Sport Republic owner Ivan Juric has been doing the rounds with the media, mainly it seems by speaking to radio stations, first up he has been on Talksport regarding the position of the club's manager Ivan Juric.

The Daily Echo has been quoting the interview that Dragan Solak gave to national radio station Talksport:

"I would never say that we are set on Championship already because it would be unfair to Ivan, the team, the players and the fans.

"We'll fight every game. All I can promise is that we'll continue fighting and planning longer term. We signed a contract with Ivan for a year and a half.

"So yes, he is our manager for the next season and we will obviously try to prepare the best possible team for the next season that should be suited to his way of playing football.

"But whether that would be Championship or Premier League, I'm not going to state now. We'll try to do the best we can for the next season and I'm generally a guy who plans ahead."

Speaking directly about Juric, Solak added: "We have a very ambitious manager who is trying to change the game, how we played, the attitude of the team.

"I think unfortunately the team has been selected and set up for a bit different game than he would like to play, so I think he has some issues with some positions in the team.

"He's very positive, hard-working, doesn't complain and is just trying to do the best with what he has. We'll try to help him to get the team to the level where he can really perform well."

This is at least something coming out of the club from the horses mouth so to speak, over the past 10 months since director of football Jason Wilcox left for Manchester United, barely a word has come out of St Mary's to explain what is happening behind the scenes at St Mary's.

The average fan hasn't a clue who is actually doing what on a day to day basis to run the club, who is overseeing the recruitment of players and managers, who is responsible for the ticket prices, to put it bluntly the Southampton supporters have never felt so disengaged from the club, than they have in the last 6 months especially.

The contrast in mood amongst the fanbase is at directly the other end of the scale than it was just 8 months ago when we were walking out of Wembley full of hope that after the first two years of a lack of real direction from the club's owners that perhaps now Sport Republic had now righted the the mistakes they made when they first came and could now take the club forward, how wrong we were !

This is the first of what I think will be an attempt from Sport Republic to re engage and although I welcome that, I have to say that starting with the vote of confidence for the manager, a man who has just had the worst start to his tenure than any other Saints manager and has effectively lost 7 Premier League games in a row is not the best opening gambit.

Juric has inherited a car crash of a club on the footballing side of things and that is what the fans care about, perhaps starting with an apology might have been better.

All Photos Via Reuters

Bowlercow added 14:07 - Jan 27 The only way Juric could be worse is if he brings Captain Jack back into the team Come Christmas we are going to be in a same again scenario of needing a new coach mid season Ivan Please prove me wrong
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andywelsh added 14:36 - Jan 27 Quite frankly whoever is in charge is not going to be able to make this squad premiership quality. Whether we can blame RM for that is debatable. Yes he brought in Downes , Manning and Fraser when in hindsight perhaps upgrades were needed . A greater mistake was trusting a defence that had already failed two years ago in this league and an attack which was similarly ineffective. If we can hold on to the majority of the squad and use any money made from sales effectively, we should be ok in the Championship. If we aren’t it will only go to show what a decent job RM did in the Championship last season. His main failing was naivety to believe that last year’s squad could cut it this year.

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onetowatch added 15:15 - Jan 27 I really don't understand the growing number of digs on this site at Flynn Downes. Yes, fans will always have differing opinions, but I honestly believe that FD is a quality player, but playing a central role (when he is allowed to play there) in a very poor PL team. His mobility, tenacity and, normally, his distribution is good. He does need the right partner alongside him in CM. I still believe, within our current crop of players, that should have been SC...albeit , any change is too late now for this season.

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bryanK added 17:02 - Jan 27 The new manager has at least restored some semblance of pride and I will live with the statement that he will be our manager next season. The idiots around the owner have a lot to answer for along side the dreadful trust they placed in Russell Martin. The cheap signings and Martin undying belief that the group of players were world beaters ( well that’s what he told them) is now very transparent. Manning, Bree,Captain Jack, Bednarek, Downes, Fraser, Armstrong,Sugarwara, Smallbone all out of their depth and my jury is out on the likes of Aribo, Harwood - Bellis and Archer. Our only class players KWP and Dibling are very likely to leave so a clean out is needed for the next season. Alan Pardew and Nigel Atkins led the return after the Lowe years I sincerely hope Juric can provide the lift we need

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IanRC added 18:22 - Jan 27 More gibberish from the man ultimately responsible for this debacle. Where is the new striker we have needed since before he took over. Sports Republic and our club are a laughing stock.
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Ninja9 added 19:00 - Jan 27 How long has Ivan Juric been Sport Republic owner !!!!!
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landsdownsaint added 07:22 - Jan 28 Very hard for Juric . Not only was RM’s style of play is hard to get away from the players were also his best mates , I’m sure there’s a bit of resentment from the players , Juric with his players should be good next season … total clearout required
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DF_20032017 added 14:52 - Jan 28 He has to publicly back Juric but I think he will be the fall guy in what looks to be a disastrous end to the season and maybe the worst prem team ever. Rumours of a break clause at the end of the season and the club going back for Danny Rohl would make quite a bit of sense.
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