Football News: Southampton are the real deal

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Despite all the pundits not giving them a chance, are the Saints going to be in the Champions League next season, because I am struggling to find reasons to rule them out of a top four finish. With most clubs you would question their strength in depth, because Southampton, on paper, have very little of that. Most clubs, though, would try to shoehorn an experienced player into an unfamiliar position if their resources were stretched.

That is when you find players lose form and confidence, as they struggle to adapt. Youth players start to lose focus and desire, as they see their hopes of making it at the club vanishing, as they can't even get a game when injuries are rife. The youth coaches start to wonder why they are bothering, when the players they work so hard to improve are being overlooked and lose their hunger and begin going through the motions, rather than putting their heart into the job.

That leads to a general malaise setting in, as the whole camp suffers with the mood becoming tense, as people bicker over nothings. No one likes to feel like they are unimportant. Southampton are different though, they have a top class youth academy and they entrust the youngsters to provide cover and, in some instances, be the regular first choice players.

That creates a positive mindset, no one is forced to play where they would prefer not to be, no one is feeling like their role at the club is a waste of their time and talents. The youth players have a real goal to aim at, knowing they have a very real chance of first team football, and know that they only have to perform well to keep their place.

The senior pros know they have to give their all to keep their place, otherwise they will be sat watching the latest teenage wunderkind from the academy from the bench. The good feeling carries the team through sticky patches, as everyone is pulling in the same direction. That is why next season could well see Champions League football on the South Coast.

Written by Tris Burke January 17 2015 19:22:53