They were Saints and winners, men who used their time at Southampton to secure results, enhance their reputations and secure employment at bigger clubs. Ronald Koeman and Mauricio Pochettino meet on Saturday as proof that eye-catching exploits in a provincial setting can attract the attention of the big-city clubs.
Everton against Tottenham is a clash of Southampton's past, but one that will shape their own futures. For Koeman, it is a competitive debut, for Pochettino, the first chance to answer the question if he can turn progress into an annual occurrence at White Hart Lane. For the Merseysiders, there is the hope that history could repeat itself some 200 miles further north, that a manager introduced to the English game at St Mary's could illustrate that his skills are transferable at his next destination.