The key appears to be what kind of vision for the future that Saints can present to Koeman, and whether he buys into it.
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Speaking on Friday before his side’s match against Crystal Palace at St Mary’s on Sunday, Koeman cited his three-year spell at Feyenoord, in which he worked on 12-month rolling contracts, as a reason to remain calm about concerns over his failure to extend his stay on the south coast. “I think it is a good moment to sit together next week and then we will see what happens”.
Yesterday, Watford announced that they would part company with their manager Quique Sanchez Flores at the end of the season, after the Spaniard said “the club and me don’t have the same point of view about the season”.
Koeman’s words should be a big boost for Saints fans before this weekend’s season finale, coming soon after the news that Fraser Forster, James Ward-Prowse and Virgil van Dijk have signed contract extensions. If you don’t have that ambition you start to be sloppy and that is not what I like to be.
Hi, I’m Michael and I write about football. Those are the questions and that is what we need to talk about. Today it is sunny, tomorrow it is raining.
However, Koeman denied the speculation.
“I am manager of Southampton, everyone knows I have one more year of my contract”, Koeman said.
Those announcements could not have come at a better time for Southampton, with Koeman heavily linked with a move to Everton to replace the sacked Roberto Martinez, although the former Barcelona defender was quick to distance himself from what has to been seen as a sideways step.
The Dutch boss has a year left on his contract after taking over at Southampton in August 2014 and told the assembled media at his Friday press conference that he has no interest in leaving just yet.
As Saints get more players to commit to long-term deals, the hope is that the manager will do the same.
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“There is very good understanding between the manager and the players and that’s good and important to continue”.
