Kamaldeen Sulemana had his best game for Saints in 18 months, but the St Mary's faithful do not have the same faith in him as Ivan Juric seems to have, many would perhaps prefer Sam Amo-Ameyaw to be given a chance.

Ivan Juric seems to place a lot of faith in Kamaldeen Sulemana, with the Ghanian winger getting more game time on the pitch in the last 3 games under Juric, than he did in the previous 4 months under Russell Martin, however most would concur that his Premier League appearances under Juric were no better than those under Martin and that surely the time should be up for Sulemana in January.

There are plenty of rumours going around that Sulemana will be going with clubs in Italy & France being linked, but it seems that Juric has faith in the player after his performance against Swansea City as per his comments after that game to the Club's Official Website

“I am very happy with him,” Jurić said of Kamaldeen. “In these 20 days he’s worked hard – he was not in good shape but now he’s feeling better.

“I think he can give us a lot. Today he did well; a goal, an assist, and I think for him this is a new beginning."

That suggests that Saints will keep hold of Sulemana during this window, however if that is the case a players who has almost become the forgotten man at St Mary's, Sam Amo-Ameyaw is likely to be sent out on loan.

The 18 year old has played just 26 minutes Premier league football this season in 2 appearances as sub, 9 minutes at Newcastle on the opening day and then 17 minutes at Villa in Russell Martin's penultimate game in charge, he was an unused sub on another 7 occasions.

He didn't get much more time in the Carabao Cup, on the bench for two of the games, he started the first at Cardiff and then just 9 minutes against Stoke City.

This was surprising because in that game at Cardiff he played the whole 90 minutes and also scored a decent goal, yet he has barely featured since and under Juric he has not even made the bench.

That rankles with many Southampton fans who feel that he deserves a chance and up until the Swansea, even Amo-Ameyaw's contribution had been far greater than Sulemana's. yet the Ghanian was given chance after chance.

But it seems that Juric does not feel that he is up to it and prefers Sulemana, indeed another outcast seems to be Ryan Fraser who has not even made the squad in the last 3 games under Juric, two in the Premier League and the game against Swansea on Sunday.

After that game in the FA Cup Sulemana at last showed what he can do, perhaps the first real glimpse in over a year and clearly the player was not happy under Russell Martin, perhaps under a coach who believes in him, which from his comments Ivan Juric does, perhaps he can finally fulfil his undoubted potential.

Despite my misgivings that he can, I truly hope he does, I want all players who pull on a Southampton shirt to succeed and Sulemana or Onuachu for that matter are no exceptions.

But there comes a time when the excuses have to stop and the reality has to be taken into account, Sulemana has bought himself some time with his great performance against Swansea, but that was against a Championship side and a weakened one at that, he has to perform where it counts and that at that moment is in the Premier League, two match winning performances over the next four days or so would go a long way to getting the Saints fans clearly behind him.

Sam Amo-Ameyaw is still yet young, he will not turn 19 until July, from this perspective, perhaps it would be better to loan him out, rather than play him in a sinking ship in the Premier League that will sap his confidence.

Far better to play him out on loan with a good Championship side and then bring him back to St Mary's energised and ready to help Saints on the way to promotion.

All Photos Via Reuters

dirk_doone added 09:56 - Jan 15 Amo-Ameyaw could be the next Nathan Tella. We could loan him out to a Championship club, where he will undoubtedly do well, then sell him to a top European club, where he will win trophies. Another successful Southampton product. Job done.
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Bowlercow added 10:20 - Jan 15 Anyone we can get a reasonable fee for will be allowed to go in this window in order to accumulate funds for next seasons promotion push
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Block8 added 10:23 - Jan 15 Lets be honest both choices here are a bit of a gamble. Sulemana has ability but perhaps lacks confidence and a winger in Martins set up is merely a foil for the wing back! RM liked to sign wingers and then turn them into workhorses for the wing back system he preferred. So whilst we could sell him now, at a big loss financially, holding onto him will not affect that side too much. If he begins to fulfil the promise he had on arrival then all is good but if not we still sell him at a big loss? Amo-Ameyew perhaps is lacking in a bit of physicality and probably should have gone out in the summer. He needs real games under his belt and to build the strength to succeed in the mens game. It's noticeable in Diblings game that he runs out of steam a bit after 60/70 minutes and he is physically much more developed than Amo. Give him some game time & next season with experience and more strength he will shine!

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StRipper added 10:43 - Jan 15 If we have hopes for the future with AmoAmeyaw, why on earth wouldn't we give him the opportunity to get some Premier League experience now. And its hardly like we have much quality in the centre of our midfield, that the risk is too great to give him game time. Especially when we see how harmful the loaning out process has been to Ballard. Does it really benefit players to get kicked about in the lower leagues for a season or too???

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underweststand added 13:48 - Jan 15 Juric has never seen Sam play (but then again most fans have only seen a little more). This season he made one start in League Cup and had a few minutes more in later rounds, and a 15 minute spell at the back end of the game at Newcastle. Three games for U21 doesn't make this season's CV look any better. Admittedly, he had good spells last season, but then again so did a lot of others - at that level . Three games till the end of the month may give both Sam A-A and Sulemana chances to get minutes and impress - especially looking at the quality of the opposition. IF.. either of them steps up and DAJFU then it will be good for the players and the club. Sulemana may stay, and recover some of his enormous value, and Sam may get himself a good loan at a club and get experience in a league we may end up playing in-next season. I can't see him getting ahead of our "regulars " who are struggling in the Prem. at present.

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dirk_doone added 14:16 - Jan 15 I've seen Amo-Ameyaw play a few times and he's always looked good. He combines especially well with Tyler Dibling. He really deserves to start a few league games for us before the end of the season or he'll end up following the same route out of here as Nathen Tella so that another club benefits from his talent. Hopefully, Juric will give him a chance here.
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Monksway added 15:45 - Jan 15 Kamaldeen, Onuachu and ABK are all currently worth tuppence halfpenny if they can be offloaded. Maybe the plan is to play them in the forlorn hope that their value might rise sufficiently to get rid in the summer. Currently only Ramsdale, THB, Dibling and Fernandes will generate any transfer funds. For the rest it's about getting as much of their wages off the books before next season.

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