The Key to a Winning Side
By Adam Roberts
What is the key to a winning side? A team who play attractive football? A manager who does more homework than an A Level student? A chairman with big ambitions and the drive to succeed? Believe it or not, there’s a league side who have all of this, and they are currently sitting nicely at the top of the Championship. This is a club who were in administration only 2 years ago, days from going into liquidation, in the doldrums of League 1, fed-up fans and a team completely bereft of confidence, Southampton have rarely seen bleaker times. That all changed though, when a Swiss millionaire by the name of Markus Liebherr took over the club in July 2009, and this signalled the start of a new era for the Saints. As well as a large financial investment to secure the club’s future, Liebherr (who sadly passed away last year) also appointed a bullish Italian businessman as chairman of the club – Nicola Cortese. Cortese was quick to assert his authority, outlining his plans to be a Premier League side within 5 years and had further intentions of developing the infrastructure of a club in dire straits.
His first big move being the hiring of Alan Pardew as manager. Pardew, now plying his trade at the opposite end of the country with Newcastle, had a successful time at the South coast club, winning the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and almost securing promotion out of League One, having started the season on minus 10 points. However, for reasons still unbeknown to most Saints fans, Cortese saw fit to sack Pardew, after a mediocre start to the subsequent season, and amidst rumours over player morale and, bizarrely, affairs with players’ wives.
Southampton celebrate promotion to The Championship last season. Could they make it back-to-back promotions?
With the closing of one door, saw the opening of another, and the appointment of Nigel Adkins, who has in fact recently celebrated a year in charge of the club, and an impressive year at that, commandeering Southampton to promotion from League 1, guiding them straight to the top of the Championship. Adkins, a man who goes beyond the call of duty, watches tapes and tapes of the upcoming opposition, meaning he knows exactly what to expect on the Saturday afternoon. From this research, he sits down with his players and tells them how to combat this, stating opposition weaknesses and indeed suggesting how to go about winning the match. Furthermore, utilising his Diploma in Sports Psychology, Adkins his brought a new air of confidence to the team, whist also establishing an ethic of hardwork and a style of football that the likes of Arsene Wenger would be impressed with.
Southampton’s current success has all been made possible with a versatile squad, who have comfortably adapted to life in the Championship, consisting of players with true commitment and the hunger for success. A strong backbone, made-up of stalwart goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, Portuguese centre back Jose Fonte, the talented Adam Lallana and goalscoring Rickie Lambert, has made Adkins’ job a little easier, while making the aim of Premiership football a realistic prospect for nect year. With the stature of the club unquestionable, an impressive academy set-up boasting graduates such as Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and a Chairman with aspirations for bigger and better things. Promotion to the Premier League is definitely on the cards and would be a magnificent achievement for a manager, and more importantly, a club that was on the brink two years ago. Having seen a merry-go-round of managers coming and going at St Mary’s in recent times, it finally seems like a breath of fresh air has swept across the Solent for the suffering Saints fans, who now see their side sitting on top of The Championship.
Will the likes of Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal be taking the trip down the M3 to St Marys next season? If Adkins and Cortese have anything to do with it, then the answer could be yes.
ALL ODDS PROVIDED BY: