Rumours have been rife over the past few days regarding the future of Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, read social media and you would think we are a club in crisis, rather than one that in reality sits comfortably in 14th position after 4 solid mid table positions achieved with little investment into the club.

Indeed it was only a little over 3 weeks ago that Saints fans left St Mary's buzzing after defeating Chelsea 2-1, the Blues haven't been having the best of season's but they still sat in the top 6 when they arrived at St Mary's so had made a solid if unspectacular start.

The transfer window a day later brought good news in the window with 4 new signings and a few fringe players off the books, so why are some Saints supporters so quick in turning against Ralph Hasenhuttl only two games after the win against Chelsea, a victory that had pushed us up to 9th place.

Yes the defeat's at Wolves and Aston Villa were disappointing performances, but in mitigation to the manager, he was having to get his side adapting to a new system and had 4 new players in his squad to assimilate.

It should be pointed out here that the last three games have seen us concede only 3 goals, score 2 and gain 3 points, in the corresponding fixtures last season, all played in the last 6 months or so, we conceded 13 goals, scored just one and gained a grand total of zero points.

From this perspective we can see we are making progress, we have stopped the rot at the back and we can now build on things, but it seems that slow steady progress is not enough for most fans, a year ago after 7 games, we had not won a game and had just 4 points, so again we have made a better start than that made a year ago.

You would think that given the new owners and the new signings that all of this would would be cause for optimism, but a very vocal and seemingly growing minority on social media are unwilling to give Ralph Hasenhuttl the chance to show if he can keep us in mid table with no money, then let's see what he can do with investment and no one can deny that Sport Republic have invested.

The rumours emanating out of St Mary's were that the Owners appreciated what Ralph Hasenhuttl had done and his overall input to the club, they were willing to give him a chance to show what he can do and happy to invest into new players, but they were not doing so with blind faith, they wanted to see progress being made, the whisper was that there were trigger points in the season were reviews would be made as to the progress.

The first of those reviews would be the International break in September and let's be blunt in the past 5 years there have been few starts that have bettered this one after 7 games,, the second trigger point will be in November when we hit the six week break for the World Cup, that in reality would be the natural time to not only review the situation, but to make a change if necessary.

Indeed football is a game that can turn around very quickly, if we had performed at Villa and taken all three points then we would sit 8th this morning and yet the Ralph haters would still not be happy, indeed some are at a stage where nothing other than his sacking will placate them, no matter where we are in the league.

But for Rasmus Ankersen and Sport Republic there is a name coming into the frame that may not be there for much longer and that name is ex Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino who is still unemployed after leaving Paris St Germain at the end of last season.

He has been linked with high profile jobs on the Continent, but a major consideration for him seems to be that with a wife and child settled in London, he wants to live a little nearer to him going forward.

That doesn't leave him much option, at least not at present, in London Chelsea, Arsenal & Spurs all have settled recently appointed managers, a little further North both Manchester City and Jurgen Klopp are safe in their positions.

That would leave Newcastle who given their start to the season could well be looking to replace Eddie Howe at some point this season, although that might be a bit far from the capital for Pochettino.

However West Ham United might be looking for a manager soon and that could well appeal, perhaps Aston Villa as well and again that like Saints would be near enough for the Argentinian to commute.

So Saints have a dilemma here, if Pochettino is a genuine contender, do they act now or do they risk one of the other club's sacking their manager first ?

But is Pochettino really the man for the Saints job, in his 1 1/2 seasons at the club he did well, taking us to an 8th position, but then again so did Claude Puel and even a Wembley Cup final couldn't save him.

But the nagging doubt is that Pochettino never bonded with the Southampton way the first time, he refused to speak English to the media, he never seemed to be really happy and more to the point he jumped ship at the first opportunity he got.

If we appointed him a second time, how long would he be staying ? I would suggest he would be a truly short term appointment and to be blunt, this isn't the philosophy that our owners are looking to follow.

Perhaps Ralph is safe for the next six weeks, certainly there is no reason why he should not take us forward in that time, as mentioned he has improved the squad and indeed the side in the past two months, with so many new and in many cases young and experienced players in the squad, it was never going to be an instant success, but the signs are there, we are not sat bottom like Leicester, we are only a win away from being in the top 10 and that could likely happen against Everton.

If it did then would that shut up the Ralph haters' I would say not, as mentioned 8th and a Wembley cup final never shut up those who disliked Claude Puel and helped force him out of the club.

Saints have performed to expectations so far this season, but this doesn’t mean that Sport Republic will necessarily be happy with another relatively low mid table league position.

Yes 15th is about par score for us and several other club's, but we would like to overperform a little rather than stay at par score as we have done, but it should be noted that the Premier League has changed, I have seen some with expectations of a top 5 finish, the odds of that are now very slim given the riches of the Big Six and Newcastle added to that, for the rest of us it is about aiming for the top 10 and that is a reasonable target.

But ultimately a top 10 finish get you little else than £2 million per place above the team below you, from this respect, the Premier League has most sides making up the numbers.

This is a crucial time for the club, but it is not desperate times, it is time for level heads in the boardroom and leadership from the front, if the trigger point was the World Cup break then that should be adhered too, yes of course we are all disappointed that we are not a little better placed in the League table, but most season's since our return to the Premier League have not seen us much better placed at this stage.

Photo: Action Images

Saidou added 11:23 - Sep 22 I want Poch back...
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Ifonly added 12:19 - Sep 22 I pretty much agree with you here Nick, but it's unfair to say that people are "suddenly" saying he should go. Let's be honest this has carried over from last season and based on performances in the second half of the season people had every right to say he should go. I agree with you that Poch is not the right fit unless he thinks his big time ambitions have been satisfied (unlikely). But to me Ralph is on a knife edge. The performance at Villa was depressingly poor and depressingly unsurprising because it was typical of so much that we have seen from Ralph.

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kingolaf added 12:30 - Sep 22 We did ok for a couple of games out of the last 20 odd. The poor performances in the last couple of games are very familiar with those on our limp run in at the end of last season. Ralph continues to baffle us with his weird team selections and poor tactics. He has run his course here. To be honest Nick, I’m pretty fed up with your preaching. It’s as if standing by the manager makes you a better supporter.

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ThereIn76 added 12:45 - Sep 22 If you think Nick is preaching, well nobody is forcing you to visit this site! Nick does a very good job in leading discussions and aiming for balance. I don't think he'd claim to be a better supporter than anyone else. He sets himself up to be disagreed with , but most importantly he's kept this forum going for many years, of which a lot have been far harder for Saints fans to bear than the one we're currently in. Besides which Poch's next job will be at Leicester.

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Sanguin added 12:50 - Sep 22 I think that, barring disastrous performances, they'll at least give Hassenhuttl the season. A new owner can want to stamp their mark on the team (a la Chelsea), but it feels like enough people in the club hierarchy are the same people that were patient with the 9-0 losses. Given previous underinvestment and league finishes I think the goal this year is survival. Then with a young and revamped squad we push on next season.

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geezershoong1 added 13:32 - Sep 22 ' sits comfortably in 14th position'. It seems the lack of ambition is catching.
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saintmark1976 added 13:39 - Sep 22 A poster summed up what Nick has become recently when he suggested that the after Villa match day report had been written by “ The official Southampton F C reporter “. Quite a few others were of the same opinion and posted accordingly. There’s a thin line between objectivity and blind support and recently Nick appears to have transferred from the former to the latter in my opinion. Having said that, it’s his site and he is entitled to his opinion just like the rest of us. In reference to the current Ralph situation. He should have gone at the end of last season, there’s simply no upside to retaining his services any longer now, it’s just prolonging the inevitable. The majority of our fans want him gone and once that happens there’s no way back I’m afraid.

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wessexman added 14:16 - Sep 22 Nick, it is not a question of hating Ralph. For me it is the dreadful runs we go on like the one towards the end of last season. There have been too many horrible performances coupled with baffling tactics and line ups. To survive, we need to beat the teams around us. Wolves, Villa and Everton are certainly among them. Even more frustrating is seeing a brilliant performance against Chelsea and then a dire game against Villa. Everton after the break will tell us an awful lot more....

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smashley13 added 14:33 - Sep 22 Ralph's PL win rate last season was 23.68% If I'm not wrong every PL manager with a win rate below that percentage last season has been sacked: Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds United) - 19.23% Dean Smith (Aston Villa/Norwich City) - 18.42% Claudio Ranieri (Watford) - 15.38% Sean Dyche (Burnley) - 13.33% Roy Hodgson (Watford) - 11.11% Daniel Farke (Norwich City) - 9% Steve Bruce (Newcastle United) - 0% And even a couple of managers with a higher win rate got the boot: Xisco Munoz (Watford) - 28.57% Rafa Benitez (Everton) - 26.32% It feels like Ralph's days are numbered....if you take into account the numbers!

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JoeEgg added 15:29 - Sep 22 Harping on about the Chelsea and United matches is one thing, but right now the embarrassment of the Villa game - embarrassing I might add for both sides - is what concerns me. Once again the team selection and tactics applied by Ralph were so baffling as to make the majority of Saints fans very very angry. Even the players, judging by their lifeless efforts, didn't have a clue as to what they were supposed to be doing. One shot on target may be satisfactory for some of you fans; but for me and with the promising squad that we have, it is quite simply unacceptable. The new coaching staff seem to have settled in we!!! Internal squabbling and a major departure after just two months. Why give Ralph more time when he has already had more than three seasons to stamp his authority and approach? Quite simply there must be better managers about and what better time to bring in a new man with such fine talent recently recruited by the Club.

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felly1 added 15:36 - Sep 22 Agree with Sanguin's post. Survive this season with all the young talented players gaining experience. Push on next season and then sell them at a profit. If Ralph can deliver this then he'll stay. If we're in big trouble as this season progresses.. They'll get rid of him to protect their investment. Possibly an assessment (as Nick suggests) when we break for the World Cup.

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JoeEgg added 15:53 - Sep 22 "Agree with Sanguin's post. Survive this season with all the young talented players gaining experience. Push on next season and then sell them at a profit." For a start I dont think Sanguin did say that! Some of it yes but the sell for a profit no! So your reason for supporting the Club is to 'survive' and then sell players at a profit? So you can repeat the process again I suppose! I guess you pays your money and makes your choice !!

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JimmyMeliaPhD added 16:44 - Sep 22 Your frequent trick again...<<if we had performed at Villa and taken all three points then we would sit 8th this morning>>. Well, we didn't and we don't. But by the same logic, how about: If we hadn't unexpecedly won that game against Arsenal towards the end of last season, we'd now be playing in the Championship.
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milton58 added 17:29 - Sep 22 I think you are wrong to say “Ralph haters”. It’s just that people have not understood the strange team selections, playing people out of position and significant changes in the patterns of play when they have shown to be successful For example, many apart from RH see stu Armstrong as a good selection and regularly improves the game whereas Adan Armstrong and Eli selections baffle many a supporter. JWp has had a number of poor games and any good manager should have benched him as a reminder that he has to perform and pass the balll forward a bit more but he appears undropable. These are not new complaints as you know and people are frustrated that this is continuing again this season. So RH is going to get stick from supporters if his strange actions do not seem to get results

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saintsfanbrock added 17:29 - Sep 22 Odds of Nick being replaced as editor of UglyInside suddenly shorten with rumours of the membership feeling he is now out of touch growing from inside sources being leaked. Rumours indicate that Watt could be a natural successor with larger numbers of articles appearing in his name. Left field scenarios involve Danny Ings taking the position with plenty of free time on Saturday afternoons now sitting watching boring Villa but rumour is he is only willing to do it if Bednarek steps in to Watts role and Jan just can’t see himself thinking about anywhere other than the marvellous city of Birmingham anytime soon.

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DellBoyWally added 17:38 - Sep 22 It amazes me that people question the selections and tactics but offer no alternatives. The tactics for most games have been the same since the season started (after Spurs when we didn't have the newbies available) If the players can't get it right then it's their failings. For sure the Wolves and Villa games were dissapointing but, if we had managed to get a striker in during the summer we'd have won at Wolves. It was Adams' failings that cost us the game not the manager. Against Villa (and Wolves) we had lost Lavia, AMN wasn't ready so Diallo had to play (I admit I had expected more from him this and last season) The defence was exactly as probably 99.9% of fans would have picked. Many, including me, wonder why MoE gets picked but, in a recent Echo article it shows that when he starts Saints' return is 1.28 points per game. When he plays no part the return is 0.78 points per game. His stats for off-the-ball contributions is top in most categories. Yes, his goals and assists are non-existent but he is a major contibutor in every other aspect The team against Villa was that which had to be picked. And they were abysmal. Nothing to do with tactics or selections. Every player apart fron central defence was useless. One shot on goal had nothing to do with tactics or selection, it was bad players, plain and simple. Lavia back, Diallo out. That's a given. Edozie in for Elyounoussi despite the above figures? I'd go with that. Then where does Livramento play? Drop KWP? Where does AMN play? Drop JWP? And Aribo? Drop Adams probably. ArmstrongS for ArmstrongA? There are alternatives when everyone is fit and up to speed or injury free. But Wolves and Villa RH's fault. No, they were down to the players on the pitch failing to do their jobs. Certainly we have a better team than last season. Certainly, when the new guys are on the pitch, we will have a better team than the past couple of weeks. Certainly we need a proper goal scorer (give some of the youth team guys a go; it worked last season with a surprise package. For a while!) Certainly if with our best team out and things don't improve then consider a change in leadership (JWP and RH out?) But don't spout nonesense about tactics and selections without first looking at the facts and reasons or because you never wanted RH as manager because your pet manager of Bournemouth wasn't taken on (looks like he'll be out of NU soon!) Pochetino? What's he ever won?? And he walked out on us once. If he comes back to the PL I don't think it'd be with us; almost an admission of his mistaken choices! If he goes to WHU we could have David Moyes!!!!!!!!

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felly1 added 17:58 - Sep 22 Hi Joe Egg, I've just stated what I think will happen.. A possible scenario that could pan out. I don't let myself get too worked about these things as I'm neither the owner nor the the manager and I've got plenty more things in my own life to properly worry about!
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Block8 added 18:45 - Sep 22 It's one of those do we or don't we situations, my understanding is that pre-season he was told that the November league position (world cup break) would be pivotal in his future. There is little doubt that as a coach he has improved most of the players under his control. However it is the lack of adventure, with a reasonably talented squad, that rankles with most. Without Lavia we have no true defensive midfielder and even with him our risk averse style has led to less goals against but has certainly not added to goals for. Regardless of our desperate need for a finisher, unless we move the ball forward quicker we will still not benefit from signing one, Adams is currently more important attempting to win the ball in the final third than being in the box on the end of structured attacks. Lets use full backs as full backs and give time to the very talented wingers we have both in the first team squad and the B team to create chances for a pair of strikers linking up in and around the box. As a team we have a style of play that flows throughout the club but surely the style of play is dictated by the style of the opponent and fluidity in that style is sadly missing from the current set up!

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saintmark1976 added 19:16 - Sep 22 DellBoyWalley, you appear to like statistics so maybe the following may be of interest to you:- During Ralph’s tenure we now hold the record for the biggest home defeat in the entire history of English top flight football. During Ralph’s tenure we now jointly hold the record for the biggest away defeat in the entire history of English top flight football. During Ralph’s tenure he now holds the record for the longest run of consecutive defeats in the club’s entire history. During Ralph’s tenure we have lost more points from winning positions than any other club in the entire Premier League, including It’s suggested clubs who have subsequently been relegated. During Ralph’s tenure we played an F A Cup semi final during which we didn’t have one attempt on the opposition goal in the entire game. Any of the above Ralph’s fault or was it all down to the players as you appear to want us to believe?

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wrathoftazz added 21:15 - Sep 22 I got to the bias bit that say comfy at 14th and switched off... god this is getting worse than the echo for reporting
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DellBoyWally added 23:32 - Sep 22 SaintMark1976, I ain't saying things are perfect!!! During those 2 record-breaking losses and the other not-so-good stats you highlight we had carp teams. And in both record losses we were playing with 10 men for over 80 minutes. For sure RH has made odd decisions on team selections. But, and it's a big BUT, we are still in the Premier League. Other (possibly better) teams have gone down. If we had got rid of Ralph, who could we get in to replace him? There are various managers that would love the job I'm sure. But would the fans love them? Puell was probably better than most and what happened to him? I was making a point about players that the fans (including me!) questioned regarding suitability to be in the team, offering stats (for MoE) as to why they were picked. I would definitely replace MoE and Diallo when the newbies are ready as, I'm sure, will RH. If he doesn't then we shout!! If the results don't improve with what should be an exciting team then we shout!! In January we need to buy a scorer. Even an ageing but effective scorer on a short-term deal would suit till next summer. If we don't we shout!! I think RH has done a great job with a poor side and little investment. We now have had significant investment and have a much improved team. If RH doesn't do something with this set of players (I'm not expecting Champions League!) then me, you and a very large %age of supporters will be looking for a change, rightly so. After 68 years of attending Saints' games (I look older, I wonder why!!!) I never expect too much! Shrug when things don't go right; happy when we get some success. With the old Saints adage - I told you so!!! LoL

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Peterx added 05:40 - Sep 23 Diallo as a replacement for Lavia is not cutting it. Letting Romeu go in light of this was good for the player but probably not good for the club. When Stuart Armstrong was roped into DM once or twice in the past he did a job. Problem solved ?
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PaleRider added 06:39 - Sep 23 Who's the better manager - Ralph or Poch? Which one would we want? The better one!
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JoeEgg added 08:39 - Sep 23 "After 68 years of attending Saints' games (I look older, I wonder why!!!) I never expect too much! Shrug when things don't go right; happy when we get some success. With the old Saints adage - I told you so!!! LoL" DellBoyWally! Clearly I dont agree with everything you say DBW but great to read your thoughts so eloquently put! Here's to the next 68 years!
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saintmark1976 added 11:45 - Sep 23 DellBoyWally, thank you for taking the time to reply. By highlighting the two 9-0 defeats you have illustrated perfectly why in my opinion Ralph has to go, he simply does not learn from his mistakes. We could have avoided a second humiliating 9-0 if he had closed the game down after the early sending off simply by playing two banks of four with one forwards to take the “get out ball”. He learned nothing from the Leicester mauling, didn’t change the game plan and consequently we got done again 9-0. Who would I replace him with? Frankly anybody, given that after three and a bit seasons it’s evident that Ralph simply can’t or won’t change. He could have the current Man City squad at his disposal and would still make ridiculous team selections and try to implement unfathomable tactics. Better players at his disposal won’t stop him making bizarre decisions, he isn’t going to change now or any time in the future. It’s a question of what you see is what you get and I, along with many others have seen enough. Much as Redmond was stealing a living by pretending to be a Premiership player, Ralph is doing the same as a manager. We have dispensed with the services of one and hopefully it won’t be too long before we do the same with the other. On a personal note, much like yourself I’ve been part of the Saints ups and downs for nigh on sixty years so we do have something in common. Not been easy has it?

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