Ivan Juric is SACKED by Southampton less than 24 hours after setting unwanted record for Premier League’s earliest EVER relegation
Ivan Juric has been sacked by Southampton less than 24 hours after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.
Southampton suffered the earliest relegation in history on Sunday after just 31 games following their 3-1 loss to Tottenham.
The Croatian won just one and lost 12 of his 14 Premier League games at the helm after replacing Russell Martin in late December.
That gives Juric the worst points-per-game record in history of any boss to manage more than 10 Premier League games. Four points in 14 games gives him a grand total of 0.29 per match. He lasted 108 days.
They have been relegated a game quicker than the infamous Derby County side of 2007-08, and still need another point to match their record-low haul.
In a sign of how abject their season has become, Juric recently set his players the challenge of not being ‘the worst team in the history of the Premier League.’
Ivan Juric has been sacked by Southampton after their relegation from the Premier League
The Croatian presided over one win in his 14 Premier League games in charge, losing 12
Southampton have suffered the quickest Premier League relegation ever after just 31 matches
He indicated that he intended to stay next season, but Sky Sports News reports that Simon Rusk will now stand in until the end of the season. Adam Lallana will assist him.
Juric was appointed with an 18-month deal and spoke positively of their chances of staying up.
‘I’m very optimistic because I saw a team that can do better,’ he said.
He won one of his 14 league matches in charge, a 2-1 win at Ipswich, and lost 12 of the other 13. Juric fared slightly bettered in the FA Cup, beating Swansea 3-0 but losing 1-0 to Burnley.
This is not the first rapid sacking the 49-year-old has suffered. Earlier this season he was binned off by Roma after just 12 games in charge.
However, he arrived with a decent reputation in Italy after medium-term stints at Hellas Verona and Torino. The Premier League proved a different beast.
After Sunday’s defeat by Tottenham, Juric hit out at the club’s recruitment.
‘Recruitment is everything in football,’ he said. ‘We have a lot of talented young players, but with not many games in the Premier League. What I noticed most in three or four months here is the completely different physicality between us and the other teams in the league.
Juric has the worst points-per-game record of any Premier League boss who has taken more than 10 games
He was brought in to replace Russell Martin but was unable to turn around the Saints’ fortunes
Juric spoke positively of Southampton’s chances when he was appointed on an 18-month deal
Juric was sacked by Roma after 12 games in November – it hasn’t been a great season
‘What I noticed most in three or four months hear is the completely different physicality between us and the other teams in the Premier League. I think the same thing happened to Leicester and Ipswich.
‘Now is the moment to understand all the mistakes the club made in the last three or four years and start to create something really good.
‘It’s our goal, to avoid being the worst team in Premier League history. I am the manager of Southampton. It would be easy to say now I want to go, but we have to keep working, we owe that to our fans, and this is our goal.’
Saints fans gave their team a standing ovation at the final whistle. ‘The love they show is incredible,’ said Juric.
‘They deserve more. Every person that works at Southampton has to do better and create something stronger.’
Southampton have spent big – in excess of £100million – in a bid to stay up, but while some signings such as Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Mateus Fernandes have showed promise, few have paid off.
Since December, the south coast side have been on the receiving end of some absolute tonkings.
In the space of one month they lost 5-1 to Chelsea, 5-0 to Tottenham, and 5-0 to Brentford – all at home, and not exactly the festive gift fans wanted.
They have since suffered 4-0 batterings by Brighton and Chelsea.
Many observers would give the Saints credit for playing some attractive football this season – and they have been desperately unlucky at times – but failure to adapt has cost them dearly.
