Although I have only been a fan since 2010, I want Southampton FC to play well, win games, and provide entertainment. Now that I am writing a blog about the team, I also want the club to generate interesting subjects for discussion. Generally, this means that I support the team. This does not mean mindless—the team is always right—total support, but it does mean approaching events with an optimistic attitude. When I analyze some aspect of Southampton FC, I will let the chips fall where they may. I will not slant my analysis to favor the club or begin the analysis already knowing my result. But no matter what I conclude, I will always hope that things will go well, that the team will win games, and that the team will improve.
Of course, sitting at my computer in San Luis
Obispo, California, there is not much I can do that is directly helpful and
supportive. The situation is different
for fans living in Southampton. This brings
me to my primary question: What useful
purpose is served by making a scapegoat out of Pelle or any other Southampton
player? Does anyone really think that if
the fans harass and mock him, he will play better? Given this past summer where we were all
disappointed by the level of loyalty shown by some of our player wouldn’t it be
a good idea to try to start things out on the right foot with the newer players
by making them feel welcome and wanted?
Think back to this moment: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfZlkEtaAjA
and http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/10964487.Guly_penalty_proves_team_spirit_is_strong___Perez/
) Does that not suggest that suggest that, despite the extreme hostility
towards Guly demonstrated by many fans, Guly was popular with his teammates? Maybe they would have felt more loyalty to
our team if their friend and fellow player had been better treated by the fans?The same is true of the treatment of Katharina Liebherr. After the first few player sales had occurred, it was certainly theoretically possible that she was asset stripping the club. Yet, the board members all said that was not what was happening and, however, this season turns out, they were telling the truth. Yet, appalling comments about her gender and appearance were not uncommon on the various forums. I have seen few, if any, apologies either for the personal attacks or the misguided accusations.
I assume that someone at the club keeps up with what
is said about the club online—if nothing else, it might help them figure out if
anyone is leaking information they shouldn’t.
Does anyone really think that our team’s owner will do more for the club
if she hears that many fans have gratuitously insulted her and accused her and
her handpicked board members of being incompetent, evil liars? Hopefully, the insults will not affect her at
all, but what is the point of making them?
And don’t tell me it is just a way of blowing off steam with some
harmless banter.
Some people have claimed that last year’s team would have won Saturday’s game by 3 or 4 goals. Given that we only won three league games last year by three goals, this seems unlikely. If anything, the first two games have raised a strong sense of déjà vu. In Liverpool, we outplayed the other side for much of the game, but missed our chances and dropped points. Against West Brom, we dominated possession but failed to turn that possession into goals and dropped points. Those results are entirely typical of last year. By my count, there were twelve games last year we should have drawn or won but instead lost or drew—dropping 24 total points. Of course, all team drop points, but I don’t see the performances this year as being out of line with the performances from last year. This might change if we lose our next two games, but even if that happens it hardly means we are doomed to relegation.
There are legitimate questions to be asked about the current team and management and I am sure we would all like a chance to ask them and get some answers. But that probably won’t happen. In time, many of the answers will become clear, but in the meanwhile there is simply nothing to be gained by holding a negative attitude. On paper our team is one of the ten best teams in the league. Financially, our team is one of the six or seven strongest in the league. Our manager has a good track record—I certainly would not trade him for the managers of most other BPL teams. The dream we all had—that last year’s team would progress and reach the Champions League—is gone, but it was probably not a realistic dream in the first place. (http://redsloscf.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-close-were-we.html ) Instead, we should enjoy what we have now, which is a lot more than what Southampton FC fans had five years ago, and more than most fans now have in their local clubs. If nothing else you can look at the situation of your beloved neighbors to see how much worse things could be.
Some people have claimed that last year’s team would have won Saturday’s game by 3 or 4 goals. Given that we only won three league games last year by three goals, this seems unlikely. If anything, the first two games have raised a strong sense of déjà vu. In Liverpool, we outplayed the other side for much of the game, but missed our chances and dropped points. Against West Brom, we dominated possession but failed to turn that possession into goals and dropped points. Those results are entirely typical of last year. By my count, there were twelve games last year we should have drawn or won but instead lost or drew—dropping 24 total points. Of course, all team drop points, but I don’t see the performances this year as being out of line with the performances from last year. This might change if we lose our next two games, but even if that happens it hardly means we are doomed to relegation.
There are legitimate questions to be asked about the current team and management and I am sure we would all like a chance to ask them and get some answers. But that probably won’t happen. In time, many of the answers will become clear, but in the meanwhile there is simply nothing to be gained by holding a negative attitude. On paper our team is one of the ten best teams in the league. Financially, our team is one of the six or seven strongest in the league. Our manager has a good track record—I certainly would not trade him for the managers of most other BPL teams. The dream we all had—that last year’s team would progress and reach the Champions League—is gone, but it was probably not a realistic dream in the first place. (http://redsloscf.blogspot.com/2014/08/how-close-were-we.html ) Instead, we should enjoy what we have now, which is a lot more than what Southampton FC fans had five years ago, and more than most fans now have in their local clubs. If nothing else you can look at the situation of your beloved neighbors to see how much worse things could be.
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