Mark Hughes was sacked by Stoke City in January but, two months later, could return to Premier League duty to save Southampton from relegation.
Is Mark Hughes the man to save Southampton?
The struggling South Coast club seem to think so. As reported by The Telegraph, the 54-year-old has been installed as the favourite to take over at St Mary’s with just eight games remaining this season after the belated sacking of Mauricio Pellegrino.
Yes, Hughes has the Premier League experience the Southampton board are supposedly looking for after the divisive reigns of Pellegrino and Claude Puel. Yes, he once took Blackburn Rovers to sixth, started the Manchester City revolution and guided Stoke City to three successive top half finishes.
He also knows the club well, having played 61 games for Southampton between 1998 and 2000.
But you can understand why some supporters would be very underwhelmed by his appointment with The Saints, who have been a model club in the Premier League over the last few years, sitting just one point above the drop zone.
After all, Hughes was sacked by Stoke City just two months ago after a steady decline became an alarming dip that the former Wales boss proved unable to halt.
Hughes would be arriving on the South Coast with his managerial reputation perhaps at an all-time low, and while he has the character and the fight for a relegation battle and could give a lifeless squad the proverbial kick up the backside, surely there is more inspiring options available.
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