DEFENDER Ryan Manning is striving to continue the winning feeling at Saints after helping the Republic of Ireland reach the World Cup qualification play-offs last week.
Manning, 29, was a half-time substitute in Ireland's dramatic 3-2 win over Hungary on Sunday after missing the 2-0 win over Portugal through suspension.
After the highs of Troy Parrott's late winner in Hungary, the full-back was brought back down to earth when practising throw-ins at a bitterly cold Staplewood on Wednesday.
But there is no getting away from what needs to be done at Saints, who currently sit 17th in the Championship after a disappointing start to the campaign.
"It's been a mental few days. About 48 hours ago, I was in Budapest celebrating with Ireland," Manning told the Daily Echo, his hands still purple from the harsh wind.
"International football has probably had a tough rap over the years from everyone, myself included. When you're not [involved], you sort of miss club football.
"But, when you see the excitement of our game, Wales won 7-1, and then the way Scotland finished in the last five minutes, it reminds you that international football still has magic.
"It's been a great few days. I say it all the time in football, it's all about momentum. And when things are going badly, it just feels like everything's going wrong.
"Sometimes a change of scenery, a fresh feeling, meeting up and training with different lads can sometimes just be a little spark that gets you going."
For Southampton's trio of Irish internationals, the spark came from earning back-to-back wins over QPR and Sheffield Wednesday.
Gavin Bazunu returned between the sticks for those wins, while Manning notched an assist against Wednesday, eight minutes before Azaz scored his first Saints goal
"We obviously came into the camp off the back of two good results against QPR and Sheff Weds, and I think we sort of carried that into the international break for us," he said.
"Me, Finn and Gav will all be on a high after it, but we also realise that we need to come back to reality now.
"We need to knuckle down and prepare for a big block of games now coming up to Christmas, where I think we really have to kick-start our season."
One member of Southampton's Irish contingent not involved, as they kept their chances of reaching the 2026 World Cup alive, was Will Smallbone.
The midfielder has been ruled out of action for several months following a hamstring injury suffered while on loan at Millwall.
"He had surgery in Finland or somewhere a few weeks ago," Manning added when asked if he had been in contact with Smallbone since the injury.
"For him, it's a terrible time, and obviously, we missed him at Ireland. We had a lot of injuries in the squad. Hopefully, he's back in time for March, and he can contribute then."
Manning returned to an upbeat dressing room following his successful exploits on the international stage. Winning, he pointed out, improves the atmosphere.
The former QPR defender revealed that things had started to improve following the win over his old side and demanded that the boosted morale must not be wasted.
"During the week before we went away, the two results had naturally given everyone a lift. Everyone comes in eager and is excited to kick-start our season," he explained.
"When I came back in today, all the boys were buzzing. There was a bit of banter in the changing room. That's what results do.
"We have to go out now and back up what we did before, otherwise it's pointless. We're under no illusions that we aren't back to where we need to be. There's still a long way to go.
"We're still not in the right part of the table, but this is the block of games now where we can change that and really kick-start our season."
Interim boss Tonda Eckert will be in the dugout at Charlton on Saturday and is expected to take charge of the next three games after a winning start.
Manning, who has not long returned to the south coast, claimed he has not personally received an update from the club's hierarchy regarding the managerial situation.
And he insisted it would make no difference to preparations whether Eckert was classified as a permanent or interim manager. Players need to impress the German coach either way.
"As far as we're concerned, we're enjoying working with him. I think you see that a lot of the stuff we did at the training ground sort of came to fruition on the pitch," he said of Eckert.
"We've obviously struggled to score goals this season at times, so five in our last two is sort of where we want to be.
"We want to get the lads further up the pitch firing. We want to be helping them score goals, helping them get assists, because it takes a little bit of pressure off us in the back five.
"It's just about everyone building on this momentum and going again. The mentality doesn't change at all. Whoever's in charge, you listen to them, you follow them.
"You're trying to get into the team under him. It doesn't really change. We're all out there on the training pitch. The detail that he's given us, we're following.
"When you have two good results after he comes in, that makes everything that bit easier where you feel it, you believe in it.
"I think there's probably a good bit of excitement around the building, good excitement in the squad after how the first few games have gone. Hopefully, we carry it on over the next few."
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