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What Does The Media have Against Southampton Football Club ?
Wednesday, 25th Mar 2015 11:03

Last summer saw an unprecedented campaign in certain parts of the media to try and unsettle Southampton Football Club and its players, now it seems that it is starting again.

The old saying is that just because you are paranoid doesn't mean that they haven't got it in for you and those in Southampton Football Club must wonder why at every twist and turn the media seems to be whipping up a frenzy to try and spread rumours about potential transfers in the summer.

For those that say Im exaggerating just take a look at the news gathering website "Newsnow" in the past 24 hours they have collated approximately 50 stories concerning Southampton Football Club, only around 20 of these stories are not transfer rumours about one or other of our players leaving the club.

Of the remainder 20 are about Toby Alderweireld supposedly wanting to go to Tottenham Hotspur with one story even claiming he is desperate to leave Saints because Southampton as a City is too quiet for him and he would prefer to be in London.

Of the remaining ten the bulk are about Steven Davis commenting on Rangers with several saying he would like to go back there.

So if anyone wants to say that the media hasn't got an agenda with Saints then the absurd numbers of stories linking Alderweireld with Spurs is just ludicrous, how many headlines can be made from a comment made in a completely different context.

The truth is that Alderweireld said little different in his last interview than he had done a week or so earlier when he said he would like to stay at St Mary's, he has been very non committal in all his comments, for the most part as he did in his latest quote stating that it is not his decision but Athletico Madrid's.

It is all about how the question is asked, but someone interviewing him seemed determined to ask loaded questions, what is the player expected to say when asked if he would like to play with his countryman Vertonghen at club level ? should he say no ! should he insult his countryman ? what Alderweireld did was give a diplomatic answer, pretty much the same he would have given if asked about any of his fellow Belgium's I would suspect, however it enables the press to make mischief and when it comes to Saints there is an element of the London press who love to do Spurs dirty work for them in stirring up anything from transfer rumour to the sacking of a manager.

Yes I would be surprised to see Alderweireld back here next season, he is a quality player and Athletico are sure to want to auction him to the highest bidder that is if they don't want to keep him for themselves, but that bridge needs to be crossed in the summer and not now and i am flabbergasted by not only the number of stories about the predicted departure of Alderweireld to White Hart Lane, but the shallow content of most of the stories.

Of course we now know what low regard Mauricio Pochettino has for this football club, despite the fact that the club and fans did nothing but show him love and loyalty, we now know that he never had any affection for this City or the Saints fans, so why should we be surprised that he and his new employees would be content to sit back and watch their dirty work be done for them by a few sympathetic journalists willing to try and stir up a hornets nest.

So far Toby Alderweireld has shown himself to be nothing other than professional, its sad that there are some in the media who would like to try and portray him as otherwise for their own ends.

This is of course 2015 and football is a dirty game that if it is not careful could see its bubble burst due to the greed of clubs and players, Saints in the past year appear to be doing things differently and that enabled us to not only survive the traumas of last summer, but to march on to better things and that leads me to believe that whatever happens this summer we will again move forward rather than backwards.

Photo: Action Images



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JGH added 11:34 - Mar 25
It's pretty simple - the national press write stories about what their readership want to hear. As the most people support one of the 'big 6' it's hardly shocking that newspapers will tailor stories towards them.

This is not a vendetta against Saints but a reflection of what a great season we're having and squad we've assembled.

As a Saints supporter living in London I'd add that the press are also well within their rights to point out a simple fact that London is a more vibrant, exciting and interesting place to live than Southampton and that many (most) people would prefer to live here.

Get over it and stop whining.
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Jesus_02 added 11:34 - Mar 25
The interview was in a different language I think. Im not even sure that he commentedon playing with Vertonghen AT Spurs. First he is asked if he would like to play with Vertonghen, then in a later question he is asked about speculation linking him to Spurs. His reply is something like He is happy in the Premier League, he is happy being liked with Spurs and Saints as it shows he is doing well but Athletico have the final say.

With regard to him not liking Southampton he is quoted as saying the following

"Southampton isn't the most exciting city, but if I want to look up the crowds, then I go to London."

Southampton Central to Waterloo 1hr and 15mins – I’ve seen Ronald Koeman on it!
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Jesus_02 added 11:40 - Mar 25
JGH - I would agree that "London is a more vibrant, exciting and interesting place to live than Southampton" I wouldn’t however agree that most people would want to live there.
The amount of regular commuters kind of backs that up. As well as being more interesting it is noisy, polluted and crime ridden. That’s why a number of player that play for London clubs don’t actually live in London.

In summary, a lot of people might see it as great place to go out, but a great place to come home from.
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JGH added 12:08 - Mar 25
Jesus_02 - take your point but there are 10 million people who don't choose to commute.

Also "noisy, polluted and crime ridden" - not where the multimillionaires (footballers) live!
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ThereIn76 added 12:25 - Mar 25
Toby wants to play alongside Vertongen. Translation: Toby implores Koeman to sign Vertongen from Spurs. How have the press failed to make this obvious connection?

Vertongen would be pretty good cover for Jose.
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SanMarco added 12:36 - Mar 25
It is in a journalist's job description to make up more rumours than usual during International Break. I don't think it is a vendetta against us - we just happen to be an interesting team at the moment.

As for London - I live in Tottenham and if Toby moves to Spuds he won't be living within 10 miles of me!!
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Jesus_02 added 13:19 - Mar 25
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Bazz added 13:35 - Mar 25
Assuming that the majority of journos favor the clubs that saints players mentioned want to apparently move to it is understandable that they want to unsettle SFC as much as possible, I would like to see printed alongside the story writers name the club that they support...And why are spuds assumed to be such a big club ...just because they are based in London?????
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Toussaint added 15:05 - Mar 25
The media are the F.A`s puppet,they will try everything possible to stop the smaller clubs from qualifying for the CL..all this trying to un-settle the Saints players is based on our outstanding season and position in the league table ...the F.A would lose millions if Saints qualify
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aceofthebase added 11:36 - Mar 26
For goodness sake the average Englishman has given up on London as its capital. I wouldn't live there even if you payed me a lambo each week

Winchester is being reinstataded as the capital Of England.
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