February 12 – Premier League Southampton have sacked manager Nathan Jones a day after their humiliating home loss to 10-man fellow relegation strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers. Jones lasted just 95 days at the club.
A brief club statement read: “Southampton Football Club can confirm it has parted company with Men’s First Team Manager Nathan Jones.
“First Team Coaches Chris Cohen and Alan Sheehan have also left the club.
“First Team Lead Coach Rubén Sellés will take charge of training and prepare the team ahead of next weekend’s game against Chelsea.”
Jones leaves Saints three points adrift at the bottom of the Premier League after losing nine of 14 games in charge.
Brought in from Luton Town as a relatively unknown and certainly unproven manager at Premier League level, Jones won just one of nine Premier League matches and concluded with a run of four successive home losses at St Mary’s.
He had opened his management of Saints losing four of his first five matches in charge. His only win was a 2-1 EFL Cup win over League One Lincoln. However, that was followed up with a win in the quarter finals over Manchester City before a semi-final loss of two legs to Newcastle United.
Saints’ new owners Sport Republic, in their first season in charge have had a miserable time as custodians of the club.
Having taken over a club that was comfortably placed in mid-Premier League table and a squad with proven Premier League performers, they ended the season only just above the relegation places.
Over the summer they rang the personnel changes bringing in a clutch of young players, presumably with an eye to making money in the transfer market. However, this came at the expense of their tried and tested existing squad.
The manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, who had been in charge since 2018, struggled to weave his charges into a cohesive unit and was replaced during World Cup break by Jones.
From Jones’ first match in charge it was clear he was also unable to mesh the team together.
Saints spent money in the winter transfer window including getting close to breaking the club transfer record for €25 million Kamaldeen Sulamana from Ligue 1 Rennes (the record is for Danny Ings at €25.1 million) and forward Paul Onuachu from Genk.
They both debuted against Wolves but it was nowhere near enough to save Jones.
Sport Republic now have the extra expense of finding a new manager.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734866734labto1734866734ofdlr1734866734owedi1734866734sni@n1734866734osloh1734866734cin.l1734866734uap1734866734