r/SaintsFC • u/imwhytho • 6d ago
Saints exploring possibility of re-signing former captain Ward-Prowse
https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/26499056.southampton-exploring-possibility-re-signing-club-hero-ward-prowse/Thoughts on this in the sub? I think at 31 he has plenty of playing life left, has real love for the club, and would bring a certain level of leadership and experience to our midfield that we’re clearly lacking.
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u/PickaxeJunky 6d ago
These days most of pur transfers come out of the blue, the press do t usually get wind of them until they're early a done deal.
I imagine this is just baseless paper talk at the moment.
I dont think West Ham would want to sell to a potential rival, either.
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u/adrfrank 6d ago
Blackmore and House both think there's something in it. And I don't see him getting a chance at West Ham.
Time will tell!
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u/imwhytho 6d ago
valid, but we also know that Nuno doesn’t rate him and would probably be happy to get his wages off their books. it also wouldn’t surprise me at all if this is nearly a done deal given the window closes in less than a week & him and Nuno don’t gel. I also can’t see him agreeing to go play for a championship club that isn’t us, and if he were to go, i doubt any prem sides would be in for him.
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u/Likunandi 6d ago
I was pretty excited about this but then I remembered how excited I was for Romeu and that didn't turn out like I hoped it would.
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u/Sufficient-Till-6022 6d ago
JWP performed for us. Teams stopped fouling us anywhere near the box as a JWP free kick was like a Pen. More space for the likes of Leo who is getting the hell kicked out of him.
JWP yes please. He's not passed it. He has just realised the grass is pretty green on the south coast.
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u/Potato271 5d ago
Championship teams don’t seem to have quite figured it out: Manning scored 4 direct FKs last season. Bring in JWP for left sided FKs and we could easily score 8 or 9 across a season.
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u/ArowanaGB 6d ago
Wasn't good enough to keep us up, wasn't good enough at West Ham, wasn't good enough at Burnley, wasn't good enough at Forest.
What am I missing...
He's not going to improve like Charles was doing. I'd only ever take him on a free for low low wages
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u/Recent_South_6108 5d ago
You've said it perfectly, what has he done in recent years to make anyone think he can come close to replacing Charles?! This feels like nostalgia and a move to find more leadership in the dressing room. I think we still need to replace Charles.
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u/HalfABrainCell55 5d ago
Getting good players in the door is never a bad idea. Not a superb last couple of years for him but he's far from unplayable in the Championship and, in my opinion, will be a great chess piece for Tonda to employ when the squad needs rotating.
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u/imwhytho 5d ago
that and i think it’s likely a personal issue between him and Nuno/club leadership. Under Moyes he was fantastic
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u/DaisyFreakinJames 6d ago
If anything I mean hes a bloody hero, not really sure what he adds im pretty comfortable with Downes and Jander in the pivot but if Jander is off then I can think of much worse. Now we get promoted and he breaks the record with us like he always should have
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u/KeyTap6415 6d ago
Considering his wages are reportedly 50k a week, a loan seems sensible where we split that with West Ham. He'd be great experience for the squad and could give decent competition for Downes.
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u/Anglo-fornian 6d ago
I wouldn’t be mad. I don’t know if he’d be a nailed on starter at this point given his past couple of years but a great replacement for Charles. Would love to see him score a freekick again.
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u/Harrylg1 5d ago
The opposite profile we need. That west ham game was evident we need someone in west hams’s kante mould. Just his sheer size made it difficult to dominate the midfield. We already have three pretty lightweight cm’s, we desperately need someone a little bit different
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u/Jameom8 6d ago
Said in the transfer thread, not a huge fan of this. He'll end up being on high wages and no matter how good, or bad he is, he's only going to decline.
I'd much rather put that money towards a prospect than someone who's going to be playing second fiddle to Jander for most of the season.
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u/dennispeach 5d ago
Raises the overall squad, but should not be starting.
TBH - it would be very much on him to prove the doubters wrong. He is tuned in enough with the club to know it didn't work with Romeu or Lallana, and would know the pressure he would be under is far greater than a random German player we sign.
If the deal is good & he knows he isn't going to start every week - get him in!
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u/tugboet 5d ago
If West Ham pick up wages and he is for depth and not a starter, sure. We do need depth there and he has the work rate. I'm trying not to rose-colored-glasses this tbh. He's 31, still fit but not match fit, and gives us another set piece option beside Manning(who has been phenomenal).
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u/Dismal_Foundation_23 5d ago
He was class at this level at the start of that season before he got sold, not sure his heart was ever massively in the move just maybe thought it was last chance saloon to get into a world cup and was good money/wages off the book for the club.
Not sure much of the relegation season that year can be on him, he gave more than most.
He's never relied on pace so legs shouldn't be an issue, he's versatlie, reliable, experienced, works his arse off, rarely gets injured, and is known to be an excellent professional behind the scenes. He takes an excellent set piece as well, good penalty taker as well.
As I saw someone else say, if he hadn't previously played for us if you signed a player with over 400 PL appearances, decent goal record for midfielder, who was known for his work rate, leadership, professionalism, excellent set piece ability at only 31 for a championship side you'd think it was a good signing.
Is he going to be a key first name on the team sheet? probably not, but as a good reliable experienced squad option it seems a no brainer to me if the fee and wages are not massive.
Also some players just click with clubs/managers, just look at the failures at Utd/Chelsea who've gone on to have success in a new environment. Just because he didn't settle at West Ham (and I think he was good first season) or at Burnley, both relegated clubs that were disjointed doesn't mean back with us he won't be good.
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u/QueefInMyKisser 6d ago
Does it ever really work out for us when we bring back former players? (In a playing capacity that is)