Southampton Sack Mark Hughes as Manager After 9 Months in Charge
Southampton manager Mark Hughes was sacked by the club on Monday following a string of poor results in the Premier League.
Saints released the following statement on social media, confirming the decision had been made:
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Southampton drew 2-2 with Manchester United on Saturday having led by two goals in the game. However, results had been poor prior to that encounter, with just one win picked up from their 14 games in the top flight in the 2018-19 campaign.
Hughes, who was only appointed at St Mary's in March, departs with Southampton in 18th position in the table, a point short of safety.
The Welshman helped keep Saints in the Premier League last term. They picked up eight points in their final five matches, including a vital 1-0 away win at Swansea City, who finished three points below them and were relegated.
However, they've been unable to carry any momentum into the current campaign, and his final record at the club does not make for a good read:
Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe, who writes for Southampton's magazine, was not surprised to see him receive his marching orders:
Dropping points after taking the lead was a recurring theme of his tenure:
After a strong start at previous club Stoke City—whom he guided to ninth place three seasons in a row, their strongest league finishes since 1975—Hughes' stock has taken a significant hit in 2018.
He was sacked by the Potters in January, with the club later relegated, and despite his role in keeping Southampton in the top flight last season, his overall time at the club will inspire little confidence.
As for the Saints, they've begun their search for a new boss.
According to the Telegraph's Jeremy Wilson, former RB Leipzig manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is their first choice.
The Austrian spent two seasons with Leipzig, guiding them to second in the Bundesliga in the 2016-17 campaign and sixth in the last campaign.
ITV Sport's Sam Matterface reported another early front-runner for the job:
Sanchez Flores, who won the UEFA Europa League as Atletico Madrid manager in 2010, spent the 2015-16 season with Watford. He guided the Hornets to 13th place in the Premier League and also beat Arsenal on the way to an FA Cup semi-final.
The Spaniard then took Espanyol to eighth in La Liga the following campaign, though he was sacked in April this year with the club nine points above the drop with five matches remaining.
