Southampton must find an appropriate successor for Ivan Juric if they are to make a rapid return to the Premier League. The Saints have had a dismal return to the top division, suffering relegation and lying on 11 points at the time of writing.
The decision to turn to Juric after firing Russell Martin in December proved to be a bad one. In his 14 Premier League games in command, the Croat managed only one win and 12 defeats before being fired once the club’s relegation was confirmed.
Several managers have been connected to the position, which appeals considering the club’s objectives. Tyler Dibling will leave this summer, and the English starlet’s worth is estimated to be above £100 million. According to The Daily Echo, there should be money to spend this summer in the form of parachute payouts totaling roughly £49 million.
Who has been linked with the Southampton job?
The Saints’ management team has a clear strategy for who will succeed Juric at St Mary’s. The majority of the individuals apparently on their shortlist have coaching experience in the second division of English football, with one having performed successfully in one of Europe’s top five leagues.
Danny Rohl
There aren’t many better managers for the job than Danny Rohl, whose previous experience as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s deputy manager has served him well. He has worked wonders at Sheffield Wednesday, moving the Owls away from relegation and into a comfortable mid-table position.
Rohl, 36, is scheduled to leave on Wednesday this summer, although it is unclear whether he will return to St Mary’s. He is apparently “interested” in replacing Ruud van Nistelrooy at Leicester City if the club break ways with the under-fire Dutchman.
Liam Rosenior
Liam Rosenior has been a huge success with French club Strasbourg, propelling Le RCS into a push for European qualifying. As of this writing, he has 15 wins in 31 games, including a 1-0 victory over Marseille’s Roberto De Zerbi.
The 40-year-old is well-versed in the Championship, having previously managed Hull City, where he was controversially fired despite finishing seventh. He has been on the Saints’ radar since March, and a return to England could be in the cards.
Will Still
Will Still appears to be on his way to England soon, bringing with him experience and an impressive Ligue 1 résumé. He was described as “superb” by Lens’ president, and he has developed in France with each year.
Still began his coaching career at Preston North End’s junior academy before moving abroad in 2012. The 32-year-old has since been in charge of Reims and Lens, and Southampton are believed to have spoken with him about their vacancy.
David Wagner
David Wagner, the oldest candidate to replace Juric, is 53 years old and may be seen as a safe set of hands. He is also the most marketable of the four, having left Norwich City last year after losing out on promotion.
The German has Premier League experience after leading Huddersfield to the top division in 2017. He possesses Hassenhuttl-like teaching approaches and could be a good fit to work with the club’s new sporting director, Johannes Spors.
Danny Rohl is the ideal solution for a Saints promotion fight
Southampton must do all possible to win the race for the in-demand Rohl, who possesses all of the necessary tools to lead the club to promotion next season. His time working with Hasenhuttl and Hansi Flick at Bayern Munich has provided him with invaluable information for a tough role.
Rohl used a counter-attacking style on Wednesday that has proven productive and could be suitable for the Saints’ current roster. He previously worked with Spors at RB Leipzig, where he is also being considered to succeed Marco Rose.
The German speaks well and has a charisma that will appeal to the ardent fan base. He has prioritized youth at Hillsborough, giving opportunities to players such as Pierce Charles (19) and Gabriel Otegbayo (20). One would hope he’d help Taylor Harwood-Bellis, 23, and Gabriel Otegbayo, 20, go on in their growth at St Mary’s.
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