As predicted on this site on Saturday Josh Sims has returned to New York Red Bulls on loan until 30th June with an option for the American team to extend the loan, could this spell the end for the Wingers Saints career.

Josh Sims will be returning to the States for another 6 month loan with New York Red Bulls and as reported on Saturday this will mean he will have kicked his heels for four months after the season ended for him back in October and he was unable to play for Saints till the loan deal officially ended on January 1st.

But it seems like he didn't do anything to suggest to Ralph Hasenhuttl that he was worth adding to the squad and if NYRB exercise the option to extend the deal then he will be in the same situation as he was at the end of 2019, returning to Saints and unable to sign or play for anyone till January.

So this looks the end for him at St Mary's he will turn 23 in March and aside from his spell in the MLS he has not established himself as a first team contender either at St Mary's or at Reading where he had an aborted loan spell.

Sims has had several explosive moments for Saints, notably his debut against Everton in 2016, his part in putting through Shane Long at Anfield to secure our Wembley cup final spot and of course his games against Spurs and Wolves at St Mary's last season.

But he has never been able to build on these, the four managers he played under did not see fit to place their trust in him long term despite these highlights and he started only 4 games for Saints in the Premier League with 16 as sub in over 3 years since his debut.

So it looks like the end for Josh in his Saints career, at his age he should have pushed on by now and proved his worth, He is essentially a year older now then when Nathan Redmond signed for Saints, at 22 Redmond had played 112 games for Norwich in both the Chamionship and the Premier League and another 62 games for Birmingham in the Championship, by the time he was Sims age he had played 37 Premier League games scoring 7 goals.

This highlights the gulf in the two players and where Sims should be now if he had fulfilled his early potential, I am disappointed I had hoped he would have a long career at St Mary's, but the fact is this further loan spell not to a club where he would gain experience in England, but a club in the USA and a league that is totally differnet in style to our League's suggests the club have written him off as a potential first team regular now.

Harsh words that some Saints fans will not like and possibly disagree with, but the evidence is there to plainly see.

But it seems that he is now well down the pecking order for a place out wide with Redmond, Djenepo, Boufal, Armstrong and even James Ward Prowse ahead of him, there doesn't seem to be a route forward for him now.

Photo: Action Images

bstokesaint added 06:32 - Jan 23 Shame. He always looked to have decent potential.
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underweststand added 07:32 - Jan 23 Josh Sims is one of the "mid 1990's age group" who never quite established themselves at the higher level. Josh isn't alone as the likes of; Reed, Hesketh, Gallagher, McQueen, Targett and Barnes all DAJF the U23's, but failed to make the move uo to first team squad (JWP and Stephens were luckier) and at a time when we were more concerned with thoughts of European football than the Prem. drop zone. It's a difficult for someone who hasn't made the breakthrough yet, perhaps not because they weren't good enough but that the resident first teamer was an automatic choice. I feel particularly sad about Josh's case because he had good games in those matches he featured in, but with Shane Long still in good form, it's difficult to see him coming in yet. There may be some light at the end of the tunnel as Josh will be getting game time, and may well be a good standby/replacement when Shane eventually hangs up his boots. Good luck to him.

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