Southampton have sacked their manager Nathan Jones after a dreadful run of seven Premier League defeats in eight matches left them rooted to the bottom of the table and staring at relegation. Jones departs the Saints after 94 days in charge, just three months into a three-and-a-half year contract.
Southampton conceded on Saturday night they had no choice but to relieve Jones, soon after the Welshman headed straight down the tunnel following a late defeat at home to 10-man Wolves, after which he appeared resigned to his fate.
Southampton’s owners, Sport Republic, swiftly identified Jones as their first-choice candidate to replace Ralph Hasenhüttl in November following his impressive work at Luton Town across two spells, but recognised his position was untenable following a fourth consecutive home loss.
At a pre-planned fans’ forum on Tuesday the club’s hierarchy admitted they were unimpressed with Jones’s polarising comments after defeat at Brentford in which the Welshman staunchly defended his track record.
“We will back any manager we have until we don’t believe he can improve the team and, if that time comes, we will do our work behind the scenes to be ready for that,” Rasmus Ankersen, Sport Republic’s chief executive officer, told supporters on Tuesday.
Jones was regarded as an underwhelming appointment by many Southampton fans and the 49-year-old failed to win over supporters. He lost nine of the 14 matches he oversaw in all competitions and alienated the fan base with numerous comments.
There was a desire from some of the Saints hierarchy to allow Jones more time to work with almost £60 million of January signings, including Kamaldeen Sulemana, but results and the mood among supporters saw them act. Jones departs with the shortest managerial tenure in Southampton’s history.
Sport Republic acquired the club in January 2022 hoping to rebuild Southampton into a top-10 side but they are facing the prospect of playing in the Championship for the first time since 2012.
Two of Jones’s first-team coaches, Alan Sheehan and Chris Cohen, both of whom followed him from Luton, have left the club but the former FC Copenhagen assistant Ruben Sellés, who was appointed as first-team lead coach as part of a coaching staff reshuffle last summer, will again take caretaker charge. Southampton’s next game is away at Chelsea next Saturday.
Though they reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup, beating Manchester City in the last eight, and are still in the FA Cup, Southampton’s form this season has been miserable. Since the end of October, they have won only once in the league – against fellow strugglers Everton. – Guardian
