Koeman claims Saints-Cherries clash is a derby

Speaking in the build-up to Southampton’s clash with Bournemouth at St.Mary’s on Sunday, Saints manager Ronald Koeman has said that he is classing the match as a derby.

Southampton have not actually played Bournemouth since the 2010/11 season, in League One, and what a superb five years it has been for both clubs. Both reached the Premier League, however, Bournemouth did it in a few more years than the Saints, who gained back to back promotions from that season in League One.

The overall consensus from the Southampton contingent of fans is that the game is not a derby and they are relatively relaxed coming into the game. Whereas, on the other hand, the Cherries fans are hyping the match up as a derby.

This will be the first ever time that Southampton and Bournemouth have faced each other in the top-flight as it is the first time in Bournemouth’s history that they have been in the top-flight of English football.

Here is what Koeman had to say on the ‘derby’ clash.

In my opinion it’s a derby – but maybe not the biggest one, because there’s not a lot of history between both clubs.

I hope that they will stay in the Premier League so that we will get a few years in a row to play against each other.

Normally, it makes it a little bit easier for the manager because they (the players) have that feeling of it being a derby.

Everybody will have more attention to the game, and that makes it a little bit more special. You need that to be successful.