News

“Diamonds We Have To Polish” – Hasenhuttl Takes Clever Approach As He Makes “Guarantee”

|

Southampton are preparing for this Saturday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Saturday, but with us looking almost safe given our advantage over both Brighton and Hove Albion and Cardiff City, Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhuttl allowed his thoughts to twist to our summer activity once again as he met with the media ahead of the game.

With Hasenhuttl already speaking about potential targets previously:

No Names, But Hasenhuttl Admits He Has Summer Southampton Targets – “We Were Linked With Him In Winter”

His comments this week would’ve been of interest to fans, but unfortunately whilst we seem to be returning to the more acceptable ‘Southampton Way’ with an eye on youth and development, he admitted to Sky Sports that it also included a willingness to sell on our better players for profit.

“The package I always speak about must fit perfect to our club. So that means not the seventh or eighth contract in his life, he has to sign maybe the first, or second, or third maximum. That means that we are something like a developing club for him. Something where he can show up, where young players can develop. Something like diamonds we have to polish them and make them shine if they’re coming here. And if he becomes a very, very good player and goes somewhere else, then we have to accept this, but he helped us a lot and I think that’s the way we want to go. That’s the Southampton way and I can guarantee that we keep going along this track.”

It’s difficult to disagree with his words and it shouldn’t be entirely unexpected either, however, given the realities of the Premier League I do think he’s been quite clever in using it to his advantage by ‘welcoming’ young players to use us as a stepping stone as given our history, that should put the club more in pole position to attract talent in with them knowing a pathway to the first team exists.

Got to be better for them than sitting in an Under 23 squad elsewhere and then spending half their career out on loan.

Share this article

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *