Every week Ronald Koeman tells the press that he will discuss a new contract at the end of the season and every week they make up a new angle on it.

I have lost count of the number of times that Ronald Koeman has told the pres that he will be sitting down with the club at the end of the season to discuss a new contract, yet the media still seem to think that there is hidden meaning in the words that he is saying.

Therefore we have him linked to the likes of Everton & Arsenal everytime they lose a game and the media can fine a picture of a fan holding up a small piece of card saying "Wenger/Martinez Out "

Likewise the media like to construe setting a date for talks as stalling on a new contract, I have a date with the dentist for my next check up in July, I'm not stalling on having a check up, I'm going along to a pre arranged appointment that we both agreed on.

This weekend after Ronald once again confirmed that he would be meeting with the club to discuss extending the length of his contract the national media again made mischief by suggesting that at the meeting Koeman would be making big demands about players staying etc.

Of course Koeman would like to keep all his players and still keep improving and expanding his squad, but he has been in football long enough to know that firstly players call the shots these days, you cannot put a gun against their heads and demand they sign long term contracts, the game is played by both players and clubs to either keep them tied to long term deals or sell them if they get near the last year of their contract when they can walk.

Funnily enough when a player is of fairly average ability he is keen to put pen to paper on a four year deal, but when he is hot he will not want to do that preferring to keep his options open to the last minute, knowing that every million that is shaved off his transfer value as his contract runs down, is another million that could be going into his own pocket in signing on fee's.

As I say Koeman knows that as much as the next man, he knows the issues that clubs face these days.

Likewise Koeman like any successful manager will want to manage at the highest level possible at some stage, he has made no secret of that, but from his conduct since he has been at St Mary's he has come across as an honourable man and that has been the case throughout his career.

He will not jump ship at the first decent offer unless it is the right one for him as a manager, of course he will leave Saints at some stage, assuming he is still here at the turn of the year he will then be the longest serving Saints manager since Chris Nicholl some 25 years ago, that perhaps tells you something about how football has gone these days.

Indeed only three men in the entire 92 clubs in the League have been in their jobs over 5 years, in the Premier League Koeman is the 7th longest serving manager and one of them Manuel Pellegrini is about to depart his job.

What Koeman said was.

“I had a short talk yesterday afternoon about the future, and I said ‘let’s drink a coffee and have a talk after the Crystal Palace game.’ “After the season I think it’s normal that you talk about this season."

“Everybody knows I have left one year contract but if the club likes to have a talk about that I listen."

“That’s what I like to do.”

When asked whether he might like to extend his Saints contract, Koeman did say:

“First we have to talk, and then concluding something but not before.

“I left it until after the Crystal Palace game.”

This last few lines are why the press are making headlines from the story this week, however it does suggest that Saints and Koeman have had preliminary talks and that there are a few areas to be ironed out, this is quite normal when discussing contracts, after all the Dutchman has been very successful at St Mary's, it would be naive to think that he would just sign an extension on the same terms.

He would perhaps firstly want to be sure the club is continuing to move forward and in that respect he has already confirmed publicly that Saints have a further five year strategy and that they do want to continue to strive forwards not stand still and secondly given his success I'm sure he would want improved terms on his deal.

That being the case hopefully once the season ends Saints can swiftly conclude the deal and secure the services of a man who if he stays for a longer period could well emulate the two greatest managers in the Club's history, Ted Bates and Lawrie McMenemy.

I think that 99.9 % of Saints fans would want that.

Photo: Action Images

helpineedsomebody added 14:52 - May 7 BETTER TOGETHER
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