It's Caddis - hard to believe it's not Scholes

Article by e-Birmingham's Rob Wildey

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Many times, he has been berated for playing a player (or six) out of position, but moving Paul Caddis into central midfield could be a Lee Clark master stroke. The Blues manager says, and quite rightly so, that Caddis has‘been a revelation’ in the middle of the park.

Unheard of in these parts before he signed from Swindon Town, initially on loan, the Scot made a name for himself by scoring the equaliser at Bolton, the goal which kept the club in the Championship in the 93rdminute of the final game of the season. Ironically, it was the first time he has scored using his head. Caddis has scored some important goals this season, and his brace at Barnsley back in November saw the start of ‘his’ song.

‘Woh woh woh it’s Caddis, you know, hard to believe it’s not Scholes’.

The 26 year-old may be some way away from the great Scholes himself, but the recognition he has gained through a song was gratefully received. Another reason why I see this as a master stroke is because Caddis isn't the best defender in the world. His main strengths were his ability to overlap and cross; both attributes of a forward thinking player. Against Bolton, his forward runs, work rate and invention was a constant thorn in Bolton’s side and if you were a neutral, you never would have guessed that e was out of position.

Can Caddis make a midfield slot his own? I can’t see any reason why not. He has energy, good distribution and an eye for goal. Certainly if Blues can get Neal Eardley back fit, then Caddis may be able to call himself a fully fledged midfielder! If not, Jonathan Spector will have to play at right back…god help us.

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Southampton MUST keep hold of young talent

Article by Tony Gillies

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Luke Shaw linked with a move to Manchester United or Chelsea. Adam Lallana begs Southampton to allow him to move to Liverpool. Calum Chambers being scouted by Arsenal.

Here we go again, the amazing work of the Southampton Academy is set to lose two more of its talents to 'bigger' clubs. Nothing new some of you may be thinking but when are these clubs who pride themselves upon finding raw talent within this country, building them up through the ranks until they earn their first caps for their countries, then it seems perfect time for them to cash in. From a business point of view who can blame Southampton for wanting to cash in on these up and coming stars? But as a fan of football, I would like to see Southampton take a stand and ignore all interest and keep hold of these players. If they can keep churning out these players why can't they keep hold of them and build a team that can challenge for major honours?

As a Manchester United supporter I'd love to see Luke Shaw in United Red but I also believe teams who do the right thing by promoting youngsters and giving them a chance should fight for them and say no. Let's be honest Southampton were no worse than us last season and if I'm brutally honest they probably deserved to finish above us and if they keep hold of these players and buy a couple more to improve the team why can't they push on in a few years and challenge for the top 4? Imagine if they had kept hold of Theo Walcott, Oxlade Chamberlain and Gareth Bale I would have no doubt they would already be challenging the top boys of the English game.

Let's use West Ham United in the late 90's early 00's as an example. Imagine if they had kept hold of the English talent they sold to 'bigger' clubs. Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Frank Lampard and Jermaine Defoe all have been a massive part of the England squad for the last decade or so, all have won major honours in England, league titles, FA Cups and League Cups. Rio, Carrick and Lampard all were getting their hands on the Champions League trophy. If they had kept that team of youngsters together and built around them, I have no doubt that West Ham would have won trophies and I have no doubt would have participated in the Champions League, a lot of you may chuckle at the idea but who knows what could have been?

Let's take a look at the flip side, Manchester United, the class of 92. I don't need to sit here and harp on about what these players have won but could you imagine if Sir Alex had decided to cash in on Beckham, Scholes, Butt, the Neville brothers? We wouldn't have dominated the English game for as long as we did if we had cashed in. We built teams around experience and youth and look at what we achieved. So why can the same be done at Southampton? Or has football really turned into that much of a business that clubs don't want to be that successful just so their bank balances look healthy? If this is the case, the top 6 or 7 teams will never finish lower than that in my life time because we are all being drip fed quality youngsters from the teams below us all? Who seem scared to want to achieve, if you have the foundations for a great team, why not build on them?

I just don't want Southampton to look back and think of what could have been if they had kept hold of Bale, Walcott, Chamberlain, Shaw, Lallana, Chambers etc. It's time for a team to stand up and tell these clubs where to go, so why can't it start now with Southampton?

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