Jennings would relish England boss gaining 'work experience'

Academy director Huw Jennings, pictured above, was talking in the wake of this week's shock revelations that England's rugby World Cup winning coach Clive Woodward could have a future at St Mary's.

Reports suggest that Sir Clive could be fast-tracked into a role with the national Football Association - using Saints, whom he has visited several times recently and whose chairman Rupert Lowe is a friend, as 'work experience' en route.

No formal link-up could take place until next September, though it is possible Woodward could still visit Saints in an 'advistory' role.

Saints fan and former Olympic athlete Roger Black, who like Woodward is employed as a 'motivational' speaker to businesses, has already given Lowe's brainchild of involving Sir Clive his backing.

And Jennings is convinced that in today's cut-and-thrust world of Premiership football, where sometimes the difference between success and failure can be remarkably small, Saints have nothing to lose and everything to gain from listening to someone like Woodward.

"Here you have someone who has reached the pinnacle of excellence in their chosen field," said Jennings.

"It would be wrong of us not to take on board some of his advice.

We can always benefit and learn from others.

"In this day and age we have to look at every opportunity we can to improve our chances of success.

"If that can be achieved by looking at unconventional training methods, then that's something for the chairman and the board to consider.

"As I said, Clive Woodward has reached the pinnacle of achievement in his sport.

"If we can't learn something from someone like him then I would be surprised."

The notion of someone with a rugby background actively involved in regular contact with Premiership footballers has stunned sections of Saints fans - with former players and managers also sceptical.

But Jennings believes everyone with Saints' best interests at heart should open their minds to the benefits of any long-term involvement with Sir Clive.

"Clive was very interesting to talk to, he's clearly very interested in football, he's intelligent, he's focussed and he wants to learn," said Jennings.

"There's been a massive amount of change in recent years with regard to people who have come into football clubs to pass on their experience.

"I'm thinking in terms of diet, nutrition, sports psychologists - and also in terms of technical training.

"It's very important we try to learn from people with expertise.

"I know Henrik Pedersen at Bolton has been seeing an expert who teaches tai-chai and has admitted it's helped him.

"I also know of clubs that have brought in kick-boxers to help with players' flexibility.

"And a lot of footballers do more swimming these days as part of their rehabilitation from injury than they used to.

"So using people from other sports has been going on for years - it's only because this story has attracted a lot of attention hat it's perceived as being something out of the ordinary.

Jennings added: "I think describing Sir Clive coming down here in the future as 'work experience' is a good way to put it. He's keen to learn as much as possible and hopefully we could help him.

"It's always good to get away from your surroundings and experience how others do things.

"Last year I went to Sweden to see how their academy structures work and I've also been to Finland, Italy, Poland and Australia.

"It's imperative that I give myself the greatest appreciation possible of how people do things elsewhere to make me succeed at Southampton.

"If Sir Clive Woodward has that sort of opportunity to do that here, I would say it will benefit him - whether he sticks to rugby in the future or goes into football.

"It would be great if the football word could open its boundaries more in order to give the next generation a better chance of succeeding."

Jennings is aware the likes of Mike Channon and Alan Ball have greeted news of Woodward's dealings with Saints with raised eyebrows and remarked: "I have the greatest of respect for those who have played in the past and I wouldn't want to comment on what they have said.

"But I would say we have to take what opportunities we can.

"In the future players will have increasing demands, both physical and mental, and they will want to know their club is doing as much as they can to give them the best chance of succeeding.

"Football has changed so much in recent years. The increasing amount of foreigners in the English game has helped us to embrace different cultures - then there's been the increase in using people from outside football like dieticians and masseurs.

"We have used sports psychologists on an advisory basis, there's never been a full-time person employed.

"With regard to sports psychologists, there's been a lot of rubbish talked. But if they are being used it must be in a way that the players see the value of - but that's not a comment on anything Sir Clive might or might not have done.

"This football club has come a long way in the last five years - we now have things like our own radio station, a stadium that is used seven days a week, a place where you can get married and where you can probably have your ashes strewn over the pitch. It's like a 'cradle to the grave' scenario in a business model.

"We have fantastic new training facilities at Marchwood, an indoor astro-turf pitch, new changing rooms, new gym."

Supporters also remain sceptical as to how long Wigley will be given in his new role as head coach, but Jennings said: I think those that imagine Sir Clive is suddenly going to be employed as a coach will find that's not the case.

"Steve Wigley is the head coach and you will find that's not a short-term appointment, it's very much a long-term one and I for one am encouraged that whatever structure is put in place around him will take the club forward."