Premier League strugglers Southampton could sack Mark Hughes soon but could Birmingham City boss Garry Monk replace him at St Mary’s?
Mark Hughes may be wishing the international break had never ended, because the pressure on the Southampton manager has intensified again with club football back in action.
Not only did the Saints suffer a damaging 3-2 defeat to fellow Premier League strugglers Fulham on Saturday, they also lost on penalties in the EFL Cup fourth round to Leicester City on Tuesday night; a result that really rubs salt into the wounds.
The Mirror reports that Hughes is now fearing the sack, with Southampton understood to be lining up a number of potential replacements including Brendan Rodgers, Leonardo Jardim, Peter Bosz and Burnley’s Sean Dyche.
But it seems that Birmingham City fans are also keeping a close, if worried, eye on the situation.
Garry Monk after all, has a connection with the South Coast club given that he represented them for eight years at the start of his playing career between 1996 and 2004.
After a disappointing end to his time at Leeds United, and a difficult spell at Middlesbrough, 39-year-old Monk is restoring his reputation as one of Britain’s most exciting young coaches at St Andrews.
With Birmingham tenth, Monk has turned the Blues into dark horses for the play-offs; and the prospect of him leaving for Southampton is giving the fans sleepless nights.
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