Benali's View...

From the Echo website...

Benali: Saints results no surprise
6:00am Monday 13th October 2008


DELL legend Francis Benali admits it’s “only fair” to expect Saints’ form and results to be so up and down.

Benali has been a regular watcher at St Mary’s this season in his new role of matchday ambassador in the club’s hospitality suites, writes SIMON CARTER.

“I’m enjoying it,” he said. “It would be nice if we could pick up a few more points, though.

“But the football is good to watch and it’s nice to see the young boys getting an opportunity.

“Adam Lallana has come on in leaps and bounds and it’s good that David McGoldrick and Drew Surman have established themselves as first team regulars.

“That’s been lovely to see – they are all young lads with a real affinity for the club having come up through the academy.

“If they can get through this season and they can all stay together, there is the potential to have some good times.

“But you could do with some older heads in there – the squad’s a bit top-heavy on youth rather than experience. It’s nice to watch the team going about trying to win in an attractive style, but it’s also important to win games too.”

Saints have yet to gain any real consistency this season, and Benali said nobody could expect anything else.

“It’s only fair to expect that,” he said. “The supporters and the players want to win games, but with so many youngsters you’re going to get ups and downs – especially in this league where there are so many physical teams.”

Outside of his St Mary’s commitments, Benali’s main footballing interest now concerns Dougland Under-16s, the team he coaches and which contains his son Luke.

Benali has spent the last four or five years coaching the same players and helping out on matchdays – through their Tyro League career and now into the City of Southampton Youth League.

“It’s something I really enjoy,”

said the man who played 312 Premiership matches for Saints and another 58 in cup competitions from the late 1980s until his retirement in 2004.

“I get a real buzz from coaching my son and the other lads. They’re all getting bigger and stronger now and they play some competitive matches. They’ve had a bit of success, some promotions, and it’s nice to pass on some of my knowledge.”


Your Say YourEchoUTS, says...
8:22am Mon 13 Oct 08
Not sure i would class benali as a 'legend'. That term is well overused these days. I think everyone would agree that Le Tiss was the last legend to play for Saints. Then we go back to Channon, Paine, Davies etc

They are 'proper' legends.


As for Benalis comments hes hardly going to be critical bearing in mind his role at St Marys !

His words dont reflect what numerous other well known ex saints players are saying ;)


LOWE & JUDAS OUT

I agree that Frannie is unlikely to bite the hand that feeds him. If he had played for another lifetime he would never have become a legend. We have had better backs than him at our club.