Will Smallbone hopes he can help Saints move on from the likes of Gareth Bale and Luke Shaw after signing a new four-year deal. The 20-year-old joined the club’s famed academy aged just eight and looked up to the likes of Champions League winner Bale, defender Shaw and fellow midfielder James Ward-Prowse. But after developing a string of top-flight players in years gone by, Saints believe Smallbone can lead the future generation of stars. And the St Mary’s youngster has the same ambition.
Will Smallbone said “That’s the dream, As you come through the academy you are looking up to them and other players. But now it’s time for us to push on and create our own legacy. Now I’ve got everything sorted off the pitch it means I can just focus on playing football. I want to focus on improving where I’ve been told to improve and then just push on from there. I think he (ralph hasenhüttl) can help me push on a lot because he’s the one who gave me the chance to join in with the first team training. I really like the philosophy he’s brought in and I think over the next few years we can go on and achieve some good things.”
