Southamton F.C. - Who stole all the Saints from us ?

Unknown Serbian manager has been appointed as a Manager of The Saints, why Southampton you will ask? His love for Southampton begun in the glory days of Le Tissier, true Southampton's Saint Matthew.

After appointment huge task is ahead of Chairman Cortese and myself, bring the glory days to St Mary Stadium, and make The Saints, No. 1 force in the world. More than we can chew someone would say, but if it's me you ask? This is achievable, and is project which will need some time, and few years, but I promise to all Southampton fans, that we will deploy Arsenal like policy, securing young talented footballer's which will play for saints, from years to come. I will post six monthly reports of our progress and achievements, including all interesting and notable things.

Let's begun Preparations for new season

* Taking look at players and staff

After handling of paperwork with Chairman Cortese, i completely take evaluation of Staff and Players. There are some pretty decent players, but there are some teerrible one's too. Regarding the staff personell, I fire all of staff memmbers which I can, because they are all terrible, so I brought Andy Watson my new Assistant, and some other good staff members as like Paul Winsper, Nick Worth...

For the sake of team and their spirit I decided not to cut too much, so I make a decision to sell:

Guly do Prado - He is on a 16K contract, and has 29 years, and his mental stats are not that good, John Fleck(on loan) will take his place very easily, with some flair and much lower contract too.

http://i46.tinypic.com/2hpktop.jpg

Frazer Richardson - He is also on a quite large contract(10.25K) and his defensive stats are terrible, and is on the ageing side, completely unapropriate for long term. Ivan Bandalovski from CSKA Sofia (100K euros) for much lower contract (4.5K) would be much more option, also is profitable, since I earned 90K euros in the deal (Richardson sold for 150K Euros)

http://i47.tinypic.com/1hpcpg.jpg

Dean Hammond - Saints Captain, he isn't captain material, his stats are on the weak side, he's ageing and simply doesn't fit into my project. Grabbed 210K Euros for him from Burnley, and get rid of his expensive contract. Seems like a bargain to me.

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Also there are majority of players for the reserves which are released on a free transfer, since they simply hasn't got the quality to perform admirably in the following years.

I bought:

John Fleck (on loan) - Rangers hot prospect who is more than enough for Championship, to strengthen AMC and Left WNG position, he is good Technically, good mentally, and decent physically. Will be good rotation in the first season of Championship football

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Ivan Bandalovski (90K Euros) - Cska Sofia steal player. Bought so cheap. but good technically, Excellent Mentally and Physically, will be first choice RBin the first season Aged 24. Much better option than Fraser Richardson.

http://i47.tinypic.com/9k6n1f.jpg

Yaya Sanogo (on loan, option to buy 2.1M Euros) - Auxerre's prodigy, physically strong, decent header and finisher, little selfish but with plenty of potential. If he develops nicely in the Championship, I will buy him definitely for permanent option and future to come.

http://i45.tinypic.com/28jyfk.jpg

Dare Vrsic (250K Euros) - Slovenian AMC Great Technically, decent Mentally and Physically. Has shoots from distance and long shots 17, finishing 15, flair 15, and concentration and composure 13. Will provide good option for TRequartista AMC my favorite player and position, also very cheap and excellent for Championship season.

http://i46.tinypic.com/f2lheo.jpg

Matt Phillips (4.5M Euros on 48 months) - 20 year old englishman from Blackpool with good dribbling, crossing, passing, and excellent physical attributes, and plenty of potential. I reckon him to be a star Championship right Winger and decent player in the Premiership. Little expensive but i risked it, we will see how it goes. I got a good feeling about this player.

http://i50.tinypic.com/2uorvig.jpg

Teko Modise (210K Euros) - South African either footed all round Midfielder with excellent Technical, good physicall and mental abilities, to add depth to Midfield. He is expensive on the wages though 23K, but I will sell him after first season for good money, and for Championship he will be excellent.

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Nick Montgomery (1.9M Euros on 48 Months) - Rock Solid Sheff Utd player with state of the art attributes to shred anyone in the midfield defense department. Will be good player for few seasons, even in the premiership too.

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Thomas Rogne (2.5M Euros on 48 Months) - Young skillfull DC little on the slow side, but very good mentally, with plenty of potential. Much needed depth addition because there will be much games in the Championship, and I am aiming for the title, nothing less.

http://i47.tinypic.com/xm323n.jpg

Grant Hanley (loan with option to buy for 8.25M Euros) - Young English DC with reputation to be the next Phil Jones of Blackburn, has all the required attributes to be the one for next few seasons. I bought him to be the cover and rotation for Championship, if he develops nicely i will buy him definitely

http://i49.tinypic.com/1zwery9.jpg

Maybe I bought more players than usual but I wanted to be ready from the start and bite the Championship title in the beginning, so that i can secure promotion in the first season.

Waiting for the season to start, there are going to be tough fer first few games certainly, because I bought a lot of players, so they will need time to settle in and gel nicely. But hoping for good positive start.

Good luck !

Tactics and Player Instructions

Since I am "Tactical Detailist" by nature, i tend to spend hours studying tactical capabilities and depth of my team.I am 4-2-3-1 variations kind of guy. I love posession football and am of opinion that 4-2-3-1 is the most versatile kind of tactics to cross between defence and attack. Southampton team which I plan to develop will play this tactics with attacking prefference like a clock, in years to come. But for now let's see where we stand? I've got very good playing setup to fit into this formation (which is naturally, because i brought nine players to do so) and will play mostly like this:


The basic Idea is to be as attacking as I can while mantain defensive square in the middle and decent cover to the flanks.

Both of my Fullbacks are attacking Ivan Bandalovski and Danny Fox, their duties are set to support and instruction are default except that I turned their long shots, and thru balls to rarely, so they will overlap and look for crosses as much as they can.

Centrebacks are Jose Fonte with the duty to defend and with default instructions, and Grant Hanley or Jos Hooiveld with Limited Defender - Defend instructions, the idea is to keep them in line at the back not too high because they are not the speediest in the world. While Fonte has the liberty to think (pass the ball, and dwell on it rarely) Hanley doesn't have the freedom to do anything. his main goal is to keep the ball from the net, and his area, he god good attributes to be physically dominant, and aerily is very good. lack composure and concetration though. That's why he's limited defender.

Midfield contain thoroughly five players in 2-3 formation. Two holding midfielders are Cork or Modise with roles Deep or Advanced playmaker, depends of the team and their formation and whether I play attacking or little defensive with default instructions setted for long shots and crosses to rarely, and Montgomery as a Terminator or Ball Winning midfielder - Defend with duty to keep everyone and ball along with them on the opposition side of the court.

AMC is Vrsic or Fleck, Trequartista with free role and roaming, highest creativity, and crosses toned down, or often long shots if Vrsic is in the lineup (Long shots - 17) if I set the specific playmakers at the start this is the players which I choose, since I want my ball to come to their side of the court as soon as possible.

Wingers are Inside Forward Adam Lallana with attack duty and crosses toned down instructions, and Matt Phillips with Winger support duty, behaving as a classical wing with lot of crosses to provide different options for goalscoring players.

Striker is versatile depending of players behind them Lambert, more of the passing creating space and then scoring goals technical forward. Which I set as a poacher, with small tune up instructions. Crosses are turned down. Creative freedom is given much, and thru balls are often, and long shots turned to sometimes. Or Sanogo, Targetman - Attack, which duty is to battle with defenders and to create opportunities for fleck or Vrsic or wingers or to score if he has a chance.