A Premier League winner who was on the books at Southampton between 1999 and 2001 has opened up on the club that revived his career after a disappointing spell on the south coast.
Southampton were an established Premier League club at the turn of the millennium, owing much to the repeated heroics of Matt Le Tissier.
That is exactly what they are looking to become again now, with Russell Martin the manager looking to cement the club’s Premier League status after a year in the Championship.
The Southampton boss has seen his chances of doing that increased with the arrival of seven signings already this summer.
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The club will be hoping each new player will be a success but that is not always the case, as current Fulham assistant manager Luis Boa Morte can attest.
Luis Boa Morte claims Southampton didn’t ‘count on him’
Boa Morte forged a decent career after leaving Southampton in 2001, but his move from Arsenal in 1999 did not work out as hoped.
Having been a bit-part player in a Premier League-winning Arsenal side under Arsene Wenger, Boa Morte arrived at the Saints hoping to become a regular starter in England’s top flight.
However, it did not pan out that way as Boa Morte played just 17 games before being allowed to join second tier Fulham on loan a year after signing.
There, the Portugal man helped the Cottagers to promotion before being signed permanently, ending his short Southampton stay with just one goal.
Now the 46-year-old coach has opened up on is career to O Jogo, where he immediately replied ‘ Fulham’ when asked which club had the most impact on him.
The former left midfielder went on to explain why, as well as reveal he did not feel valued at Southampton, as he said: “That’s where I had the most influence, although at Arsenal I won the Premier League, the Cup and the Super Cup.
“But Fulham says a lot to me: for the promotion, for everything I’ve been through and for having created a connection with the club and the fans. It was very important in my growth as a player and a man.
“They believed in me when I didn’t count for Southampton.”
Boa Morte will be reunited with Southampton this season
Boa Morte would go on to make 250 appearances for Fulham before moving to West Ham United in January 2007.
With 28 caps for Portugal, perhaps Southampton were too quick to disregard Boa Morte.
Fulham have been good to Boa Morte and he has continued his story with the West London club as assistant manager to Marco Silva.
He will have to wait for his opportunity to get one over his former employers, as Southampton and Fulham are not scheduled to face each other until they meet at Craven Cottage on 21st December.