Saints season ticket holders have been receiving a nice surprise from the club through the post over the past day or so!
Saints season ticket holders have been receiving a letter from the club this week containing a message from new manager Ralph Hasenhuttl as well as a voucher to have a free drink on him before the game on Sunday against Arsenal.
The message from the Austrian known is these parts as Klopp Of Four Post Hill reads as follows
Dear .....
I am writing to you so that I can explain what a pleasure it is to have been appointed the new manager of your club.
It is a very proud moment for me to have taken this step and to be challenging myself in the Premier League.
This club feels like a natural fit for me. It's desire to build and energetic exciting team filled with young talent fits close to perfectly with my own philosophy on football and how I want my sides to play. It is this sort of approach that I plan to bring here.
We have a lot of work ahead of us if we are to achieve our aims and the first one is of course to make sure we remain in this League.
What I can promise you is that I am not afraid of this challenge and that we will give everything to ensure we overcome it.
What I ask of myself and my staff I will also be asking of my players. They will find an extensive and very hard working environment and I will push them to their limits so that they can reach their maximum as individuals and as a team.
If they go with me on this then they will find it a very rewarding journey.
The other people who I want to make sure that I bring with me are you the fans.
The connection with the supporters has been the most important thing at my previous clubs and I have already been able to feel how deeply you care about your team.
I want the passion that you show to be reflected in our style of football and although we will not always win, I want to make sure that you see we have always done everything possible to do so.
I am looking forward to seeing you at St Mary's on Sunday against Arsenal, I is one of many difficult challenges ahead of us, but I believe that all of us together can achieve something remarkable here.
I know that you have a powerful motto that you live by at this club and it is one that I agree with. So with great pride
We March On
Ralph Hasenhuttl
If Saints supporters aren't enthused by that message the accompanying voucher might help them a little, it invites all Season Ticket holders to enjoy a drink on Southampton FC
Whilst I can't be held responsible for the accuracy of the information, it basically means that as long as you redeem the voucher before kick off you can have a free alcoholic drink, soft drink or hot drink to welcome the new manager to the club.
I am usually the biggest cynic when it comes to messages from players managers etc of this nature, but I do recognise that the club are making an effort, that they are finally aware of the issues that have driven a wedge between club and supporters and are doing something to try and address that.
For those that do not speak German the native language of Ralph Hasenhuttl's Austria the term Prost is the equivalent of saying Cheers when raising a glass.
In essence it is drinking a toast or Ein Prosit in German and it is traditional to look the person you are clinking glasses with directly in the eye when doing so, if you are in Germany and don't do so then you are seen not only as being rude but like breaking a mirror you are in for 7 years of bad luck or to be more precise 7 years of coital misery at least that's what the Germans say.
So when you claim your free drink on Sunday don't forget to raise your glass clink it with the person next to you look them in the eye and say Prost.
So Ralph Hasenhuttl welcome to Southampton may it be a long and prosperous stay, we like what we have seen so far !
Zum Wohl