From France: Puel’s job at Southampton is ‘impossible’, but same goes for Koeman at Everton

 

Claude Puel has an impossible task at Southampton, explain French newspaper L’Equipe on Wednesday.

Southampton have what L’Equipe call an ‘astonishing’ record of improving their league position for the past 7 years, finishing sixth last season. Improving on that is now ‘impossible’, and it’s stated Ronald Koeman was well aware of that, but has found a similar situation at Everton.

Puel’s Southampton are described as a selling club, with that being the knowledge when the manager took over the side. Despite Puel’s best efforts at Southampton, L’Equipe simply believe his task is too large.

However, that doesn’t mean they foresee an exit, with Puel looking more long term at Southampton than Koeman did. The now Everton manager didn’t pay enough attention to Southampton’s youth system, but things are already different under Puel.

There’s a theme from L’Equipe that Puel at Southampton, indeed anyone at the club, is a largely thankless task.

Develop players, bring youth through, find bargain purchases overseas, and never make the breakthrough to the top five, because the best of the team will be sold.

It’s a French look at things, so probably biased in favour of their compatriot, but it’s still interesting to see how Southampton are viewed overseas.

For them, and Everton, L’Equipe believe that even breaking into the top five is ‘impossible’.