WITH the news breaking today that one of the so-called ‘big’ football teams is sniffing around after yet another Saints player, on this occasion Manchester Utd and Sadio Mane, I feel compelled to comment.

I understand that football clubs playing in Europe need large squads to cope with the many English league and cup matches, as well as European games.

Depth is needed to cover player fatigue and injuries.

But I increasingly feel the super-rich clubs are no longer just buying the world’s top players to strengthen their teams.

The super-rich clubs are now eliminating the opposition by buying all their star players even though they won’t give them a regular game.

In other industries you might call such powerful enterprises monopolies?

A footballer who is not playing competitive football is not developing.

We know the reducing number of British players playing in the Premier League is jeopardising the success of the England team.

If you are not playing regular first-team football you will not be selected for your country.

This is why English players in particular should be wary of moving to the likes of Chelsea, Manchester Utd or Manchester City.

I would urge Saints players to think twice before leaving the club to go to other ‘big’ clubs, where they can warm the bench and wave goodbye to their international careers.

In so-doing they are leaving what is arguably the world’s best-ever football academy.

A team line-up of those who have benefited from Southampton Football Club’s fantastic player development system, and who have recently departed could be:

Boruc

Clyne Alderweireld Lovren Shaw

Lallana Schneiderlin

Bale Walcott Oxlade-Chamberlain

Lambert

I appreciate players leave for different reasons and some, like Adam, Ricky and Morgan have given us years of loyal service.

Interestingly some players are seeing the light and making the move in the opposite direction.

After sitting on the bench at Manchester City watching expensive foreign imports play, James Milner has moved to Liverpool where he can now get a game and re-stake his claim for an England shirt.

Similarly our own Ricky Lambert is now at West Brom after a year at a ‘big’ club where he only started 12 matches, and disappeared completely from the England team landscape.

Let’s get behind the players who choose to ‘stay in that number’ and continue to play for the Saints.

Hats off to the likes of Jose Fonte and Maya Yoshida who keep turning out for us year after year and giving 110 per cent to Southampton Football Club.

It comes down to one word. LOYALTY.

Lifelong Saints supporter Steve Wylie