April 8 – Southampton have sacked manager Ivan Juric just 107 days into his tenure as the club fights to avoid going down in history as the English Premier League’s (EPL worst outfit.
Following Sunday’s relegation-confirming defeat at Tottenham, Saints are staring down Derby County’s infamous 11-point record-low tally from the 2007-08 season. Southampton, currently on 10 points, have seven games remaining to salvage at least two more and spare themselves that ignominy.
Juric, who succeeded Russell Martin in December, oversaw just one Premier League win — away at Ipswich in February — and leaves the club having taken only four points from his 14 league matches in charge. That return marks the lowest points-per-game average of any manager with at least 10 games in EPL history.
A club statement confirmed the Croat’s departure: “Ivan came to Southampton at a tough time and was tasked with trying to improve a squad in a difficult situation. 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.”
Simon Rusk, who briefly led the team between Martin’s sacking and Juric’s Boxing Day debut — a 3-0 defeat to West Ham — will take charge for the remainder of the season. Former Saints captain Adam Lallana, now 36 and back at the club, will assist him on the bench.
Juric had recently spoken of a shared vision with technical director Johannes Spors, who arrived in February following the departure of Jason Wilcox. However, the partnership has proved short-lived. Attention now turns to the next permanent manager, with Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Röhl — who previously worked alongside Spors at RB Leipzig — among the frontrunners. Liam Rosenior, currently impressing in Ligue 1 with Strasbourg, is also believed to be under serious consideration.
In the aftermath of relegation, Juric had urged his players to rally around one final mission: “I don’t want to be the worst team in Premier League history. This is our goal.”
Whether Southampton can find enough in the final stretch to avoid that unwanted record now rests with Rusk and a deflated squad already preparing for life in the Championship.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1744767647labto1744767647ofdlr1744767647owedi1744767647sni@g1744767647niwe.1744767647yrrah1744767647