With the former England manager have come new methods and attitudes players have responded not least Beattie and results are following

With the former England manager have come new methods and attitudes; players have responded, not least Beattie, and results are following. Southampton are unbeaten in five and look set to finish in the top 10 of the Premiership for the first time in more than a decade.Small wonder, then, that Beattie is happy with the Southampton set-up. “You only have to look at our performances to see what the gaffer’s been doing here,” he says. “He’s spoken to us individually and given us bits of advice to help us improve Most importantly, he’s changed our way of thinking He’s instilled a belief that we can improve. It has taken a while, but we’re starting to believe in ourselves.”Not that it is all down to Hoddle himself.

Having famously employed the faith- healing skills of Eileen Drury, Hoddle has now employed a motivational guru, John Syer, at The Dell. “John’s a team- builder,” says Beattie of the man who has worked with a number of American football clubs “He keeps us focused on the tasks that lie ahead. He’s good and I think his methods are working.”In many ways, Beattie’s new-found confidence is a microcosm of the club’s shift in fortune. On Friday, training was fun yet serious; measured yet intense. Hoddle and Gorman mucked in, Stuart Ripley was back after his loan spell with Barnsley and even Matt Le Tissier looked fit.

“Glenn Hoddle has that kind of effect on people,” Beattie says “When he talks, players listen. You can tell everyone wants to play for him.”Hoddle’s talk has certainly been good for Beattie. Having spent the best part of last season in the infirmary, the 20-year-old was in need of some cajoling Hoddle offered him his own brand of TLC – an ultimatum. “You’re not my first- choice striker, but if you get your chance, make sure you’re ready to take it, was what the gaffer told me,” Beattie recalls.