Saint or Sinner? :: Wessex Scene Online

Saint or Sinner?

5th December 2007
Phil Webb

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Dec 07 - What went so badly wrong?
Oct 07 - A View from the Chapel
May 07 - Humiliated
Oct 06 - Return to hockey glory?
Nov 05 - Success at Southampton University Rugby Club Trials

More by Phil Webb

"Gobsmacked is too small a word. You don’t even get a plot like this in Star Wars." The words of Club director Andrew Cowan on Harry Redknapp’s exit from the club back in late November 2005.

In terms of a battle between good and evil, Star Wars would definitely been a cheaper and less emotionally draining option to watch.

George Burley, having left turbulent boardroom drama at Hearts months earlier, inherited a team who were 12th in the Championship, just four points off the play-off places, following 13 draws from their 23 games. 2 years on, Saints are 15th, 16 games in. So what has, or evidently hasn’t happened?

Out of the frying pan into the fire, boardroom struggle has been one of the recurring factors in Burley’s Saints career. Signing a two-and-a-half year contract suggested that Clive Woodward was looming in the wings, although the egg chaser later tried to downplay the speculation by claiming his ambition to manage in football "is on the backburner".

Target for most of the abuse was Rupert Lowe, the man who fans believed was instrumental in the South coasts club’s decline. Fans certainly still had Premiership aspirations and with six defeats in the last first league games under Burley, supporters voiced their discontent at Lowe during the 2-0 loss to Ipswich.

Not every coach is revolutionary from the start, Southampton just needed someone to steady the ship to avoid following teams like Forest and Man City dipping into the third tier. "A lot of changes have to be made, it might take six months to a year so fans will just have to be patient.

It is hard to apportion blame to Burley for the clubs financial status, despite being a "selling club" the board revealed they have spent Ł100m in players’ and coaches’ wages in four and a half years and over the period from June 2001 until November 2005, the club’s debt increased by Ł5.8m to Ł20m.

So the money has not been in George’s control, after he reassured fans that prodigy Theo Walcott is "central to his plans and will not be leaving the club", a month later has joined Arsenal for Ł12.5 million. Saints have installed a revolving door on the players entrance at St. Marys. Burley’s rebuilding began with a spot of demolition, as he ushered out 16 players and brought eight in during the January transfer window.

The season didn’t really go anywhere, and really it didn’t have to, it was too late. During the close season a fierce takeover battle has raged around Burley with Rupert Lowe, the chairman who appointed him, ousted in what proved to be a bloodless coup. With Saints "going Wilde" as mass produced t-shirts lamely suggested, it was a start of a new era and a clean slate, with some high profile acquisitions. A star was born on day one with Bale’s glorious free-kick.

Yet, the situation did not take long to change, after a three-game losing streak, Saints had slipped to 12th place - and were 13 points behind leaders Cardiff. Burley cast doubt over their Championship promotion credentials and admitted: "It might not happen this season". Southampton just stumbled through, never really stringing a set of decent results together, but the odd game like the 4-3 Birmingham, gave some hope that something could happen.

Just like Walcott a year before, there were concerns the prize asset would be poached, Burley admitted the relief of the "circus" surrounding Gareth Bale closing for the time being with the transfer window. Saints performances were worse than the artist who made the Ted Bates statue, until Marek Saganowski relit Southampton’s promotion hopes with a hat-trick in a stunning 6-0 victory at Wolves in late March. Back into the play-offs in a yo-yo season.

The Premiership dream was almost a reality until Inigo Idiakez’s penalty miss sent Derby into the Championship play-off final, reawakening us to the Championship nightmare. A pulsating game ended 4-4 on aggregate before the shoot-out, Burley said "I was very, very pleased with the way we played, I do not think I could have expected any more from my players."

He was probably right, the players we have were not good enough to get to the Premiership, whoever was coaching them. So what can be expected when the Southampton boss admits he sold his best players this summer to avoid the threat of administration. Gareth Bale, Chris Baird and Pele were all sold before the deadline the Championship side crashed out of the Carling Cup at the hands of League Two’s Peterborough.

How could this team realistically improve on last year? I don’t think it can, and although sometimes George appears tactically naďve, you have to play the hand you’re given. Supporters malign him for his faith in some average players, but on the other hand he is proven at bringing on fresh youth, he hasn’t suddenly become a bad manager, he just isn’t a miracle worker.

Early September, he had to deny newspaper reports claiming he was to quit the Championship club. There were suggestions Burley had cleared his desk in readiness to leave, following his unhappiness with internal politics. I wouldn’t blame him if he left, I’d have gone too. Some fans would probably merrily wave him on, but honestly – who would want to replace him? Steve Mclaren? We need money more than we need a new manager.