For the second year running, Southampton lost key players in the summer. Instead of panicking, however, they simply kept faith with the philosophy that had already served them so well.
Morgan Schneiderlin, Toby Alderweireld and Nathaniel Clyne were vital components of the side that finished seventh last term, with their departures to Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool in the summer robbing the south-coast club of three talented stars approaching the primes of their careers.
A year earlier, Southampton lost even more first-team players: Rickie Lambert, Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Calum Chambers and Luke Shaw all moved on to pastures new.
Mauricio Pochettino, the manager, also left, for Tottenham, leading many to predict Southampton would face a relegation battle.
That they were never threatened by relegation, and actually spent much of the campaign challenging for a Uefa Champions League spot, is testament to the fine work done by Pochettino’s successor, Ronald Koeman, and the long-term planning, direction and infrastructure in place behind the scenes at St Mary’s.
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Southampton have long given the impression that they are routinely thinking two steps ahead.
Potential replacements for players likely to leave are earmarked months before bids are submitted, with the continent also scoured for managers who might fit the bill should the position at Southampton suddenly become vacant.
There is a thriving analytics department that seeks out the marginal gains that are seen as so important in modern sport, with another group of staff dedicated to recruitment.
Southampton’s academy, meanwhile, is arguably the best in England, with Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Lallana and Shaw among its most notable alumni.
Les Reed, the executive director of football, is responsible for ensuring the operation runs smoothly and that Southampton’s work in different areas is coherent and coordinated.
It is an eminently sensible way of running a Premier League club in the modern era, where the average tenure of managers decreases almost year on year.
The set-up is sacrosanct at Southampton, with incoming individuals forced to fit into a pre-existing structure.
Such a system prevents an over-reliance on a single figure, and means that when coaches or players move on the established way of working does not follow them through the exit door. At Southampton, continuity is paramount.
The approach has brought a great deal of success in recent years; it is easy to forget that Southampton were competing in League One, England’s third tier, as recently as 2011.
After a difficult start to the current campaign, Koeman’s side have been excellent of late, losing just one of 10 top-flight games since mid-August.
Arguably their best performance came in the 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge in September, when champions Chelsea were vanquished in style, but subsequent displays against Liverpool, Bournemouth and Sunderland were also impressive.
Their terrific run has gone slightly under the radar, but Koeman’s men now find themselves up in seventh place, ahead of Liverpool and just a point behind Tottenham, who have rightly been lauded for their own fantastic form of late.
Chelsea’s capitulation means fourth spot is there for the taking, and while Southampton are, at best, third favourites to finish there, they certainly should not be written off.
Whether or not an unlikely place in the Champions League is achieved, the likes of Sadio Mane, Dusan Tadic, Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and Jordy Clasie are sure to attract attention from elsewhere next summer.
Koeman, too, has won plenty of admirers and could be a target for a major European side in need of a manager ahead of the 2016/17 campaign.
His current employers will not panic if the former Feyenoord coach does decide to move on; that is simply not how they work.
As another push for European football gathers pace, Southampton continue to act as a shining example for similar-sized clubs to emulate.
sports@thenational.ae
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
RESULTS
6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Meshakel, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m
Winner Gervais, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner Global Heat, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Firnas, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m
Winner Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m
Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m
Winner Wasim, Mickael Barzalona, Ismail Mohammed.
65
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The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
Manchester City 4
Otamendi (52) Sterling (59) Stones (67) Brahim Diaz (81)
Real Madrid 1
Oscar (90)
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EQureos%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2021%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E33%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESoftware%20and%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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New Zealand squad
Tim Southee (capt), Trent Boult (games 4 and 5), Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (games 1-3), Martin Guptill, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
