Southampton sent clear message over Johannes Spors exit fear - "might not be as bad as everyone thinks" | OneFootball

FLW's Southampton Fan Pundit Martin has given his thoughts on the future of technical director Johannes Spors.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Southampton technical director Johannes Spors is reportedly being eyed up by German side VfL Wolfsburg.

Wolfsburg announced that sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz had been relieved of his duties over the international break, alongside manager Paul Simonis.

Kicker reports that the club have made contact with Spors over the vacant role, though no official talks have begun yet.

Southampton are beginning to kick into gear after a poor start to the season, and Saints Fan Pundit Martin Sanders believes that the club have to keep hold of Spors, and bring an end to the conveyor belt behind the scenes at St Mary's.

Claim made as Wolfsburg eye Southampton director Johannes Spors

"We need stability," said Martin, when asked what his view would be on the future of Spors.

"It would be better if he stayed. We keep going through people on the sporting side of the club - you go back to Joe Shields, who was here for five minutes before he left for Chelsea. Jason Wilcox came in and went to Manchester United. Rasmus Ankersen made a meal out of it; now we have Johannes Spors doing it. You just can't keep chopping and changing, at any club," said Martin.

Wolfsburg sit 15th in the Bundesliga standings, with both manager Paul Simonis and sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz departing over the international break. The Wolves have continued to fall flat since their European push fell flat under ex-Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhüttl last term.

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The Volkswagen Group have poured money into the club across recent years, with little to no return to show for it. Spors is now among the candidates to lead the club in a new direction, alongside Hannover 96's Marcus Mann, who could make the Lower Saxony switch.

While Southampton did start the campaign poorly, their recent form under Tonda Eckert has completely shifted the mood around the club, with multiple summer signings beginning to shine at St Mary's.

"A few weeks ago, people were looking at Spors' signings and saying that they were terrible. Now you look at them: Scienza, Fellows, Azaz and Jander, who are all coming good, it might not be as bad as everyone thinks," Martin concluded.

A return home could be tempting for Johannes Spors - Southampton would miss him

Everyone associated with Southampton this term has been given one task: guide the club back to the Premier League.

After a slow start to the term under Will Still, the Saints are flying with four wins out of four - the last two against Charlton and Leicester being particularly convincing.

There has been a noticeable German influence on the club's resurgence. Interim boss Tonda Eckert has been joined by Caspar Jander and Brazilian winger Leo Scienza, the latter arriving from Bundesliga side Heidenheim. Both have played key roles in the uptick in form, alongside Finn Azaz and Tom Fellows, who also came in under the same recruitment direction.

Graduating from Heidelberg University, Spors took on an analyst role at local club TSG Hoffenheim in 2007, before leaving Sinsheim to join RB Leipzig as a scout in 2015. He went on to work with giants Hamburg in 2018 before various spells in different roles abroad.

The chance to return home and be given a significant role at Wolfsburg could be tempting.

Further context is needed when assessing the pull of Wolfsburg. Owned by Volkswagen, they are one of two Bundesliga clubs exempt from the 50+1 rule, which requires member/supporter majority ownership of football clubs - essentially preventing outside investment from unassociated parties.

Founded as a workers' club in 1950, long before the rule's introduction in 1998, Wolfsburg and Bayer Leverkusen were granted exemptions due to their history and significance.

While the club have not picked up silverware since their DFB-Pokal win in 2015, and Bundesliga triumph in 2009, they remain an appealing project. Backed by Volkswagen's resources, the Wolves operate with a financial power few in the league can match.

This could be an attractive prospect for Spors, who would get the chance to lead one of Germany's most financially equipped clubs into a new era.

He has only just arrived on the South Coast, but his recruitment has proven fantastic in recent weeks, and for a club desperate for stability after several turbulent years, Spors is someone that Southampton will not want to lose at any cost.