If Southampton can survive this term, they can be a force within 3 years
When news began to circulate on a snow covered Friday January morning that Southampton had given Nigel Adkins the old heave ho, Twitter went absolutely mental, and rightfully so let’s be honest. Adkins had dragged Saints from the lower leagues of English football to the Premier League, two years into Nicola Cortese’s four year plan.
A run of just two defeats in 12 games, not to mention picking up four points from six away at Aston Villa and Chelsea, and the news hit harder than the realisation that you’re not only single on Valentine’s Day, but the rest of the year also.
In his place came Mauricio Pochettino – or Pocahontas as my cousin jokingly dubbed him – and fans feared the worst. The Argentine, made famous for bringing down Michael Owen in the 2002 World Cup as a David Beckham saw England secure a 1-0 win in Japan, had been sacked from his previous role at Espanyol in November with the club rock bottom of La Liga.
Yet, for a manager that can’t speak English, drafted in days before the Premier League encounter with Everton; Saints supporters were understandably apprehensive about the new man at the helm. Four games later and Pochettino couldn’t be held in higher regard.
A win, two draws and a loss, the latter of which was against Manchester United, who have dropped points just once at home this season, and the win coming at home to defending champions Manchester City and fans couldn’t be happier with the young manager.
Adopting a high pressing game has seen Saints become a tougher proposition to come up against, whereas under Adkins they may’ve faltered, especially in the 3-1 victory over the Citizens. A backbone has been restored to the starting XI and the south coast club are the much harder to breakdown as a result.
Naturally, the initial aim for Pochettino is to remain in the Premier League before rebuilding over the summer. It’s a surprise to many that the club didn’t bolster their ranks over January as they look to guarantee their top flight safety.
However, if they can be considered a top flight side come May, then the time to strengthen must be utilised to its full potential. Pochettino must be handed the backing of Cortese in the transfer window is Saints are to avoid second season syndrome.
With a young manager in charge, coupled with a young squad built on a sturdy backbone of the likes of Artur Boruc, Maya Yoshida, Jack Cork, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert, the platform is their to succeed.
While it may not all fall into place instantaneously for Pochettino and co, given the time and the backing; this Saints side has the potential to steadily improve after their return to the Premier League for the first time since 2005 and become a significant force over the next 36 months.
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