Ralph Hasenhuttl was the longest serving manager since Chris Nicholl left the club in 1991, some do not have much good to say about him, but that is a very blinkered view, in his 3 years & 11 months he achieved much.

When Ralph Hasenhuttl arrived at St Mary;s on 5th December 2018 the club was in a far different position than it is now as he leaves.

He inherited a squad that was short on quality, but big on players on high wages and not performing, his job was not just to take Saints out of the bottom three were they were languishing after a disastrous spell under Mark Hughes, but to revamp the playing side of the club totally.

His job got harder very soon as with China falling out with the West & the USA in particular suddenly our then owner Jisheng Gao could not put any money into the club and so came a period of austerity with the books needing to be balanced.

In his first half season he pulled us out of relegation trouble and took us to safety in 16th.

The summer saw a revamp, but we had had to sell to buy, his first full season was interrupted by Covid and also saw our first 9-0 defeat in the October, but Ralph pulled the side back from that and showed that every team has bad results, but the truth is it is not individual games that matter it is what you do over the course of a season, we came back after Covid and aided by a good run ended in 11th place.

Hopes were high for season 2020/21, football returned but was still behind closed doors, we cleared the decks of more deadwood costing us a lot of money, but no one had heard of the players we signed such as Kyle Walker Peters, Mohamed Salisu & Ibrahima Diallo, but no one is complaining now.

On 6th November 2020, came a landmark moment, after 8 games gone Saints beat Newcastle 2-0 at St Mary's to go to the top of the Premier League for the first time ever since it's inception in 1992 and indeed topped the league for the first time since September 1988, perhaps tenuous statistic, but one that many managers had tried and failed to do since Chris Nicholl did so 32 years earlier.

But the depth in the squad would make this unsustainable and after Xmas we started to drop back, although we did get to the semi finals of the FA Cup, again a rare event for Saints and only the 3rd time we had managed it in 35 years.

15th place was disappointing, but the writing was on the wall, there was no money being spent, ironically although many supporters were quick to vent their feelings towards Gao, demanding that he got out of the club etc, they gave Hasenhuttl very little credit for doing a good job in very difficult circumstances, he was subject to abuse from a small section of fans who had just seemed to take against him.

Last season loomed with hope, the fans were finally back in the grounds for good and although we had to balance the books we spent quite well, the season started badly as it always does, but it slowly picked up momentum and by the turn of the year we had pulled ourselves well out of any relegation battle and indeed after a good spell in January & February we were in the top 10 and into an FA Cup quarter final.

But again the squad was lacking depth to sustain long runs and the season again petered out, Manchester City awaited in the quarter finals and although we had held them twice in the League they were two much for us a third time, it was another poor ending to the season, but there were mitigating circumstances and with new owners it was about looking forward and not back.

15tth place was slightly disappointing, but the truth that some failed to recognise was that with our resources that was just about a par score for the course, the difference between Ralph at Saints and Graham Potter was the final 5 games after sharing a draw at the Amex Stadium Potter took 10 points and pushed his side up into 9th and we took zero, Potter was headhunted by Chelsea and Ralph is now sacked.

There will be some who will give Ralph Hasenhuttl no credit at all for the job he has done, they will cite the two 9-0 defeats and forget the circumstances behind either of them, especially the second one at Old Trafford where we had everything go wrong that could do, two goalkeepers on the bench as we didn't have enough youngsters to fill it and a dodgy refereeing decision afterwards overturned that meant we collapsed from in the final 5 minutes.

But those results aside and every Saints manager has had at least one of those themselves over the years, Ralph brought stability to the club when it was in turmoil, he did a lot of work behind the scenes and helped develop the club at all levels, writing a blueprint that is starting to reap it's rewards.

The new owners recognised the work he was doing and they backed him in the transfer market, but the problem was that although they provided the funds to complete the dealings with a striker late in the window, the club failed to land their targets, that was not Ralph Hasenhuttl's fault, it was those responsible for the negotiations, they had the money, didn't need to haggle as in previous seasons, but took their eye off the ball and ended up leaving Ralph short in the striking department.

This has come home to roost and the owners still backed Ralph, the hope being that we could get to the World Cup break still out of the relegation zone and then get a striker in January.

Again everything was going wrong that could go wrong, just as we were bedding in the new players injury hit and at one stage we had four out of our top five players missing through injury, yet we soldiered on, of course Ralph was not squeaky clean in the blame for the bad run, he seemed to have got to the stage where whatever he tried wasn't working and he kept faith with some players who the fan base thought weren't up to the job and there were some strange decisions right up to the last.

But overall it was hard to see just who would have done a better job in the circumstances, even now I read on social media people saying Sam Allardyce is the man to take over, yes the same Big Sam who was sacked by Burnley with his side in the bottom three and eventually relegated.

The campaign against Ralph by some people who even as we went into the top 10 was disgraceful, they could not bring themselves to give the manager any praise and could not put those 9-0 defeats behind them, possibly the same people who took to social media slating Claude Puel for not entertaining them enough despite his 8th place in the league and a major cup final possibly being around the 6th-7th best season in the club's history.

What did for Ralph was not just results, but like Puel the complete negativity tugging away at everything surrounding the club, it made going to games something not to be looked forward to, not because of the crowd who were in the stadiums, but because of the abuse that would appear on social media after every defeat.

Ralph Hasenhuttl whose only crime was keeping the club in mid table did not deserve some of the shameful ranting that was going on for getting us to 15th.

Now he has gone hopefully the negativity will fade away, I suspect not, the same people that berated Ralph are now berating the club for being linked with Nathan Jones of Luton Town, the same abuse is being hurled at the owners now and there will be another scapegoat soon, there always is for some.

Ralph had to go because although we had not passed the point of no return in terms of results and I contend that dropping into the bottom three given the injuries we have had is a temporary thing and that it should not have affected the bigger picture anymore than if we had beaten both Palace and Newcastle in the last two games and been sat in 10th place it wouldn't have signified that we were about to launch a bid for a Champions league spot.

But that we had passed a point where his actual being there was counter productive, those picking away at him for the last two years had finally turned a proportion of the crowd and the atmosphere was toxic, the owners had to do something.

Personally I still see no point in sacking him now with just one Premier league game left before the break, but that line had been crossed, we have to be seen to have a new beginning when football returns.

Personally I feel that when it does and we have Tino Livramento back as well as Kyle Walker Peters, plus Romeo Lavia back to full fitness, add a striker in January and we have little to fear in the second half of the season.

I would have that feeeling whether it was Ralph Hasenhuttl in charge or not, in fact I think that we are in a far weaker position by making a change now than if we had kept him, better the devil you know so to speak, new managers sometimes upset the applecart more than they put it right.

So I for one thank Ralph Hasenhuttl for all he has done for Southampton Football Club, it hasn't worked out as good as it might have done, but he achieved things that some had not seen in their lifetime such as topping the league, we will find out now whether the problem was Ralph Hasenhuttl or the players themselves who have to take some blame.

Personally I think it will be solved by getting in a new striker in January.

Every manager has a shelf life with supporters these days, Ralph had sadly reached his, now is the time to respect what he did and not keep harping on about what he didn't, the future is still unwritten, we surely all want to be a part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Photo: Action Images

geezershoong1 added 09:48 - Nov 8 A record breaker for all the wrong reasons.
-4

Centurion added 09:49 - Nov 8 I enjoyed reading this Nick. I cannot help thinking what might have been if we had signed a proven top class and experienced striker this summer.
6

Saintaxidriver added 10:13 - Nov 8 I think Nick you have a bit of a bee in your bonnet about Saints fans not liking Ralph or being disrespectfull towards him. All the Saints fans I know liked him but felt he wasn't quite up to the job with his baffling team choices and occasional tactical failures. Nothing personal but way too many times when he got it wrong.
9

DorsetIan added 10:17 - Nov 8 I think I found one comment of mild criticism in this whole piece. '...there were some strange decisions right up to the last...' Still, you've been making excuses for Ralph and Gao for years, so perhaps a bit much to expect a more balanced appraisal now.
-5

obelisk added 10:30 - Nov 8 "Personally I think it will be solved by getting in a new striker in January.". If Saints are still in the bottom 3 come January how easy do we think it'll be to get a decent striker to come to the club? It's the failure to secure a proven goalscorer in the summer that'll likely see Saints involved in a long relegation struggle.
3

Block8 added 10:34 - Nov 8 First I have to admire your dedication & devotion to the Saints! It's also not difficult to agree the abuse on social media , a vast proportion of which is by fans that only see the highlights and read the crap on FB and other platforms, is unproductive to say the least. That is unless they have an agenda. However I don't think Ralph helped himself with his eccentricities in terms of team selection & at one stage seemingly singular use of tactics. There is no doubt that he improved in terms of tactics but continually used players out of position and left suitable staff on the bench? We all have opinions and some of us seem to think that we should spend billions, we don't have on superstars. The odd thing from my perspective is that some weeks I totally disagreed with team selection, even though we had won Others I was just bewildered by some very odd selections, tactics and poor use of subs as were so many others even the new owners who have more knowledge of the game than most we have had. Ralph is a decent bloke and that makes it a more difficult feeling for us that he has been sacked but the dent in his pride, (his pride may have been partly to blame for his downfall) is more than complimented by his severance package!

5

SAINTSNIL added 10:44 - Nov 8 If you think that the powers to be take notice of a few posters on here ,Twitter etc,you really do have an inflated view of your own importance! He went because there was no sign of improvement,the same mistakes by players and manager being churned out every week,and then dropping into the bottom three. I think you will find that a manager being sacked with what had gone on over the last few months is nothing to do with social media,just that he had finally been found out.Shame really as he was a breath of fresh air in the first year or so.

4

highfield49 added 10:56 - Nov 8 Saintaxidriver mirrors my view of Ralph, likeable, enthusiastic and gave the job everything he could. Eventually he ran out of ideas and failed to settle on a style of play that matched the ability of the players available for selection. I think the selection of Walcott to start against Newcastle probably sealed his fate, one hopeful throw of the dice too many even for his most loyal backers.

5

theralpholution added 11:36 - Nov 8 I agree completely with the article which fairly outlines his achievements and the challenges he faced. He began a monumental project to keep the club competitive on a minimal budget, overhaul the playing staff and improve the young players recruited. He did this, kept us up while many teams with similar budgets were relegated and he always tried to play good football. He was on a hiding to nothing but did what he was employed to do and leaves the club in a much better place than he found it with a squad of young exciting players. Personally, I think he deserved the chance to see the project through and think he would have turned the slow start to the season around. It was always going to be difficult to integrate all the new players but this was made more difficult by injuries to key players. Maybe if the owners had signed Gakpo things would have been different as in too many of the games chances weren't taken, but that's all guesswork. What's done is done and the decision has been made. I hope the new manager has Ralph's enthusiasm and commitment because fans can be pretty demanding. Thanks Ralph!

5

SanMarco added 11:40 - Nov 8 This reads a bit like a conspiracy narrative where a few bad apples infected us all with a vitriolic hatred of Ralph. It is simply not so. There will always be a small minority (especially when off their medication) who 'hate' the manager, the 'Jones Out' camp is already stirring I am sure, but the vast majority of us just watch and hope for entertainment and reasonable results + a feeling that there is some sort of plan/direction in place. Most of us stuck with Ralph far longer than might have been expected but things on the field have declined in terms of results and entertainment. Yes, injuries and not signing a striker can be blamed but those are the things that the manager has to cope with and surely if Ralph had told the owners in the summer that we would definitely go down without a striker something would have been done. I think the attrition of no spending power and negative records being set simply wore him down and in the end, as always happens, once you are on the way down the charming eccentricities and 'left-field' decisions that made people smile in the good old days just make people angry. That's life I'm afraid. Starting Theo wasn't the 'last straw', it was a final howling at the moon by a man who knew his race was run. Nick clearly wanted Ralph to stay and is very disappointed but that anger shouldn't be directed at fans who just want to see a decent game of football once in a while. The transfer strategy in the summer probably did doom Ralph because a slow start was to be expected and then key injuries came along - but NONE of that is our fault.

4

HythePeer added 11:42 - Nov 8 "When Ralph Hasenhuttl arrived at St Mary;s on 5th December 2018 the club was in a far different position than it is now as he leaves." I think you'll find it is in the same position?
-5

felly1 added 11:54 - Nov 8 Nick.. The vast majority of fans appreciated what Ralph bought to the club and he was a popular and likeable guy. Why do you constantly fixate on the tiny minority of frothers and foamers either on this site or other social media platforms that didn't like the manager. Who cares. Leave social media.
9

pwithers123 added 12:06 - Nov 8 Excellent Summary Nick. Hassenhutl did an excellent job in challenging circumstances. You remind us all of those issues and achievements. He will go down as being one of the very best - in that he kept us in the Premier League - when we had every logical reason to get relegated - and become like those clubs - such as Sunderland, Wigan, West Brom - who dream of better days - whilst Saints are actually now the 11th most experienced PL club despite massive lack of resources - until very recently. In terms of the fans. I guess every one has a right to an opinion. Social media amplifies and encourages that. Good owners and good managers accept that reality - even if some responses do go beyond what is fair or justifiable. It is part of the business - for football and other areas where opinions are vented angrily and with deep frustration. I feel that the fans do not sack the Manager- and did not do it in this case. Hassenhutl can now have a relaxing Xmas - he has been well paid for a tough job. He really deserves the break. Goodness knows how he kept his energy and enthusiasm going in such tough circumstances. Enjoy it Ralph and Thank you.

11

TimSaint added 12:07 - Nov 8 RH will always be remembered for the 2 x 9-0 defeats, his often bizarre team selections and his tears after that win over Liverpool. The semi successful high press got dropped for some reason and we turned into a predictable, one dimensional team that didn't score goals and was easy to play against. The last 26 league games have produced us 21 goals, 4 wins, 5 draws and 17 defeats. We have only had 1 clean sheet this season, so we have had to score at least 2 goals if we want to win games, which on current form and with our (Championship) strike force has proved virtually impossible. This is a results driven business and the above stats show exactly how bad we have been, so much so, that RH's position had become untenable and the board had to act. To be fair, he was given much longer than the other managers who have been sacked this season, but with often desperate teams selections, he failed to deliver when it really mattered. NOTE - I don't think Sam Allardyce has ever managed Burnley. You probably meant Sean Dyche ?

4

pjt50 added 12:11 - Nov 8 Premier League managers are the elite of their profession. They get there by virtue of a wealth of experience & success at the highest levels (apart from Nathan Jones maybe). They, and their team of coaches, see the players in training day in & day out and do a huge amount of analysis on their opponents. We all like to think we know a bit about football but our knowledge pales in comparison. Whatever decisions management takes are made to give us the best chance of winning. They have more invested in this than any of us. Of course they make mistakes, as any professional does, but team selections (even including Walcott) are made for good reasons. Ultimately it all comes down to results & for that reason alone Hasenhuttl had to go. That doesn't mean he's not a top class manager though.

4

Ninja9 added 12:13 - Nov 8 Was not Ralphs fault a certain Mr Adams could not find the net on numerous occasions .
9

JoeEgg added 12:38 - Nov 8 Former Southampton striker Charlie Austin has delivered a damning assessment of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s reign at St Mary’s. “He was quick to throw the team under the bus when the team was doing poorly. “But when they were doing great, it was all about him." Would also love to hear Danny Ing's views and from other Saints players to help gain a more balanced viewpoint to place alongside Nick's personal assessment. I have called for Ralph's head for many months and given my reasons. At the same time I have appreciated the ex-managers enthusiasm and determination. I think as a Club we can do better than 15th. I guess we will see but probably not this season. A run of more injuries(always possible) and failure to land a replacement for Ings, and we are in deep trouble.

-1

WestSussexSaint added 12:53 - Nov 8 There is no doubt Ralph brought enthusiasm, passion and commitment to the job. He should also take credit for ensuring we maintained PL status comfortably each season despite the financial limitations placed upon him. My view of the last 4 years has been one of boom and bust. The highs such as top of the table, last seasons away win at Spurs, and beating Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea etc were fantastic. But alongside this the lows such as the 9-0s, the second half of last season etc we’re some of the most depressing I have experienced as a fan. Whatever your view of Ralph (and I agree that the vast majority of fans were respectful and appreciative) his time at the club was rarely dull!

5

Colburn added 13:17 - Nov 8 As usual you prepare for your defence with ifs and buts.. This is the case for every scenario in life.. Your pal Charlie Austin doesn't have a great opinion of Ralph but his opinion is probably a little harsh. I don't think this is a good piece written here today. Filled with accusations and bitterness about being wrong. The simple fact is we are in the bottom 3, 4 years after he took over and this is not good for business.. So you can fling mud, blame this fan and that but at the end of the day, we became a boring negative team with a manager who shackled everyone until he had broken them ready to remould into a robot.. So he hasn't really taken us forward, just made odd decisions and lost his courage. He had to go and probably overdue. Look at the results and stats Nick, stop devaluing our players and their ability, suggesting we can't compete etc.. This is more damaging than disaffected fans who understand mathematics! You've already started to dig at the fan base about the new manager before one has even arrived! Weak and lacking class...

1

ItchenNorth added 13:25 - Nov 8 Spot on.
2

zonehead added 13:35 - Nov 8 Although sad to see Ralph go, I was under the impression he got rid of the previous coaches and hired his own, now I have heard this was not the case. If so that is where the problem lies.
1

zonehead added 13:37 - Nov 8 PS if Luton get a hammering tonight from Stoke the club that sacked him after 9 months, do we still hire him? I hope not.
1

TimSaint added 13:50 - Nov 8 Following on from Joe Egg's comments.... I seem to remember Ralph singling out 20 year old Broja for blame, as to why our form dipped so drastically towards the end of last season. Well, Broja went back to Chelsea in the summer, but the poor form has not only continued, but probably worsened.
1

underweststand added 15:11 - Nov 8 commenting other people's texts. RE: Charlie Austin, who clearly wanted to run the dressing room and didn't like the way Ralph exited him. Sadly, not a kind statement from CA. A one-time likeable fan favourite who was the model of inconsistency and could go from hero to zero in a week. Sorry Chas. Liked your humour, pity about the goal-scoring form. RE: Those minority of fans who came on complaining were quite likely far-outnumbered by the many who didn't post their opinions - but perhaps understood better exactly what is demanded of a Prem. manager and what it means to fail. Even when given the chance the best players don't always make good managers - ask Frank Lampard. RE: As for the mistakes we all claim that Ralph made, it should be remembered that many games lost weren't due to a bad defence (aside from three 4 goal defeats against top sides) but the lack of our firepower up front that managed 95 shots (in the last 9 games) - but scored just 5 times, and only 4 of our 12 Prem. goals have come from our strike pairing of Ché Adams / and Adam Armstrong. Regardless of the other faults that people are laying at Ralph's door, those players who are employed to score goals need to take their share of the blame.

4

deanosfc8 added 16:09 - Nov 8 If you do read these comments Ralph, then I salute you Sir. Thank you for embracing our City and our clubs values at a time we needed saving. Good luck, I only wish you well.
6

Blogs 31 bloggers

MK Dons Polls