Iconic Southampton finisher Rickie Lambert has revealed an anecdote from his playing days to justify the decision-maker's odd Adam Lallana verdict.
The last day of June is upon us which will mark the end of the financial year in the European football landscape. Well, it's pointless discussing the flaws and fumbles of the previous season but one decision on Southampton's part needs to be talked about more.
As the dust starts to settle over the Saints' manager bloopers, the fact they refreshed their entire coaching spots except Adam Lallana's has mostly gone unnoticed. I know, Calum McFarlane would have made the cut too but very little can be done when a Premier League's top-three club comes calling.
Plus, factor in the Ruben Selles non-retention from a couple of years ago, it's definitely odd to secure the services of a dressing room number two instead of preferring to keep the last senior team manager. Who knows, maybe Ruben Selles might have been leading the Saints all these years with Lallana-level backing from the board?
Lallana's result driven ideology can improve Saints English status
This debate can simply go on but St. Mary's hero Rickie Lambert has put forward a valid argument in Lallana's defence.
Pointing to Southampton's prolonged points securing issues, the Daily Echo quoted Lambert's comments on BBC Radio Solent: "We were struggling to get a point on the board, and we had a meeting. He confronted the coaching staff about the way we were playing."
Well, it can be assumed that star players might easily rally the underperforming roster but doing it as a player turned mentor in a short amount of time is indeed genius.
Even now, it feels surreal to acknowledge that the twelfth hard-fought point came in front of the then-defending Premier League champions Manchester City and Lallana played a great hand in that. Let's hope that Lallana keeps this reputation intact down the road.