Southampton the best run club?

rob316

I am just constantly impressed at how well run this club is.

Year after year their manager and players are poached and they just seem to keep defying the odds while sticking to the football philosophy running through the club.

I was scratching my head at the Puel appointment in the summer (like most probably) but they just seem to keep getting it right.

Mane, Shaw, Lovren, Lallana, Lambert, Schneiderlin, Clyne just some of the players they have lost. They have a couple of gems still in Forster and Van Dijk who will no doubt be the subject of interest in the future but they will just go and replace them with someone as good for a 3rd of the price.

They could be accused of lacking ambition but football is a business today and for a club that nearly went out of existence not long ago, they are an exceptionally run business.

The man responsible for everything is Les Reed the Technical Director.

Here is a link to an excellent piece from Gary Neville on him from last year, I recommend reading.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/11366206/Gary-Neville-The-era-of-the-gaffer-is-over.html

theoneeyedman

rob316 wrote: »

I am just constantly impressed at how well run this club is.

Year after year their manager and players are poached and they just seem to keep defying the odds while sticking to the football philosophy running through the club.

I was scratching my head at the Puel appointment in the summer (like most probably) but they just seem to keep getting it right.

Mane, Shaw, Lovren, Lallana, Lambert, Schneiderlin, Clyne just some of the players they have lost. They have a couple of gems still in Forster and Van Dijk who will no doubt be the subject of interest in the future but they will just go and replace them with someone as good for a 3rd of the price.

They could be accused of lacking ambition but football is a business today and for a club that nearly went out of existence not long ago, they are an exceptionally run business.

The man responsible for everything is Les Reed the Technical Director.

Here is a link to an excellent piece from Gary Neville on him from last year, I recommend reading.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/11366206/Gary-Neville-The-era-of-the-gaffer-is-over.html

Is money and the club's balance sheet the main measure of success these days? Is profit more important than trophies? Is it all about money??
I don't argue with the fact that they are well ran, and that Mr Reed is a good business man, but at times you'd imagine there should be a league table containing Tesco, BT, Esso, and Sony and we should all be fans of these companies. Do we measure music quality by the money bands make (if you are older than 14 years old that is)

It's sport, it should be enjoyed and not measured in profit and loss balance sheets.

Fr Tod Umptious

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Is money and the club's balance sheet the main measure of success these days? Is profit more important than trophies? Is it all about money??
I don't argue with the fact that they are well ran, and that Mr Reed is a good business man, but at times you'd imagine there should be a league table containing Tesco, BT, Esso, and Sony and we should all be fans of these companies. Do we measure music quality by the money bands make (if you are older than 14 years old that is)

It's sport, it should be enjoyed and not measured in profit and loss balance sheets.

But a healthy balance sheet is a healthy club too.

Smart finance is what helps a team like Southampton stay in the top flight, how many others have pissed all that away in the last 20 years, Portsmouth, Leeds, Bolton, Coventry to name just a few.

I'm sure the Southampton fans enjoy their team much more now than when they were on the edge a few years back.

Corholio

They may be sold to the Chinese soon so that may change a lot of what is happening there, for good or bad.

gitzy16v

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Is money and the club's balance sheet the main measure of success these days? Is profit more important than trophies? Is it all about money??
I don't argue with the fact that they are well ran, and that Mr Reed is a good business man, but at times you'd imagine there should be a league table containing Tesco, BT, Esso, and Sony and we should all be fans of these companies. Do we measure music quality by the money bands make (if you are older than 14 years old that is)

It's sport, it should be enjoyed and not measured in profit and loss balance sheets.

Unfortunately it is allabout money,throw billions at a club,ala Chelsea and Man City then watch the trophys roll in......BUT throw millions at a club and watch them fall asunder,ala Leeds Portsmouth....
I really enjoy Southampton as a football club and a buisness model,a conveyor belt of quality youngsters,to be either kept or sold on to keep the club afloat....and last but not least they gave us Matt Le Tissier,one of my fav players of all time,who also spent his whole career there without winning anything.
plus my teacher told me its not all about winning but taking part lol:D:D

One_Of_Shanks

Crewe Alexandra used to sell all their best players too.

gitzy16v

:pac:So did Arsenal

One_Of_Shanks

gitzy16v wrote: »

:pac:So did Arsenal

Exactly!

Skylinehead

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Is money and the club's balance sheet the main measure of success these days? Is profit more important than trophies? Is it all about money??
I don't argue with the fact that they are well ran, and that Mr Reed is a good business man, but at times you'd imagine there should be a league table containing Tesco, BT, Esso, and Sony and we should all be fans of these companies. Do we measure music quality by the money bands make (if you are older than 14 years old that is)

It's sport, it should be enjoyed and not measured in profit and loss balance sheets.

Every year since 2010 they've improved their league position, without fail. Yes they're selling players, but they're getting better every time as well so it's hardly just about money.

KaiserGunner

They may be well run now, but it wasn't that long ago that the club were in administration and were under the threat of liquidation. So I'd find it difficult to call them the best run club.

Rayne Wooney

The best run club is the one that excels in both money making and trophy winning.

Dirty Dingus McGee

KaiserGunner wrote: »

They may be well run now, but it wasn't that long ago that the club were in administration and were under the threat of liquidation. So I'd find it difficult to call them the best run club.

But that was before the current owners were there and therefore has no relevance on how well run they are now.

Dirty Dingus McGee

I'd say Bayern Munich are the best run club (if not the best run sports organisation) in the world.

Constant success, always report impressive financial figures despite not having the massive TV deal EPL teams have, could cope with Uli Hoeness going to jail and it made no difference, the club change manager frequently and it has little impact on the field, building their new stadium didn't hold them back like it did for Arsenal, always have a few players from their youth set up in the first team.Seem to have a great respect for their fans aswell.

They seem to me to be the epitome on German efficiency and pragmatism.