Southampton - Pochettino's Reign

Southampton Boss, Mauricio Pochettino remains confident that his Southampton side are capable of 'kicking' on from their end of last seasons impressive fourteenth position finish. Pochettino took charge of the saints after former boss and fan favourite Nigel Adkins was relieved of his duties in January, and so far has had an impressive start to life in the Premier League.

ITV reporter Jack Thompson had a few precious minutes with the young Argentinian ahead of the new 13/14 Premier League Season and he had this to say. With Pochettino still refusing to do his press meetings in English, he has gone ahead and proceeded in Spanish with the translation below:

"Estamos muy seguros de cara a la nueva temporada, tuvimos un gran final de la temporada pasada y estoy seguro de que con algunas caras nuevas que podemos montar un verdadero desafío. Estoy seguro de que incluso podríamos calificar para las competiciones contiential este temporada y espero nada menos de los chicos de aquí, la moral es alta y tenemos un gran equipo, capaz de alcanzar mis grandes ambiciones."

"We are very confident ahead of the new season, we had a great end to the last season and I'm sure with a few new faces we can mount a real challenge. I am confident that we could even qualify for the continental competitions this season and I expect nothing less from the lads here, morale is high and we have a great squad, capable of reaching my lofty ambitions."

Pochettino was also asked whether or not there was any truth in the recent rumours linking Frenchman Morgan Schneiderlin to Ligue 1 newboys Monaco.

"Mira, no me sorprende que Morgan ha sido vinculado con el Mónaco, que es un fantástico jugador con talento. Él tiene un futuro brillante por delante de él, ya sea aquí o en otro lugar. Pero en este momento en el tiempo que hemos oído nada y seguirá siendo un jugador de Southampton hasta que se presentó una oferta y que golpea nuestra valoración."

"Look, I'm not surprised that Morgan has been linked with Monaco, he is a fantastic talented player. He has a bright future ahead of him whether it be here or somewhere else. But at this moment in time we have heard nothing and he will remain a Southampton player until a bid is tabled and it hits our valuation."

Schneiderlin (above) in action in preseason against the U21's

Great start, I'll be keeping up, love Southampton, their players, the club

good luck on this but I don't think you'll ever create a Southampton story quite like zero-to-hero's story

Love the dedication with the Spanish part! Looking forward for more. Good luck with the story!

Southampton Midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin has left St Mary's and has joined up with new team mates at Stade Louis II for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £18 million.

The former Saints #4 had previously spent 5 years at St Mary's following his move from Strasbourg, the young Frenchman went on to make over 100 appearances and became a regular in midfield for Adkins and Pochettino in the Premier League.

Pochettino has spoke out following Schneiderlin's departure and he had this to say:

"Todos deseamos Morgan la mejor de las suertes en todo el resto de su carrera, ha sido un siervo fiel para nosotros y siempre ha dado el 100% cuando sale en ese lanzamiento, no ha sido una sorpresa que se fue, es un talento maravilloso y yo sabía que estaba destinado para grandes cosas. Nosotros aquí le deseamos la mejor de las suertes en Mónaco."

"We all wish Morgan the best of luck throughout the rest of his career, he has been a loyal servant for us and has always given 100% when he steps out onto that pitch, it hasn't come as a surprise that he left, he is a wonderful talent and I knew that he was destined for big things. We here wish him the best of luck at Monaco."

When asked about what the money generated from the Schneiderlin transfer would be spent on Pochettino had this to say:

"El dinero está ahí para utilizar si así lo deseamos, pero no vamos a ser forzado en una compra de pánico. Tenemos una gran cantidad de objetivos en mente, así que tendremos que ver lo que está disponible y si es el sistema más adecuado para este club. Yo no estoy buscando un reemplazo directo, porque tenemos un número de jugadores que pueden ocupar la posición dada por Morgan, pero sólo tendremos que esperar y ver. La paciencia es una virtud"

"The money is there to use if we wish so, but we will not be forced into a panic buy. We have a wealth of targets in mind, so we'll just have to see what's available and if it's the right fit for this club. I am not looking for a direct replacement because we have a number of players who can fill the position left by Morgan, but we'll just have to wait and see. Patience is a virtue."

Rumours speculate that Southampton are set to table a bid for Spurs wonderkid and young lion Harry Kane, in an attempt to help give them further options upfront.


@tallery - Thanks mate, I'm a big fan of their english talent especially Rodriguez
@pc plod - cheers, and I don't want to create on like his, I want to create my own with my own style and twists and turns and originality
@Kippax - Cheers mate, nice to see people giving my google translate work some recognition

Southampton's endured a rather mixed preseason ahead of the new season. They enjoyed some great victories against the likes of Young Boys, Vicenza and the one that really takes the cake was the fantastic 2-1 victory against Italian sleeper giant Inter Milan. They showed a lot of character to win these games, winning them very impressively too I must add. But with highs comes the lows and the Saints endured two very heavy defeats, one against Ukrainian side Metalurg D and the other against German outfit Hoffenheim, they were played literally off the park which is disappointing for Pochettino's side, and he will look to correct this before the season starts. They also met expectations in beating Gateshead and fell short of expectation with a draw against Reggina. Overall Pochettino must be impressed with what his side has managed to produce, especially against Italian side Inter. This could be a sign of great times ahead for the Saints, providing they tighten the back line up.


"En general, estoy satisfecho con los esfuerzos de los muchachos mostraron durante el descanso, que hicieron sufrir al principio, pero voy a poner que a ellos no estar en forma partido o tener partido nitidez. Tenemos un par de grandes resultados y estoy aún más contento con el resultado Inter, creo que da una indicación clara de dónde estamos en este momento en el tiempo, y estoy deseando que llegue el inicio de la temporada ahora en contra de Newcastle."

"Overall, I am pleased with the efforts the lads showed during the break, they did suffer at the start but I'll put that down to them not being match fit or having match sharpness. We got a couple of great results and I'm even more pleased with the Inter result, I think that gives a clear indication of where we are at in this moment of time, and I am looking forward to the start of the season now against Newcastle."

"Había unos pocos se destacan artistas para mí, uno de los cuales es autor del ensayo Eduardo, pero tenía tristemente para ser enviado de vuelta a su club del padre debido a sufrir una lesión en la rodilla desagradable. Pero también tengo que alabar James (Ward-Prowse) y Jack (Cork) que hayan sido fantástico y me han dado algo diferente para pensar tras la venta de Morgan. El intérprete se destacan por mí, sin embargo tiene que ser Dejan (Lovren), ha sido sólido en los partidos que ha jugado y ya está construyendo una formidable asociación con José (Fonte)."

"There was a few stand out performers for me, One of them being trialist Eduardo, but he sadly had to be sent back to his parent club due to sustaining a nasty knee injury. But also I need to praise James (Ward-Prowse) and Jack (Cork) they have been fantastic and have given me a something different to think about following the sale of Morgan. The stand out performer for me though has to be Dejan (Lovren), he has been solid in the games he has played and is already building a formidable partnership with Jose. (Fonte)"

This is looking so good so far mate! Harry Kane would be a quality signing, fitting Southampton's philosophy perfectly - could definitely picture him in a Saints shirt!

Great win against Inter, unlucky against Hoffenhiem, Also love the Spanish!

Great start, loving the lay out as well keep it up

Sources can now confirm that Southampton have finalized the signing of young star Harry Kane, the ex Spurs forward joins for a fee believed to be in the region of £4.5 million which could eventually rise to £6 million with add-ons

Kane comes into what is already a relatively young squad, and he already has his sites set on helping to fire the team towards continental competition come the end of the season. Harry has recently spoke out following his move to St Mary's

"I am delighted to be here, it is a great club which is on the rise. I am looking forward to playing my part in what looks to be a bright future for Southampton. I'm looking forward to linking up with fellow u21 teammates Luke (Shaw) & James (Ward-Prowse) and also look forward to working with Jay, (Rodriguez) Adam (Lallana) and of course Rickie. (Lambert) I can learn a lot from this guy, he's been everywhere and done it at every level!"

"I am still young and I know I need to work very hard to be able to get into the squad, but when I do I intend to be there week in week out. My career starts now! I'd like to thank Spurs for what they have done for me in the past but this is my real opportunity. The Gaffer has promised me first team football, something which I was unable to get at Tottenham, but it was always going to be difficult getting the nod ahead of Adebayor and Soldado. But no disrespect intended towards Rickie and Sam, because we all offer something different so it just depends on what is needed on the day, and I'll be ready waiting!"

Pochettino took a few questions from the press ahead of this weekends opener against Newcastle and he had this to say:

Reporter: "What do you think of the capture of your new Striker Harry Kane?"

Pochettino: "Estoy encantado de tener a Harry aquí, él es un gran talento joven y espero con interés trabajar con él. Él es una magnífica captura para este club. Se ajusta a la filosofía que tenemos en orden aquí y yo beleive que puede ofrecer un infierno de mucho. Él no estaba haciendo mucho juego con el primer equipo en los Spurs, así que le ofreció la oportunidad de venir aquí y conseguir un poco, se le ha prometido comienza y eso es lo que obtendrá. No tenemos el mismo tipo de poder de fuego que los demás tienen de la liga. Tenemos nuestra principal delantero en Rickie y luego Harry y Sam, que nos ofrecen una nueva dimensión en el ámbito de ataque."

Translation: I am delighted to have Harry here, he is a great young talent and I look forward to working with him. He is a magnificent capture for this club. He fits the philosophy we have in order here and I believe he can offer a hell of a lot. He wasn't getting much first team football at Spurs so we offered him a chance to come here and get some, he has been promised starts and that is what he'll get. We don't have the same kind of fire power that others have in the league. We our main striker in Rickie and then Harry and Sam who offer us a different dimension in the scope of attack.

Reporter: "Is there a chance we will see him feature on Sunday against Newcastle?"

Pochettino: "Dudo que veamos característica Harry este fin de semana, esto debido a él se recupera de un esguince de tobillo que sufrió en el servicio internacional, con los menores de 21. Pero tengo la esperanza de que va a estar disponible para el partido contra el Wolves en el Capital One Copa."

Translation: "I doubt that we will see Harry feature this weekend, this due to him recovering from a ankle sprain that he sustained on international duty with the under 21's. But I am hopeful that he will be available for the game against Wolves in the Capital One Cup."

Recent speculation also suggests Southampton are in the market for a centre half, this following the lengthy hamstring injury sustained by new signing Dejan Lovren in preseason against Inter.

@joel333 - Thanks mate, I think he's going to add a lot to the squad so I look forward to seeing how this pans out!
@tallery - Cheers buddy, I wasn't too disheartened by the hoffenheim result because Firmino ran me ragged he was involved in everything
@beany - Thanks I appreciate it & I'm glad you're enjoying it so far

Great story so far mate.

Welcome to the first installment of BT Sports, pick of the week. A show that covers the highlights of the best action of the week, and this week we start the series at St Mary's where there was a thrilling encounter between Southampton and Newcastle United.


Team Lineups:

Southampton: Boruc, Shaw Fonte Yoshida Clyne, Cork Ward-Prowse, Lallana Gaston Rodriguez, Lambert

Newcastle: Krul, Anita Coloccini Taylor Debuchy, Anita Tiote, Ben Arfa Sissoko Gouffran, Cisse

Newcastle started the game on top and were off to a flyer when Papiss Cissé broke the back line due to a beautifully weighted ball by Sissoko, he beat the offside trap and rounded the advancing Boruc and finished to move off with a side foot finish into an empty net on the second minute.


The game became very open as a result. Both teams trying to grab the next goal, Southampton dominating possession but Newcastle making the most of their counters but it was Southampton that grabbed the games second goal as Rickie Lambert was left a free man from a James Ward-Prowse corner and he leaped like a salmon and finished the chance. 1-1 on the 36th minute.

The half came to a close both teams going in level but Southampton looking most dangerous so far, dominating possession and also having the pick of the chances.

The second half kicked off and both teams were taking it in turns to give each other scares, Tiote rattled the crossbar and Gaston Ramirez went up the other end and managed to chip the goalkeeper but only be able to find the upright.

Both teams continued to spar but it was Rickie Lambert again who managed to capitalize from a Jack Cork flick on from yet another James Ward-Prowse corner, he wheeled away in celebration. 2-1 61st minute.

Shaw then went on to double the Southampton lead by scoring a exquisite goal just shy of 30 yards out, he picked up the ball began to run then just let loose an absolute thunderbolt into the top left corner, Krul no chance.. Southampton cruising on the 80th minute, he wheeled away to celebrate in front of the St Mary's faithful.


Ben Arfa then scored a penalty three minutes later due to Luke Shaw's mistimed tackle, he put the ball down on the spot and cheekily chipped the ball down the center of the goal. 3-2 Southampton on the 83rd minute.

But any chance of a fightback was handed a huge blow when Saints captain Adam Lallana found himself with too much time at the edge of the box and he curled in an effort of the 88th minute. 4-2 Southampton, game over.


It has to be said, even though the season has only just started Southampton showed a lot of positives and showed a lot of spirit to come back from 1-0 down to eventually hammer Pardew's side. We wish both sides the best of luck in the future and we look forward to welcoming them back on this show again.

Some really good updates!
Keep it up!
Curious to see how you perform
all the best!

Great updates, can definitely see it as a SoTM if it continues. Kinda nice to see something in Spanish in this site haha

Southampton have today revieled the capture of Shakhtar centre half Dmytro Chygrynskiy on a permanent deal. The Ex Shakhtar star Chygrynskiy joins for a fee believed to be in the region of £4.8 million pounds. This just after the Lovren injury was revealed to be worse than first though, Lovren will be out for at least three months, stretching to a possible four/five.

Chygrynskiy is no stranger to use here at Sky Sports, having previously played for Barcelona and Ukraine super side Shakhtar he boasts over 100 appearences for Shakhtar as well as the 12 for Barca, not to shabby considering he was able to force the prime Puyol and Pique partnership up to get game time.

His time at Barcelona did come to an end the same season and he rejoined Ukraine side Shakhtar where he played up to most recently until his move to England, he is an experienced International and will offer a lot of quality to an already impressive back line in place at Southampton.

Chygrynskiy recently took social networking sites and expressed his delight to finally play in England:

"Це здорово для мене, щоб бути тут, в Англії, це кожні гравці мріють, щоб мати можливість грати тут, це найкраща ліга в світі без тіні сумніву. Це здорово, нарешті, тут, і я з нетерпінням чекаю початку роботи з моєї нової командою і досягнення великі речі. #COYS"

"It's great for me to be here in England, it is every players dream to be able to play here. It is the best league in the world without a shadow of a doubt. It's great to finally be here and I look forward to working with my new team and achieving big things. #COYS"

Also Southampton have completed the loan signing of Liverpool full back Jon Flanagan until the end of the current season.

@Josh- Thanks Josh, really appreciate the comment
@AS4 - Thanks Man, glad you're enjoying it, lots of twists and turns to come
@Pauker - Thanks for the kind messages Pauker, means a lot coming from a great story writer like yourself, really enjoying your story at the moment man!

Apologies in advance about the graphics if they are blury on this one, I'm currently updating from mobile but will fix when at home