When Nicola Cortese left Southampton in January some of the players took to social media to express their disappointment. The departure of some of those players seemed inevitable. Similarly, Mauricio Pochettino’s exit was a certainty and sure enough that happened.

Saints have been a success story since Alan Pardew left them at the wrong end of League One just over four years ago. So for a well-loved chief executive, a manager, and so many good players to leave the club in the space of a few months constituted a meltdown.

My main philosophy in life has been applied by Southampton Football Cllub. It’s not the setbacks that are important – it’s how you respond to them.

Victor Wanyama (centre) is congratulated by his Southampton team-mates after scoring against Swansea

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman (second left) watches his side beat Swansea 1-0 at the Liberty

And the response at St Mary’s has been brilliant.

They paid a huge amount for Fraser Forster, but he has set about the task of proving himself in the Premier League superbly. Money spent on Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic reflects well on the club’s scouting system, the appointment of Ronald Koeman isn’t the cheap anonymous option some clubs take, and there is still a commitment to youth – academy product James Ward-Prowse has featured in every game this season, while fellow youngsters Matt Targett and Sam McQueen were on the bench on Saturday.

Quietly, with zero spotlight on her, Southampton owner Katharina Liebherr has gone about the business of continuing her late father’s commitment to the club.

Southampton owner Katharina Liebherr has the final say on everything that happens at the club

Swansea goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski can only look on as Wanyama scores to put Southampton ahead

Southampton's Steven Davis celebrates with Wanyama after the final whistle on Saturday

The Southampton FC website states that she is the ultimate controlling party of St Mary’s Football Group Ltd. In other words Ms Liebherr has the final say on everything that happens at the club. She has sailed them through the choppy waters of massive change and led them out the other side. So far so good for Saints, let’s see how the season works out.

In an era of egomaniacs buying football clubs, picking teams for managers, and earning a fortune out of our clubs, Katharina Liebherr deserves a huge amount of credit. She’s not only preserving the legacy of her father, she is making a lot of Southampton fans very happy.