Southampton’s European Roster Update (16 July 2015)

Edited:  I overlooked Martina in my initial posting, which was stupid, because I wrote this because we had signed two more players.  This changed my analysis somewhat significantly.

This is my second update relating to our European roster issues for 2015-2016 in light of recent transfer activity.   My two earlier posts can be found here and here.  I have repeated some things from the earlier posts.  The current Europa League rules can be found here.

Of particular note, we have to submit our first roster on 24 July 2015.  Subsequent rosters (assuming we progress) must be submitted on 10 August 2015 and 1 September 2015 (for the group stage).

Southampton will have to submit two lists, an “A” list and a “B” list.  The “B” is for players who were born on or after 1 January 1994 and were eligible to play for Southampton for any two uninterrupted years since their 15th birthday.  If they are only 16, then need to have been registered with Southampton for the last two years.  There is no limit to the number of players who can be registered on the B list so it requires no additional analysis.

Southampton can register up to 25 players on the A list.  However, at least eight players must be “locally trained” and at least four of those players must be “club-trained.”  The other four can be “association-trained.”

“Club-trained” players are ones who have been registered with Southampton for three full seasons between ages 15 and 21.  The seasons can include the ones where the player turns 15 or 21.  Southampton has only one club trained player:  Lloyd Isgrove.

An “association-trained” player is one who has been registered with one or more clubs from the same association for three seasons or 36 months between the ages of 15 and 21.  Obviously, all club-trained players are also association-trained players for the nation in which the club is registered.  If a club does not have enough club-trained or association-trained players, it must leave the roster spots empty.  This means that our “A” list can only have 22 players on it because we do not have enough club-trained players.  This is not a problem right now because we only have 22 players to fit onto the A list. 

CURRENT ROSTER OF “A” LIST PLAYERS

Other                    Association Trained         Club Trained

Clasie                    Bertrand                              Isgrove

Fonte                    Davis, K               

Gardos                 Davis, S

Gazzaniga            Forster

Juanmi                  Long                     

Mane                    Rodriguez

Martina

Mayuka                                               

Pelle                     

Ramirez               

Soares

Stekelenburg

Tadic

Wanyama

Yoshida

In my last post, I speculated about the possibility of getting rid of Osvaldo, Ramirez, and Mayuka.  One-third of that has happened.  Current rumors suggest that Ramirez may stay with the club.  I haven’t read any speculation about the fate of Mayuka.  If they both stay with us it means that we do not have a roster spot for the center back  that we all know we need.  This means that one of them is going to have to go--unless we are planning to put off the problem by not registering Forster until January.

At this point I am assuming, contrary to my earlier speculation, that we will be keeping both K. Davis and Gazzaniga on the roster for Europe.  I would feel more comfortable with a better back up goal keeper, but it seems clear that the people running Southampton FC are ok with things as they are.

Because Premier League rules do not currently require club trained players, we could sign three extra players for domestic competition only.  One of those players must be home grown.  If we do not register Forster for the first half of the season we could sign an additional home grown player.  An additional home grown player could also be signed if Isgrove is left off the EPL roster.  However, I think it is doubtful that we could keep these extra players who were not eligible for the Europa League happy so I doubt we will sign any extra players unless we are eliminated from the Europa League before the group phase.

On the other hand, if Ramirez and Mayuka are not really going to be with the club this season, then there are two more openings that can and should be filled--one with a center back.  I would suggest that if we sign anyone else other than a center back or a goal keeper this summer either Mayuka or Ramirez is not going to be here on 1 September.

These numbers also explain, in part, why Elia and Duricic were not purchased.   They fit into our roster last season because we did not have to worry about the club trained requirement so we had 25 roster spaces.  Now there is simply no space for them because we only have 22 roster spaces.