"?This week saw Everton all but confirm Ronald Koeman as their new manager in an ambitious move that will likely deal a huge blow to Southampton and their future ambitions.
The imminent departure of the Dutch manager cannot be underestimated at St Mary's, particularly since the past season saw Koeman lead his side to a sixth place finish with 63 points, to complete their best ever finish in the division.
In a season where at no point did anyone really speak of Southampton as being a threat or a force, they managed to finish above Liverpool and West Ham and just three points off the top four places.
Koeman similarly impressed in the 2014/15 campaign, securing a seventh place finish with 60 points in the league, which was another best at the time and an all round successful season.
Of course, Koeman isn't the first manager that has been whisked away from the Saints; Mauricio Pochettino left for Spurs back in 2014 after a fruitful year and a half with the team at St Mary's.
In his first full season in the Premier League, he led them to eighth which was the best ever finish and points tally at the time.
However, just like Koeman he opted for the exit door seeing better opportunities elsewhere.
It is not only managers that the Southampton fans have had to see depart over the last few years, but also a mass of talented players who have jumped ship citing their intention to progress and win trophies.
The year that Pochettino left there was a mass exodus of players who followed him out the door leaving behind what looked a very frail side.
Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren all headed for Anfield while both full-backs Callum Chambers and Luke Shaw left for Arsenal and Manchester United respectively.
Somehow Ronald Koeman took over and managed to bring his side to their highest ever finish in the Premier League at the time but another poor summer followed in 2015 and things looked ominous again.
Nathaniel Clyne headed off to join the trio who left for Liverpool the season before and maybe most importantly, Toby Alderweireld opted to join Spurs instead of Southampton after his loan spell.
Now with Ronald Koeman leaving this summer there could be an exodus similar to that of when Pochettino left, with Sadio Mane, Shane Long and Victor Wanyama all having been linked with moves away.
Southampton have been fortunate in the past two or three seasons that they have recruited so well and their managers have been so good but that luck won't keep going forever.
Somehow an Everton side that finished eleventh were able to prize away their manager, despite the Saints finishing just three points outside the top four.
Why do Southampton roll over & have their bellies tickled every time? You finished 6th, stand up for yourselves & show some ambition!
The south coast club need to be more ambitious; they have been so close to something huge these past few season but they keep going back each summer and making it near impossible to bridge the gap to the top four.
Indeed, the board must spend big this summer to make an impression that they mean business and show the ambition that would make players like Mane and Long want to stay and accomplish incredible feats.
If not and they keep going on like they are, we are likely to see them slowly descent back to being a mid table team and maybe even further.