John on the topscorers list - 01/02/08

Striker Stern John continued to bang in the goals for Southampton as he helped them to a 1-1 raw with Ipswich Town in the Championship Division on Saturday.

John is now second on the list of goalscorers in the English Championship Division. The former Coventry man notched his 14^th goal of the season on Saturday when he put Southampton ahead in the 51^st minute against Ipswich Town, beating  two defenders before slotting home. The goal wasn’t enough though as his team had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Ipswich Town before 23,000 fans. The result left Southampton on 40 points two places above the relegation zone. In the Premiership, Kenwyne Jones got in a full 90 for Sunderland but he squandered a couple chances on goal in the 0-0 draw with Derby County. Dwight Yorke nor Carlos Edwards were in the Sunderland team.

John is on a high now being second on the scorers list in the League behind West Brom’s Kevin Phillips (16 goals) with Jamaican Ricardo Fuller of Stoke City and Crystal Palace’s Clinton Morrison  also on fourteen strikes.

 “I’m enjoying my football and I think my form is pretty good at the moment but we are not getting the results that we need at the moment,” John said n Saturday after the goalscoring performance.

 “The other teams will catch up and we don’t want to be battling to avoid relegation. The new manager (Nigel Pearson) has not come here  with too much of experience but I think his organization is great and he is preparing the team in way which is making us hard to be beaten. But we are not holding off for the win and we need to find a way around that.

 “When I came to Southampton I felt there was a good chance of promotion but now we are facing a different battle but I’ve been in this League for a few years and I’m not counting anything out. In a couple weeks everything can be turned around. I’m just glad that my form is good at the moment and hopefully I can get a few goals more before the season ends.”

 On the international side, John said it is important that T&T head coach Francisco Maturana has a wide selection to choose from.

 “I think it especially important for the players outside to be playing and in good touch because the coach has to be able to make the right decision and he must have options to do that. I’m always one for progress and I want to be part of it. But if it means that he has to continue looking at players then so be it. I will be available for the important games once they need me and there are some games which some of the other players can get a chance to show their worth and try to also help the team on the road to the next World Cup in South Africa,” John added.