With an EFL Cup final clash with Manchester United on the horizon, can Claude Puel lift a trophy in his debut season in English football with Southampton?
You’d have to go back to 1976 to find Southampton’s last domestic tournament cup trophy, when the Saints come up as 0-1 winners thanks to a goal from Bobby Stokes in the FA Cup. Who did they beat, you ask? Manchester United, the club they will be facing this Sunday in the EFL Cup final.
For Claude Puel, this could be a big moment for him in both his management career and his time at Southampton. The Saints have endured an inconsistent season, and some fans have been irritated by the lack of progression that they’ve been used to seeing under managers such as Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman. A Cup final win, would certainly win Puel some fans at the St Mary’s.
But do Southampton fans think they can do it? Or is the task of overcoming Jose Mourinho’s in-form Manchester United just too much? HITC Sport met with Saints fans to gather their thoughts.
Southampton fans before the match
“I think it’s going to be a very competitive game, it’s against a good team, we’ve got the passion, the players have got the passion…we can go on and win it!” were the words of one Southampton fan, who was feeling confident about his side’s chances in the upcoming fixture.
“I was there in ’76 when we won” revealed another Southampton fan, who added “so I think we’ll win again.”
On Claude Puel, another fan added “he doesn’t inspire me, but he does inspire the players, so he’s good.”
On the whole, Southampton fans were feeling confident and up for it, an attitude that would hold their players in good stead for their upcoming chance at silverware.
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Southampton manager Claude Puel
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