Southampton can't let things slip

Mauricio Pochettino has left but life still goes on at the top of the Solent

Even though Mauricio Pochettino has left, things can still be rosy for the Saints.

Mauricio Pochettino's arrival at Southampton in January 2013 was met with distaste by much of the football world, not least the Saints' loyal fan base. 

Former boss Nigel Adkins had led Southampton to back to back promotions and, at the time of his sacking, after 22 games of their first season back in the top flight since 2005, the club were sat in 15th spot, three points clear of the relegation zone and holding their own amongst the big boys. 

Few fans, players, or pundits could see the logic in dismissing Adkins who, by all accounts, was over-achieving with his Southampton team.

Fast-forward sixteen months and the Saints are, again, looking for a new manager, with Pochettino having moved on to Tottenham Hotspur, but the task facing the new man is quite different from that picked up by the Argentinian. 

Now two seasons into their return, Southampton are an established Premier League side with European ambitions, and the days of looking over their shoulder at the bottom of the table appear to be behind them. 

Don't, however, allow their 8th place finish in 2013/14 to deceive; the club must continue to develop and lay down real foundations if it is to succeed in the long term.

Of all the pre-World Cup transfer talk, much seems to have centred around Southampton, with stories circulating daily about the future destinations of some of their star names. Luke Shaw, for instance, who has emerged from the Southampton youth system to become a Premier League regular and challenge Leighton Baines for the England left back jersey, looks set to leave the club for a bigger challenge. 

Shaw's England colleague Adam Lallana also looks set to leave, having excelled for the Saints this season, scoring nine league goals, and rumours have also circulated around defenders Dejan Lovren and Jos Fonte, and Dutch midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin. 

Whilst the Saints will surely keep hold of at least some of these players, they must act decisively to show their intent and work to keep as many of them as possible. The time is right for Southampton to end their reputation as a selling club.

Southampton have arguably the most productive youth system in the country, with international stars such as Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Gareth Bale having graduated in recent years. 

Whilst these stars moved on from the club to secure Premier League football, Southampton's current position, as an established top-flight force, should mean that they no longer need to sell their best young players. The club can offer high quality football and can afford to pay Premier League wages; it should no longer be seen as a springboard to bigger and better things.  

Whoever the new Southampton manager is, they will need to act quickly to continue the work that Nigel Adkins and Mauricio Pochettino have started at the club. If the Saints continue to allow their best players to leave then they will stagnate and before long will be forced into an unnecessary relegation battle. 

The new manager will need the support of the board to offer lucrative contracts to players who may be thinking of a future elsewhere and will need the support of the board in warding off bids from Premier League rivals. 

If the Saints can continue to produce high quality young players whilst keeping their core of experienced stars at the club then the future looks bright at St Mary's. If they continue to let players go then the new manager will be facing yet another rebuilding job.