Southampton sack coach Ivan Juric following relegation
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Southampton fans with their players after the 3-1 Premier League loss to Tottenham which confirmed their relegation.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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LONDON – Southampton have sacked their manager Ivan Juric following the team’s relegation from the English Premier League, saying that it is now time to regroup and head into an “important summer”.
The Saints were condemned to relegation in record time after a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur on April 6.
“Ivan came to Southampton at a tough time and was tasked with trying to improve a squad in a difficult situation,” said a club statement on April 7.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t seen performances progress the way we had hoped, but we would like to thank Ivan and his staff for their honesty and hard work as they fought against the odds to try and keep us up.
“With relegation to the Championship now confirmed, we believe it is important to give fans, players and staff some clarity on the future as we head into a very important summer.”
Southampton added they have already started the process of looking for a new manager and that in the meantime, Simon Rusk will take charge of the team as interim manager for the remaining seven fixtures of this season and will be assisted by veteran midfielder Adam Lallana.
The Saints have lost 25 of their 31 top-flight games in a wretched campaign that will end with their return to the Championship after one season. They had been promoted at the first time of asking.
Relegation with seven fixtures left also gives Southampton an unwanted Premier League record, surpassing Derby and Huddersfield’s relegations with six games left in 2008 and 2019 respectively.
“It is clear that if your last two years in the Premier League, you don’t compete and are relegated too easy then it means there are huge problems in lots of situations,” Juric had said.
The Croat arrived in December to replace the sacked Russell Martin, but the former Roma boss was unable to stop Southampton’s slide towards relegation – they have won only twice in the league all season.
The team still have one goal left as they try to avoid being the worst team in Premier League history by bettering Derby’s current record-low total of 11 points from 2007-08. The Saints currently have 10 points.
Before he was axed, Juric said he was desperate to help the club avoid that fate and that he wanted to lead their Championship promotion bid next season.
“The goal has to be that, to avoid being the worst team in Premier League history,” he said.
The 49-year-old had been surprised that Southampton fans in London did not turn on the players at the final whistle.
“A new experience. I said to the players, they have to be really thankful they have fans like this. It was something incredible the way they love their team, even the players that we are relegated with,” he added. AFP
