Catching Up With Southampton

As Saints fans remember all too well, it was only a couple weeks ago they were escaping relegation on the last game of the season. Somehow when they were playing at The Dell and pulling off a last second miracle it's a romantic feat. When it's a relatively big club that just a few years ago was in UEFA and playign for the FA Cup flailing to avoid the drop to League One (div. 3), it's not romantic but down right pathetic.

Tale From The Revolution touches on this subject with their solution being seen as the Southampton needs a big money owner. Obviously this is needed to compete with the ManUtd's and Chelsea of the world. Heck, I don't think too many folks would say I'm going off the deep end to say it's needed to regularly compete for spots in the UEFA cup or just maybe the Intertoto too. Any one year there's always a club or two that make a good run at these that don't have that sort of financial footing. But to regularly do this year after year without a good amount of cash being poured into the club?

Regardless of those high standards, I don't see Southampton needing this to be able to make the step back up to the Premiership. Bristol City nearly did it this year. Hull isn't poor but isn't exactly backed with huge bank accounts. WBA's Jeremy Peace isn't poor but isn't the sort of investor that can poor tens or hundreds of millions of pounds into a club like Chelsea or Portsmouth to force them up. Stoke is owneded by Bet365; not bad but again not a situation where loads of cash is going to be thrown at the club.

That's the thing with this, I don't see why Southampton needs a sugar daddy to make the step up back to the Premiership. It would definitely help with some resources but really Saints are big enough to do it on their own. What they really need is solid leadership from the top down that can carry out the right decisions to help the club move back up. More on that another day, though.

Rupert Lowe is back at the wheel with Southampton. I don't see where this is going to bring the club. We're talking about someone who took the club a few steps forward but in the end took them even further back. It's not just that they were relegated but Lowe set them on the course that brought them were they are today with shaky finances and a team lacking leadership both on and off the field.

At least Glenn Hoddle has not returned to St. Mary's. Setanta had some fun letter Glendda run his mouth about how many clubs he would like to hire him just so he can walk out on them. I just don't see why Southampton would want him back. But if Lowe can get control of things again, who knows what else will happen. It's too bad as Southampton needs to start moving forward again.

Again, Fire Clavijo?

Again, Fire Clavijo?

Fire Clavijo?

Did someone say "fire Clavijo"?

DC - Toronto

Toronto wins the match tonight 1-0. This time last year would you have imagined that early in 2008 DC United would be on a 4 game losing streak? More so, would you have imagined Toronto FC being unbeaten in 6 straight games?

The Cone Is Gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Cone is Gone! Not quite as uplifting news as learning that I've magically inherited a billion dollars and can save the Colorado Rapids from Enos "Uncle Scrooge" Kroenke but it's good enough to brighten my day.

For those who thought Glinton (out with injury now, IIRC) and Kamara were going to be able to consistently pose an attacking threat in the MLS, this is Yallop's way of saying his doesn't agree. I don't think anyone here doubts Kirovski's talent. Nor will you find many folks that will argue that his on the field performances have been worthy of his $200,000 salary. Why is Yallop doing this? Because with an expansion team on his hands and Joe Cannon in nets, he never needed Preston "Stone" Burpo. But what Yallop's squad sorely needs is some sort of offense; some sort of ability to hold up the ball and pass it around.

Kirvoski's not going to hold up and spread the ball around anything like we would traditionally picture that role. Nevertheless, Yallop's not going to find anyone better for the rest of 2008 to do this. Guevara crawled back to the MLS to join Toronto. Christian Gomez signed with Colorado. Now there may be some diamonds in the rough lurking in Argentina but Yallop doesn't have much time left to find them.

To compound the situation for San Jose they have 2 attacking player, Glinton and Peguero, out with injuries. Kei Kamara is still looking like USL-1 material more often than not. They need to try to scounge up a few goals. At this point in time, unfortunately for them, Kirovski likely to be their best choice for now.

As for Kelly Gray I'm sorry to see him go. To me he seems like the quintesential MLS defender. That is never quite good enough to get a big salary and no longer young enough to be willing to work for peanuts so he ends up bouncing along from team to team over the years depending on whom is looking for some defensive depth (see also, Richie Kotschau, Eric Denton). I wish him luck in San Jose.

More on the trade : View From The Couch
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