After a week of rumour after rumour about Ronald Koeman and his move to Everton the media has either grown bored, run out of leaked stories or something is amiss with the deal.
A week ago the press went big on the story that Ronald Koeman was off to Everton, fuelled by leaks from both Koeman's agent and the former Arsenal employees now working for new Everton shareholder Moshiri at Goodison Park, the media were convinced that Koeman would be Everton manager by Friday evening, then Saturday morning, then definitely Saturday evening when Koeman's agent said the deal was done, then perhaps not Sunday morning but Sunday evening after his agent retracted his previous statement, then certainly Monday before Koeman went on Holiday.
On Tuesday it was announced that Saints and Everton had agreed terms, that was for a whole hour before the Toffee's themselves announced that they hadn't.
By Wednesday the media had stopped speculating, suggesting either their is a hiccup in the deal or it is about to happen, certainly though something is holding it up and it is unsure whether it is Koeman himself, Saints in their demands or if the Toffee's are getting cold feet.
Whatever the reason no one seems to be briefing the media and most of the attention surrounding Saints seems to be regarding Frank De Boer and his imminent arrival at St Mary's not the departure of his perhaps to be predecessor.
One good thing is that Eddie Howe seems to be ruling himself out of the job whic is a little bit like me announcing that I am not interested in being the singer in U2 should Bono leave.
So what is happening ?
Some are saying that Saints should be taking the lead here and making a statement, but the truth is there is little to say, the club are paying it right at the moment, not commenting on after all what is only speculation, of course as Saints have not agreed compensation with the Merseyside club and given permission for Koeman's agent to meet with them, this meeting cannot have happened so how can Saints comment on it.
Saints supporters should trust in the club to get things right, the people demanding a statement are the same ones who in the next breath will berate Les Reed for making a statement 3 weeks ago that new contract talks were going well.
So in the current situation it is best to let matters take their course and trust the club to get it right, after all they have done over the past two years.
Ignore the press speculatio, most of it is just that speculation rehashed and rehashed again from stories with little substance.
If you want to read between the lines then look at what the Echoare saying and Adam Blackmore of Radio Solent, they are the journalists closest to the club, any message the club want to get out will come via these channels at the moment as in the story that Dusan Tadic for instance will be likely to stay and that that only one member of the squad has any real loyalty to Koeman.
All will become clear in the next couple of days, but the club appear to be preparing for every possibility and they are not being brow beaten by Everton hence the fact that no agreement has been reached, it will be on Saints terms and Saints terms only, otherwise the deal will not happen with the club prepared to pay Koeman to spend a year on gardening leave for the remainder of his contract if neccessary.
Southampton are now a well run and strong club, much stronger than we were two years ago.