Sparky should read this out before the Brighton game and ask the team to provide their response on the field of play This afty I'm off to see Weymouth play Banbury in the FACQR1 ... now whats the point in that?
We’re a football club Imps, not a product. We don’t need a USP or a narrative; we don’t need Cortes or Pochettino or Koeman. We need a stadium, a team, and a league - any league - to play in. We nearly lost all that 9 years ago, remember? That’s the point of Southampton FC. Just to be there, every week, through the good times and the bad. Couldn’t give two hoots if other clubs supporters have a soft spot for us btw. What does that get us?
Exactly. Up until 3 years ago, may could have asked the question “What is the point of Leicester City FC”
Just stating what I think. Of course I know its about the club, team, players, fans. The article is using provocative statements but it basically is just saying "What has happened to the ambition and confidence at Southampton." Maybe if he had written it in a more sensitive and literal way you would see that.
We are the new Sunderland. We'll sack Hughes early next year when we are in a relegation fight, hire somebody else (Allardyce) til the end of the season who keeps us up, appoint him on a 3 year deal in the summer when he does, then rinse and repeat.
Yeah, I do get that. He set out to be provocative, so I responded in the way the author of the article probably hoped people would. He stoked controversy to get a reaction; I reacted. But I stand by my assertion that my club does not need to justify it's existence, either to me or anybody else. I thought loyalty would be the sort of quality you'd value Imps?
No, Sunderland may well become the new (?) Blackburn, Bolton, Leeds and drift around League One & the Championship for a few seasons. But Southampton FC have a far stronger base; debt free, relatively self-financed playing staff/ contracts etc and a squad of international standard players with number of youngsters developing and coming thru the junior ranks. Glass half- full Whereas Sunderland have just entered the "Last Chance Saloon" and really need to get out of there THIS season!
He has a point though. Though it's not just in relation to Southampton but the majority of clubs in the Premier League, what is the point of them? You plod along, no chance of winning anything and go from season to season, the only thing you might possibly achieve is avoiding relegation but ultimately you're just there to make up the numbers and provide opposition for Man City and the like so they can whore themselves out to the rest of the world and become suck up more and more money like some kind of all consuming monster. For newly promoted clubs, there's a novelty factor but that'll wear off soon enough.
You remember the thrill and passion of those European nights Lapras?, that's what we are playing for to get a chance of more of them and it is easier to have a good cup run in the PL with better players at your disposal. It is also great on occasions to give the rich elite a slightly bloody nose... Plus you get a chance to see better quality football although there was not much evidence of it last season admittedly!..
He isn't actually questioning the club's existence though. He is asking what happened to the "Southampton Way." In essence he is saying we were different to all the other "fodder" teams in the PL but now we have just returned to being a number with no difference to the others.