Southampton are renowned for their academy and the players that have come from it so I have decided to compile an all time academy eleven. Now, some of these positions were harder to fill than some, as you will see, but some were easier to select.
Goalkeeper- Cody Cropper-
This was probably the hardest one to pick. Cropper may have left Southampton’s academy to join MK Dons this summer, however , the keeper’, now playing in the Championship, was the only one I could think of/find to fill in the spot in the team.
Right Back- Wayne Bridge-
Although yes, Bridge was a left back, in order to fit him and my choice for left back in, he has had to change his position. Bridge made well over 100 games for Southampton and spent 7 years with Southampton, having been born there. He later went on to play for Chelsea and Manchester City, as well as claiming 36 caps for England. I couldn’t have left him out of the team, hence his place at right back instead of on the left.
Centre Back- Calum Chambers-
Calum Chambers is a recent product of the Southampton academy having only left the Saints last season to join Arsenal in a £16m deal. Chambers can play through the middle or on the right of the defence and has proven to be a very versatile player for Southampton and now, Arsenal. Chambers spent 10 years in the academy at Southampton before joining the first team for two years, followed by a move to FA Cup winners Arsenal.
Centre Back- Chris Baird-
Chris Baird was another easy decision to put in the side. The versatile defender/midfielder spent nine years with Southampton, albeit only playing in under 70 league games. He was, however, Southampton’s player of the season in the 2006/7 season playing at the heart of the Saints defence. After winning that award, he joined then Premier League side Fulham in a deal thought to be worth just over £3m. He has since gone on to play for clubs such as Burnley and West Brom before he joined his current side in the Championship, Derby County. Baird has also managed a very impressive 73 caps for Northern Ireland.
Left Back- Luke Shaw-
Shaw was yet another easy decision to make and the reason I have had to put Bridge on the right. He held the world record transfer fee for a teenager up until last week after joining Manchester United from Southampton for a bumper £30m. Shaw, 20, has already managed 4 caps for England and has currently got a starting berth in the Manchester United team this season, having started all 6 of their competitive matches this season. He looks set for a wonderful career full of trophies and will owe a lot of that at the Saints academy.
Right Winger- Theo Walcott-
Another Saints graduate who currently plays for Arsenal is Theo Walcott. He spent six years with Southampton, including the academy, and made 21 appearances for Southampton, scoring four goals. He joined Arsenal in 2006 in a deal worth £5-12m. He has since gone on to make over 200 Arsenal appearances and scored 50 goals for the Gunners in the League. He has also had an impressive England career with 41 caps and 7 goals. Another player that was too good to leave out of this side.
Central Midfielder- Adam Lallana-
Adam Lallana has probably been one of Southampton’s best players in recent years before his big money move to Liverpool. He spent 14 years at Southampton, playing well over 200 league games for the club and scoring just under 50 goals. He is a superb technician and he is known more for his chance creation than his actual finishing of chances and his superb close control of the ball when going forward.
Central Midfielder- Alex Oxlade Chamberlain-
Chamberlain is another player who spent over a decade with Southampton. He was with the Saints for 11 years before a move to, you guessed it, Arsenal. He joined Arsenal in a £15m deal having played 36 times for Southampton. He is now a regular for Arsenal and England and recently scored the winning goal in the Community Shield final earlier this summer. He mainly operates in the wing position and is known for his blistering pace, however, he has also played in a holding midfield role a number of times for the Gunners.
Left Winger- Gareth Bale-
We are now on to, arguably, Southampton’s best ever player to come from their academy. Still just 26 years of age, Bale has already achieved a great deal in his career. The current Real Madrid forward spent 8 years at Southampton before going on to play 40 league games for the club. He then joined Tottenham for a deal worth £5-10m, pennies compared to what the north London side sold him for. Real Madrid signed Bale from Spurs for £85.3m. A world record transfer fee that Gareth Bale still holds. He has played 60 league games for Real, scoring an impressive 30 goals. He also has over 50 caps for Wales. I think many would agree he is the best ever product from the Saints academy.
Centre Forward- Matt Le Tissier-
Matt Le Tissier is a Southampton legend who spent virtually the whole of his career on the south coast. He played over 400 league games and scored the best part of 200 goals for Southampton. He had an incredible penalty record for Southampton, scoring 47 of the 48 spot kicks he took for the Saints. He is probably most known for a number of spectacular goals he scored during his career. The only thing he will be disappointed in during his career will be that he only ever got 8 caps for England.
Striker- Alan Shearer-
Most known for his time with Newcastle and Blackburn, Alan Shearer actually spent six years with Southampton, coming through their academy and played in over 100 games for the Saints, scoring 23 goals. It was when he joined Blackburn however that his career really kicked off. He scored a sensational 112 goals in 138 league games for Blackburn. He then really made his name at Newcastle, scoring 148 goals in just over 300 games and currently holds the record for the most ever goals in Premier League history. Shearer could well rival Le Tissier and Bale for the title of ‘Southampton’s best academy product’.
So, that is my all time Saints academy eleven. Do you agree with me? If not, let us know who you would choose differently @ReadSouthampton or my personal account @DanEmery07
Comments.
Loading comments…