Premier League club Southampton sack manager Ralph Hasenhuttl
Southampton have sacked their manager
Ralph Hasenhuttl in the wake of Sunday's 4-1 home defeat by Newcastle.
Hasenhuttl, who was appointed in
December 2018, departs with the club in the Premier League relegation zone with
12 points after 14 games.
Southampton last won at Bournemouth on
19 October in what is their only win from the past nine matches.
"We now believe it is an
appropriate time to make a change," said a statement from the south coast
club.
First team coach Ruben Selles will take
charge for Wednesday's Carabao Cup third round home game against League One
side Sheffield Wednesday.
Scoring goals has been a particular
problem for Hasenhuttl's side and the 55-year-old Austrian bemoaned his players
wasting opportunities against Newcastle.
Afterwards he said he was not concerned
about the risk of losing his job, but the Saints board have decided to act
before the midweek EFL Cup game and Saturday's trip to Liverpool. It is their
final game before the Premier League breaks for the World Cup, which runs from
20 November to 18 December.
Southampton added that Hasenhuttl had
departed "having made a significant contribution to the club, overseeing
some memorable results and also playing a key role in the development of our
club infrastructure, identity and playing squad".
The Saints "will be announcing a
permanent replacement in due course".
Hasenhuttl has become the fifth Premier
League manager to be sacked so far this season.
Scott Parker, Bruno Lage, Thomas Tuchel
and Steven Gerrard were dismissed by Bournemouth , Wolverhampton Wanderers,
Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively, while Graham Potter left Brighton to take
over as Chelsea boss.
Hasenhuttl
highs and lows
Former RB Leipzig manager Hasenhuttl
succeeded Mark Hughes as Saints boss with the club 18th in the Premier League
and guided them to safety at the end of that season.
His first full season in charge saw them
finish 11th in a campaign disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, before a
15th-placed finish in 2020-21.
During that season, Southampton were top
of the Premier League for the first time ever when they led on goal difference
after eight games.
In January 2021, Hasenhuttl cut an
emotional figure as he enjoyed a victory against defending champions Liverpool.
However, in February that year,
Southampton were beaten 9-0 by Manchester United. It was the second defeat by
that margin during his time at the club, having lost to Leicester by the same
scoreline in October 2019.
After a stuttering start last season a
winter revival saw them rise to as high as ninth in February, but they lost
nine and won just one of their final 12 matches to slump to 15th.
The club responded by reshuffling
Hasenhuttl's coaching team over the summer, with Kelvin Davis, Dave Watson and
Craig Fleming all leaving St Mary's.
They also brought in numerous players,
including goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, striker Sekou Mara, midfielder Joe Aribo and
defenders Armel Bella-Kotchap and Duje Caleta-Car.
But that has failed to spark an upturn
in form.
Southampton have only scored 12 goals in
their 14 Premier League games this season and were wasteful again against
third-placed Newcastle in what proved to be the manager's final match.
"Newcastle have shown why they are
where they are," he said in his BBC Sport interview after the game.
"They were clinical in the right
moments. They have shown us how to win games. I cannot say we played a bad game
but not playing a bad game is not enough to win games. That's why we are where
we are."
BBC Online
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