Former Premier League owner Simon Jordan believes Rafa Benitez may be tempted by the Southampton job if the struggling Saints decide to part with Ralph Hasenhuttl, as he told talkSPORT (2 March, 12:00am).
This is not the first time the house of cards has collapsed.
But Southampton stuck with Hasenhuttl in the wake of that 9-0 thrashing at the hands of Leicester City in October 2019 and, in truth, there is little to suggest that the Austrian’s future is in serious doubt this time either.
A run of eight defeats in nine league games – including another nine-goal humiliation – means a team who were top of the table as recently as November are now just a few points above the relegation zone.
Hasenhuttl, however, appears to retain the faith of a trusting board.
Then again, if Southampton were to lose at home to bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United on Saturday ahead of the daunting trip to Manchester City, Saints chiefs may have a difficult decision to make regarding the future of their much-admired yet increasingly-beleaguered head coach.
It just so happens that there is an experienced, proven tactician waiting to return to the dugout after a short-lived spell in the Far East.
“He’s an outstanding manager,” former Crystal Palace owner Jordan said when asked if Benitez could be an option for the Saints.
“If he’s coming back to England, I would think that he’d want a bigger ship to sail on than Southampton – but he’s gone to China, which won’t have helped his reputation as a top-class coach.
“So maybe Southampton would be a fix.
“But we’re talking a bit previous. If they beat Sheffield United, they’ll have 33 points and they’re there or thereabouts. They’re in the division for the following season.
“But look at how they’ve fallen. They were brilliant at the turn of the year. Brilliant. And we saw a manager show the world how much a result meant (against Liverpool), it was the defining moment for him in football, and his team has stunk since then.”
It is two months now since Southampton defeated Liverpool with a display full of character, endeavour and iron-clad determination, leading Hasenhuttl to weep with emotion upon the full-time whistle.
Since then, the Saints have not won a single league fixture, picking up one point from a possible 27.
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