Finn Azaz Looking To Experienced Saints Coach To Regain Form Friday, 10th Oct 2025 08:51 When Finn Azaz arrived at St Mary's he arrived with a big reputation earned at Plymouth Argyll & Middlesbrough for scoring and creating goals, however his Saints career has not yet ignited, but he is taking tips from a St Mary's legend. There are some Southampton fans who have never forgiven Adam Lallana for the way he left the club in the summer of 2014 for Liverpool and have questioned the wisdom of appointing him to his first coaching role after his retirement in the summer. But one man who doesn't seem to agree with that viewpoint is summer signing Finn Azaz who sees Lallana as a key part of his development as a player and succeeding at Saints. Speaking to the Daily Echo Azaz had this to say about the way that the Southampton coach is helping him. "We've started building a really good relationship. Obviously, he's played in a similar position at the highest level "I've been asking him for advice and a few little tips that he can give me to try and make me a better player. There's no one better to learn from, really. "And in terms of on the pitch, we've just had a conversation to say if there's any spaces which he sees on the sideline that I might not be seeing on the pitch, he can tell me. "Or if there is anything tactically, just because he's able to see it from outside. We're starting to have a really good understanding of that. He's got so much experience and quality that I can learn from."
In many respects Azaz is a similar player to Lallana, in his 235 League games for Saints in his first spell at the club he scored 48 goals spread across 3 divisions as Saints first dropped down to League One from the Championship and then as they secured back to back promotions to the Premier League, at times from a central position and at others in a more wide role. Azaz also went on to say that his versatility would help him be a big success at St Mary's: "I would say it's the adaptability, It doesn't always need to be through the middle, on the left, or on the right. It's quite fluid. "For example, against Boro, my actual position was more on the right, but I was allowed to kind of drift and find those spaces where they might turn up. "We had an idea, but you never know. The game might change; they [the opposition] might change shape during the game, so, it's been very varied. "It hasn't been one or the other and I wouldn't kind of say, 'Oh, yeah, through the middle is my best', because I'm able to adapt as well.”
Many Saints fans see Azaz as the natural successor to Mateus Fernandes after his departure to West Ham and the player himself seems to agree. "I was brought in to be that creative link between the defence and attack and to turn some really good play between the boxes into goals, "Also, to help us build and to have that free role to help us build as well. That's what I was brought in to do, and that's what I'll keep trying to do. "Like I say, I've got a lot of freedom to figure that out on the pitch, which I pride myself on my ability to do that. Me and the manager have spoken about that. “He's given me a lot of freedom to do that, which is really refreshing, and I've really enjoyed that because every game is different as well. "I'm really confident that with this team and the club and the staff, we're going to turn these draws into wins and climb up the table." Those who have questioned Lallana's lack of coaching experience when he was appointed to the coaching position a few months ago, were failing to take into account his playing experience and it seems that this is now coming to the fore and hopefully Finn Azaz and perhaps another player or two will benefit from this.
In many respects Finn Azaz's career has mirrored Lallana's, after joining Aston Villa as a youth team player from West Brom, he spent time out on loan, as did Lallana when he spent time at Bournemouth. He has made his reputation firstly in the lower Leagues as did Lallana, whose true breakthrough year came in 2009/10, his second full season in the first team when he scored 17 League goals in the first season of Markus Liebherr's takeover of the club. That was when Lallana was aged 21 a similar age to Azaz was when he joined Newport County on loan and played against Saints when they drubbed the Welsh club 8-0 on their own ground in the League cup, Azaz started that game but came off at half time.
He will now be hoping that his career at St Mary's continues to mirror his now mentor, Lallana finally made it into the Premier League in 2012 at the age of 24, if Saints can gain promotion this season, then Azaz will hopefully play his first top flight game in August 2026 at the age of 25. In that first season in the Premier League there were many Saints fans who questioned his ability to step up to that level, indeed many thought that Ricky Lambert might struggle as well, but on both accounts they were proved wrong. Azaz has already proven his class at Championship level, if he can now repeat that form at Southampton going forward then he will have a very good chance of emulating his mentor and represent Southampton in the Premier League next season. All Photos Via Reuters Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.
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