Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has warned it will be difficult to improve on their current Barclays Premier League campaign.
The Saints could secure Europa League qualification if results go their way on the season's final day this weekend, with Tottenham and Liverpool both in their sights and could be leapfrogged if Keoman's side get a better result away to second-place Manchester City.
Regardless of how their season ends it has been one to remember for the Saints, including an away win at Manchester United and an 8-0 home thrashing of Sunderland, and the former Feyenoord boss knows this could be as good as it gets.
"That's very difficult to improve on. It's more difficult to push up now than from 14th to eighth position in the table because we are fighting bigger teams who normally have more money to spend,” Koeman said.
"This season for Southampton has been incredible. One point behind Tottenham, two points behind Liverpool and to make the next step, I don't say it's impossible, but it's very, very difficult.
Southampton’s academy has built a reputation for blooding some of the best emerging young players in Europe over the last decade, and Koeman believes the youth system has been integral to the club’s success this season.
He added: "We will try and we have our own philosophy in the club and it is about young players and how we like to play football.
"That's the quality of Southampton - the structure of the club, the organisation of the team, the quality of the players, our academy. Where that finishes, I don't know.”
Koeman, who was short-listed for the Premier League manager of the season but lost out to Chelsea's Jose Mourinho, had a bumpy initiation following his appointment last summer with the exodus of several players, including Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana.
The Dutchman is bracing himself for a similar raid on his squad this summer, but reiterates nothing has changed concerning the futures of prized assets Nathaniel Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin.
"I expect everybody back in June. Last week I mentioned about the [contract] situation on Clyne, there is no update about that and Morgan still has a contract,” said the 52-year-old.
"I hope that everybody stays because it means we will have a good team for next season.
"I think it will be more stable than last year, that's for sure. We had so many changes in the team and I don't think that will happen again."
The Saints could secure Europa League qualification if results go their way on the season's final day this weekend, with Tottenham and Liverpool both in their sights and could be leapfrogged if Keoman's side get a better result away to second-place Manchester City.
Regardless of how their season ends it has been one to remember for the Saints, including an away win at Manchester United and an 8-0 home thrashing of Sunderland, and the former Feyenoord boss knows this could be as good as it gets.
"That's very difficult to improve on. It's more difficult to push up now than from 14th to eighth position in the table because we are fighting bigger teams who normally have more money to spend,” Koeman said.
"This season for Southampton has been incredible. One point behind Tottenham, two points behind Liverpool and to make the next step, I don't say it's impossible, but it's very, very difficult.
Southampton’s academy has built a reputation for blooding some of the best emerging young players in Europe over the last decade, and Koeman believes the youth system has been integral to the club’s success this season.
He added: "We will try and we have our own philosophy in the club and it is about young players and how we like to play football.
"That's the quality of Southampton - the structure of the club, the organisation of the team, the quality of the players, our academy. Where that finishes, I don't know.”
Koeman, who was short-listed for the Premier League manager of the season but lost out to Chelsea's Jose Mourinho, had a bumpy initiation following his appointment last summer with the exodus of several players, including Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana.
The Dutchman is bracing himself for a similar raid on his squad this summer, but reiterates nothing has changed concerning the futures of prized assets Nathaniel Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin.
"I expect everybody back in June. Last week I mentioned about the [contract] situation on Clyne, there is no update about that and Morgan still has a contract,” said the 52-year-old.
"I hope that everybody stays because it means we will have a good team for next season.
"I think it will be more stable than last year, that's for sure. We had so many changes in the team and I don't think that will happen again."
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