to lose young fans.

[Katalinic]

They need to employ more football people at board level for a start, and I don't mean idiots like Ankersen who seem to think they can re-invent the wheel. Bitcon and Kraft also seem clueless, Parsons I don't put in that category.

Squad mentality has been a weakness ever since Koeman left - we have lacked on pitch leadership ever since, in fact recruitment generally has been bloody awful - the balance of this squad is dire...how many left backs and yet we are playing a right back there, our DM's are weak and we have had nothing up front since Ings. Whoever sanctioned the Stewart signing should be sacked. 

[Matthew Le God]

14 minutes ago, Galway saint said:

 kevin phillips is a really good example of the type of player we used to sign and who were established PL quality.

Signing a player like that from a relegated club (as Sunderland were) would probably be £30m to £40m in 2025. Figures Saints appear reluctant to get to even though they'd spend it combined on a couple of players.

[Sheaf Saint]

17 minutes ago, Galway saint said:

 kevin phillips is a really good example of the type of player we used to sign and who were established PL quality.

with the exception of Ramsdale when was the last time we signed one of those when in the PL ?

 

I'd say probably Danny Ings was the last signing we made that was genuine PL quality - and even that was a massive gamble, given his injury record.

[woodsaint1]

25 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

The main issues...

1) Player recruitment. A reluctance to sign a for example a player of £40m quality and instead opting for two players at a combined total of £40m but lesser quality. 

2) Managerial appointment decisions plus timing of when to make changes

3) Loyalty to players that got promoted. The quality gap is too big to be loyal. Probably should have risked early season team gelling by being more ruthless and sidelining some more of the players from  the promotion season.

___________

All need to be resolved if Saints are to have a positive impact after any potential next promotion. 

On number 1, spending more £ doesnt always equate to better quality. Based on our player recruitment on the whole since SR came in, I wouldn't trust whoever is in charge in spending £40m on one player. They would be worth half of that after one season fs. We just need to be better at recruitment and try to return to the good old days of Paul Mitchell. A team of Bitcon (a rugby guy), Mowbray and whoever else is helping out with recruitment doesnt fill me with any confidence

[Badger]

49 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

The main issues...

1) Player recruitment. A reluctance to sign a for example a player of £40m quality and instead opting for two players at a combined total of £40m but lesser quality. 

2) Managerial appointment decisions plus timing of when to make changes

You’ve hit two nails firmly on the head there MLG. 
 

Recruitment was the death knell for a Ralph as well. Nothing new, just beyond belief it hasn’t improved despite change of owners and £ spent. 
 

I’d add another essential factor, leadership and direction from above. From both DoF and board/owner. If this is absent then in my book we remain a completely rudderless ship. 

[Lord Duckhunter]

7 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

We are turning away the next generation of fans. My lad is 13, he turned to me yesterday and said he'd had enough of watching Saints lose and didn't want to come again. I know he's only young and kids say these kind of things, but this is how we as a club will start to lose young fans.

It’s hard, I remember one of my lads turning to me during the Dutch duo season and asking “why do you make me support Saints”. He’s now 25 and has seen us win the JPT, fly through the championship, seen us win at Liverpool & draw and OT, win the play offs and lose the league cup. He’s also seen us play in the San Siro, sat with his brother, dad and uncle.

 

I told him at the time, the bad times make the good times better, and I’m convinced of that more than ever now. I’m sure your lad will experience some great times…..one day. 

[Matthew Le God]

7 minutes ago, woodsaint1 said:

On number 1, spending more £ doesnt always equate to better quality. 

I agree it isn't a guarantee of a better player. Certainly possible to sign a better player at a cheaper price. But extending your budget to £30m to £40m strikers opens up a generally better pool of striker than the £20m striker profile.

[Badger]

18 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

If Russell Martin can get us out of the championship, I’m pretty sure a half decent manager will be able to as well. 

Agree, but …. Do you trust this lot to appoint a half decent manager though ? 
 

My fear is that unless Dragan puts in place a more credible DoF and leadership, the half decent candidate will look at Rasmus, Kraft, and Dyson bloke and see clowns who have presided over a complete clusterfuck of a club, no matter how they look to dress up the ‘new start/ exciting times’ .
 

Faced with options of say Leicester or us, you know where they’ll end up.  

[Badger]

1 minute ago, Matthew Le God said:

I agree it isn't a guarantee of a better player. Certainly possible to sign a better player at a cheaper price. But extending your budget to £30m to £40m strikers opens up a generally better pool of striker than the £20m striker profile.

Agree but our choices still leave a lot to be desired. Even at the £15m range though others have a better recruitment. How much have Bournemouth paid for some of their players now receiving rave reviews and reportedly being monitored by Real, Liverpool etc? 

Many of ours we end up subsidising on loans out. 

[Matthew Le God]

Just now, Badger said:

Agree, but …. Do you trust this lot to appoint a half decent manager though? 

Ivan Juric has a recent record of regular mid table finishes in a major European league, plus overseen promotion to a major top flight. He is on paper a decent manager, but he has inherited a shit show!

He should at least in theory be capable of overseeing an auto promotion challenging campaign given the players and financial advantages Saints will have vs most opponents next season.

[egg]

1 minute ago, Matthew Le God said:

Ivan Juric has a recent record of regular mid table finishes in a major European league, plus overseen promotion to a major top flight. He is on paper a decent manager, but he has inherited a shit show!

He should at least in theory be capable of overseeing an auto promotion challenging campaign given the players and financial advantages Saints will have vs most opponents next season.

That is not a positive in the wrong hands. We've spent plenty of money, and bought the shit show you mention.

I agree though that Juric, on paper, is decent. 

[Badger]

2 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Ivan Juric has a recent record of regular mid table finishes in a major European league, plus overseen promotion to a major top flight. He is on paper a decent manager, but he has inherited a shit show!

He should at least in theory be capable of overseeing an auto promotion challenging campaign given the players and financial advantages Saints will have vs most opponents next season.

Do you think he’ll remain beyond the end of the season though ? 

[Matthew Le God]

2 minutes ago, Badger said:

Agree but our choices still leave a lot to be desired. Even at the £15m range though others have a better recruitment. How much have Bournemouth paid for some of their players now receiving rave reviews and reportedly being monitored by Real, Liverpool etc? 

Many of ours we end up subsidising on loans out. 

Fernandes shows they can spot high quality players with good potential at a relatively cheap price. Sadly he is a rarity at the moment for the recruitment team.

Some of the recruitment at under 21 and under 18 level has been a lot more promising than for the first team.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

3 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

It’s hard, I remember one of my lads turning to me during the Dutch duo season and asking “why do you make me support Saints”. He’s now 25 and has seen us win the JPT, fly through the championship, seen us win at Liverpool & draw and OT, win the play offs and lose the league cup. He’s also seen us play in the San Siro, sat with his brother, dad and uncle.

 

I told him at the time, the bad times make the good times better, and I’m convinced of that more than ever now. I’m sure your lad will experience some great times…..one day. 

Exactly, I told him supporting Saints isn't always going to be great, but he'll get more satisfaction in the long run. Said no point in doing what some of his mates do, swap between the top 6. 

[Saint Billy]

59 minutes ago, ally_uk said:

Beyond the Championship, where do we go from here? The highs of Wembley feel like a distant memory, and the initial excitement when Sports Republic took over has all but faded. What’s next for our club?

Murmurs of a ten-year plan—or is it just speculation? What exactly is the vision here? A little transparency wouldn’t go amiss. Fans deserve to know the true direction of this ownership and tenure. What’s the plan for our club’s future?

What I witnessed after the abysmal display at Brentford was deeply saddening. It epitomized everything currently wrong with our club. The players seemed to throw in the towel, imploding under pressure. There was no direction, no cohesion—no pride, grit, or willingness to fight. This isn’t the team we stand behind.

The lack of urgency and fragile mindset has become a recurring theme at Southampton FC in recent years. Too often, the team resembles rabbits caught in headlights, crumbling under pressure. It’s a pattern that’s all too familiar—and deeply concerning for the club’s future.

So, what’s the real catalyst for our current predicament? Is it the poor managerial appointments? Are the players simply not good enough for this league? Is it a fitness issue? Or are they lacking the mental resilience and fight needed to compete at this level?

Sports Republic have now been our owners for three years. At this point, you have to start questioning their football knowledge and decision-making abilities as overseers of this club.

Dress it up however you like, but something has to change. It’s too early to judge or blame Jurić, but appointing a Director of Football and refreshing the scouting setup wouldn’t hurt the situation.

Sports Republic need to adapt, evolve, and learn from their mistakes. They’re creating a legacy—but not in a positive way. We’re on track to match or surpass Derby's record in the Premier League. These statistics are damaging and humiliating, and I truly feel for the fanbase, especially the younger generation who will have to endure ridicule because of such records.

Dragan, it’s time to wake up and smell the reality. Tough footballing decisions need to be made because, right now, you don’t have the right footballing minds in place to oversee this club.

 

You and the fans have been sold a lie.

 

We March On!

SR having ownership of other clubs does not help imo. Saints are not their sole focus. They are trying to be clever by purchasing potential saints players and placing them with their feeder clubs in the hope that their young cheap purchases eventually upgrade to Saints and then subsequently get sold on for huge profits.

Saints being successful is not their top priority. I personally think they purchased saints for it's past record of unearthing young talent and then selling for vast amounts of money and they are trying to replicate it in a somewhat different way with the use of their other clubs. This would have had potential if they made sure that Saints were in a good position but extremely poor purchases and loans along with a manager who was clueless once in the top league has created a massive car crash.

 

 

[Matthew Le God]

1 minute ago, Badger said:

Do you think he’ll remain beyond the end of the season though ? 

Hard to say. Might be dependent on how much he can get out of them in the 18 remaining dead rubber matches. There were rumours from some journalists (although dismissed by others) of a 6 month break clause. 

[Give it to Ron]

11 minutes ago, Badger said:

Agree, but …. Do you trust this lot to appoint a half decent manager though ? 
 

My fear is that unless Dragan puts in place a more credible DoF and leadership, the half decent candidate will look at Rasmus, Kraft, and Dyson bloke and see clowns who have presided over a complete clusterfuck of a club, no matter how they look to dress up the ‘new start/ exciting times’ .

That’s exactly where I am - the only way out of this shit show is change the board/owners etc they have proven they are incompetent and not to be trusted.

[ApprenticeBillionaire]

Play the kids. I really would.

We're gone anyway.

There's no chance we're staying up. None.

At least they'd play for the shirt.

Half this team have chucked in the towel and don't want to be here and won't be here next season. (understandibly)

[Badger]

4 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Fernandes shows they can spot high quality players with good potential at a relatively cheap price. Sadly he is a rarity at the moment for the recruitment team.

Some of the recruitment at under 21 and under 18 level has been a lot more promising than for the first team.

Fair point re Fernandes, but as you say  an exception. 

[LeG]

The board need to be held accountable. Start by firing Rasmus, and hiring a proper DOF. Enough of the stepping stone mentality. We need to recruit people who actually want to be here. We've had DOF's jump ship, players jump ship, scouts jump ship, staff jump ship. Our recruitment is all wrong. When we drop, I want us to look back at how we recruited under AP and NA. Sign your rivals best players and sign a bunch of captains. Don't go all moneyball. Don't go abroad. Go for the best players in the league you're trying to get out of. 

 

We are an absolute joke at the moment. 

[Saint_clark]

1 hour ago, saint francis said:

Hasn't this worked well at times in the past though?  We could all name plenty of good purchases within the last 15 years that have gone on to be world beaters.  Look at our 2012 to 2016 squads.  We seemed to get recruitment right back then on the whole.  

He's not saying we ONLY sign £40million players. 

[Badger]

25 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

That’s exactly where I am - the only way out of this shit show is change the board/owners etc they have proven they are incompetent and not to be trusted.

I don’t  have an issue with Dragan individually given the £ he’s pumped in to the club. But obviously concerned re the others he’s brought with him.

If only we had his financing with competent people making the decisions on recruitment and managers. 

Edited Sunday at 22:00 by Badger

[LeG]

Just now, Badger said:

I’m don’t  have an issue with Dragan individually given the £ he’s pumped in to the club. But obviously concerned re the others he’s brought with him.

If only we had his financing with competent people making the decisions on recruitment and managers. 

He will be looking at those very people now IMO

[Badger]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Turn on the anger at the directors box 

Keep reading this. How do you propose this comes about then ? 
 

There isn’t a focal point now as there used to be at The Dell when Branfoot walked along the touchline. Add that to the placid fanbase. 

[Matthew Le God]

12 minutes ago, LeG said:

Enough of the stepping stone mentality. We need to recruit people who actually want to be here. We've had DOF's jump ship, players jump ship, scouts jump ship, staff jump ship. Our recruitment is all wrong. 

That isn't realistic for any club bar a handful of elite teams in world football.

If we only sign managers, backroom staff and players that want to play for Saints and not progress themselves to an elite side then we will plod along and not progress.

It is better to have players like van Dijk, Mane etc in the side for 2 years than to only sign players happy to have Saints as the pinnacle of their career.

The issue is we aren't signing many players that the elite teams might potentially want in the future. Of the current squad Fernandes might one day get a huge move but that is possibly it for players we've recruitment and not had from the academy like Dibling.

Edited Sunday at 21:50 by Matthew Le God

[sydney_saint]

1 hour ago, Matthew Le God said:

The main issues...

1) Player recruitment. A reluctance to sign a for example a player of £40m quality and instead opting for two players at a combined total of £40m but lesser quality. 

2) Managerial appointment decisions plus timing of when to make changes

3) Loyalty to players that got promoted. The quality gap between the Championship and Premier League is too big to be loyal. Probably should have risked early season team gelling by being more ruthless and sidelining some more of the players from  the promotion season.

___________

All need to be resolved if Saints are to have a positive impact after any potential next promotion. 

Agree and this has been our issue for a long time and contributed to our last relegation. We had a brief spell of signing players for around market value of 10-15m around the Mane/Tadic era. Then the market jumped to around 25-30m for those kinda players, and we stayed paying what we were. And now that market rate is around 40m as you say. 

Also I know we need to produce some level of talented young players to sell at a profit so we are more sustainable, but it can't be the sole focus. There are only a limited amount of talented young players that will go on and be world class, and with Chelsea and Spurs hoovering up talent, along with bigger clubs Dortmund, plus a bunch of other Prem clubs, means we are more likely to buy duds like Archer. Need a few more 26-27 year olds that aren't learning on the job, but also aren't yet a journeyman

[Pamplemousse]

15 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Exactly, I told him supporting Saints isn't always going to be great, but he'll get more satisfaction in the long run. Said no point in doing what some of his mates do, swap between the top 6. 

Yeah exactly. Growing up we got relegated twice, obviously tough but when the good times came a few years later, it was unbelievable.

But also, it could be a lot worse. There was a point where our blue friends were near the bottom of League Two for a little bit. And if they can bounce back, so can we.

I can't imagine how Leicester fans must have felt when they won the league. I remember being in a pub watching Liverpool win the Champions League and when they went up to lift the trophy, I'm not joking, a whole bunch of people crowded round the big screen TV to film the moment, and thought to myself how lucky I am to support a team I have a genuine, physical connection to.

This club is part of my identity. That's why it hurts, and that's why I wish the players, staff, owners etc. gave more of a shit.

[davefizzy14]

Hopefully Dragan is reviewing things and changes will be made to the structure of the board (an actual director of football with expertise is vital and a starting point) he's put hundreds of millions into the club.

Edited Sunday at 21:56 by davefizzy14

[Matthew Le God]

10 minutes ago, sydney_saint said:

we are more likely to buy duds like Archer

Harsh to right him off as a 'dud' already. I think he looks promising in a shit show of a season/team. He should be very useful in the Championship and has proven himself to be very effective at that level before.

Edited Sunday at 21:58 by Matthew Le God

[Lee On Solent Saint]

5 minutes ago, Pamplemousse said:

This club is part of my identity. That's why it hurts, and that's why I wish the players, staff, owners etc. gave more of a shit.

I think that sums it up. The club is in my DNA, it's why we all keep coming back, despite the constant kicking.

[aintforever]

It’s all about the recruitment and we clearly need a DOF who knows the game. It’s obvious something is seriously wrong at the club the way they delayed the sacking of Martin.

The problem is they are lurching from one mistake to another, I don’t think this new manager is the answer and I expect they will waste a load of money on his signings in January and we will end up having to pay him off halfway though next season with another clusterfuck of a squad.

I would get a DOF in sharpish and let him recruit a manager to sort the squad out in the summer.

[Badger]

38 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

Some of the recruitment at under 21 and under 18 level has been a lot more promising than for the first team.

Has it ? It may well be, but problem is it’s a few years before we see the benefits.

I remember Branfoot shouting loudly about the youngsters he was signing for the future, and it was a bit of a smokescreen for the failings at first team level. A lad from Reading - Ferguson - was going to be a top player, but I think he disappeared without trace. 

[Saint Gifford]

I guess it’s like any other business. Short, Medium, Long Term Business Plan.

I just think the short term plan has backfired spectacularly.

I genuinely don’t worry about our long term future, as we have come through the Rupert era (Twice)

Untimely passing of Marcus being not only devastating for his family but for us as a club. 

We are a very big club that would interest a lot of potential investors as a ticket for Prem football.

I guess our biggest problem will be a as a bottom end Champ club. Or dropping further where attracting staff to get back to the Prem, Champ becomes very very difficult. That’s the Medium term issue.
 

[SotonianWill]

After relegation on 11 points, Derby just about survived in a Championship relegation battle the following season. We could still be utter sh*t. But with players such as Downes, AA, THB - too good for championship, not good enough for the prem - we’ll be somewhere around the playoffs. Hopefully?

[ErwinK1961]

Dragan needs to get pally with some proper football people.

Until the whole management structure is sorted, then nothing will change.