Ralph Hasenhuttl

[revolution saint]

14 minutes ago, Convict Colony said:

It's interesting cos as a saints fan we have been shit all my life.

Every now and again we have an outlier but generally we just want to survive.

We've got so entitled nowadays that we want the manager sacked who kept us in the league last season with no money sacked after 1 game away to a Conte Tottenham.

Yeah, I don’t think that’s the case though. The discontent is a culmination of things that go back to the second half of the season.  You can absolutely disagree and think Ralph needs to stay but it’s disingenuous to suggest this is the result of one game. You’re better than that.

[JRM]

3 hours ago, ecurnew02 said:

 

 

Stuff like this makes me want to support Ralph over the players to be honest 

[Le Timmier]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Some of us saw through him 18 months ago. 

So he's kept us up twice with a Championship standard squad since you saw through him? 

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, Le Timmier said:

So he's kept us up twice with a Championship standard squad since you saw through him? 

How is this becoming a narrative ?

[manji]

Well they do have a “ line of succession “ policy. New manager and a new striker. I’ve liked what SR have done so far so if they havnt prepared for this that’s a major fail.

[AlexLaw76]

Just now, manji said:

Well they do have a “ line of succession “ policy. New manager and a new striker. I’ve liked what SR have done so far so if they havnt prepared for this that’s a major fail.

Are you on their pay roll? 
 

you talk about them like some communist cult

[Smirking_Saint]

3 hours ago, saintant said:

Basically it is unwise to play wing backs unless you have two who can play the system correctly ie they can get up and down the pitch, defend well, know when to stay and when to go forward and can deliver good offensive passes and crosses. We do not have two such players so shouldn't be adopting this system.

We have Tino, Perraud and KWP

[JRM]

26 minutes ago, trousers said:

They're regurgitating the Daily Mail, so it's bound to be 100% true.

The actual reporters tagged are some of more reliable ones, I think something in it. 

18 minutes ago, kwsaint said:

Last time we sacked a manager two games into a season it ended in relegation.  RH should have gone in the summer.  It just feels too late now.  Can only hope that they have a successor lined up already as Semmens said on 5Live earlier in the year 

Going to be a long season.

Reminds me of that story where Ralph was going to retire end of his contract, that was an odd one , not seen it mentioned again 

[MarkSFC]

6 minutes ago, manji said:

Well they do have a “ line of succession “ policy. New manager and a new striker. I’ve liked what SR have done so far so if they havnt prepared for this that’s a major fail.

Either imminent?

[saintant]

3 minutes ago, Smirking_Saint said:

We have Tino, Perraud and KWP

Ah, Tino and Perraud were unfit on Saturday.

[verlaine1979]

Here's what I find odd about Ralph. Not once, at any point in his tenure at the club, have we really had a squad with the athleticism to play the kind of 4-2-2-2 he loves. But what we have had is a squad recruited over a number of years to play some variant of 4-3-3/4-2-3-1/4-3-2-1 etc. etc. which would have given us more midfield coverage with very little cost to our attack since our attackers are prety woeful and feeding off scraps anyway.

But when he's deviated from his preferred system, it isn't to default to the tried and true tactics employed by most of the rest of elite European football, it's to play a five at the back system that we DEFINITELY don't have the squad for, on account of only having one decent CB (until ABK proves himself).

I'm mystified. I like a lot of what he brought to the club originally, but fear his stubbornness over resisting a relatively simple transition back to a familiar formation is going to end up costing him, and probably us.

[Smirking_Saint]

2 minutes ago, saintant said:

Ah, Tino and Perraud were unfit on Saturday.

Well, yeah, in that respect I agree, thought you meant in general sorry

[Toussaint]

11 minutes ago, JRM said:

Stuff like this makes me want to support Ralph over the players to be honest 

Why? You see a threat to your short career in that you may not get back to the top league when relegated, you are a striker that feeds of scraps, a midfielder who has to run until blood comes out your lungs or you are defender made to look foolish when the high press inevitably breaks down and you are overwhelmed by attackers. Players played out of position, players frozen out ….. It can’t be fun

 

 

 

[Smirking_Saint]

I can’t see how he survives this long term really, especially because we have a difficult August

Ultimately Id take stuff like this with a pinch of salt but there’s too much coincidental bits of news a corroborating rumours coming out of the club, also explains the downbeat and defensive ‘vibe’ around the forum yesterday

Id go one more and say its not just Ralph at risk here though, wouldn’t surprise me at all of Semmens’ neck is on the line too

The only thing that baffles me is why we’ve let him go through a pre season and likely have a say in some of the players coming in

[saintant]

1 minute ago, Smirking_Saint said:

Well, yeah, in that respect I agree, thought you meant in general sorry

A fully fit Tino and KWP would work but the system would take a lot out of them so I think yo'd need a good reserve pairing ready to step in. I just don't think it's a system that suits us and we struggle with the 3 centre backs as it's a case of too many cooks. We tend to play better with a solid back 4 but I think Ralph fears more heavy defeats and is trying to stem the goals against. 

[JRM]

1 minute ago, Toussaint said:

Why? You see a threat to your short career in that you may not get back to the top league when relegated, you are a striker that feeds of scraps, a midfielder who has to run until blood comes out your lungs or you are defender made to look foolish when the high press inevitably breaks down and you are overwhelmed by attackers. Players played out of position, players frozen out ….. It can’t be fun

 

 

 

Because I look at those players not playing for the shirt, the fans, pulling together as a team, just having a strop. Look at United where players keep getting rid of managers , maybe they're the problem. We lack leadership as a side on the pitch and sounds like they're a bunch of whining egos in the dressing room. 

[modern matron]

1 hour ago, Wiggles31 said:

What a car crash. He should have gone at the end of the summer. The fans all wanted him out and clearly the players did too. No we’ll no doubt be getting a new manager in as the window comes to a close. Not to mention players will be hesitant to come to an unsettled dressing room. Shambolic. 

Spot on Wiggles! If this is true then what on earth has been going on. Incompetence beyond belief! 

I would add that the toxic nature of this forum does not help in any way. The same posters repeatedly peddling their own negative views and not listening to others is very destructive!

Whatever happens next does need everyone to pull in the same direction! The team needs unity not division………

[Smirking_Saint]

1 minute ago, saintant said:

A fully fit Tino and KWP would work but the system would take a lot out of them so I think yo'd need a good reserve pairing ready to step in. I just don't think it's a system that suits us and we struggle with the 3 centre backs as it's a case of too many cooks. We tend to play better with a solid back 4 but I think Ralph fears more heavy defeats and is trying to stem the goals against. 

Agree, 532 doesn’t suit our better players at all, plus all the tactical nuances

[JRM]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-10488599/Southampton-manager-Ralph-Hasenhuttl-reveals-consider-RETIRING-2024.html

 

Was it around this time things started to change? 

[Give it to Ron]

7 minutes ago, verlaine1979 said:

Here's what I find odd about Ralph. Not once, at any point in his tenure at the club, have we really had a squad with the athleticism to play the kind of 4-2-2-2 he loves. But what we have had is a squad recruited over a number of years to play some variant of 4-3-3/4-2-3-1/4-3-2-1 etc. etc. which would have given us more midfield coverage with very little cost to our attack since our attackers are prety woeful and feeding off scraps anyway.

But when he's deviated from his preferred system, it isn't to default to the tried and true tactics employed by most of the rest of elite European football, it's to play a five at the back system that we DEFINITELY don't have the squad for, on account of only having one decent CB (until ABK proves himself).

I'm mystified. I like a lot of what he brought to the club originally, but fear his stubbornness over resisting a relatively simple transition back to a familiar formation is going to end up costing him, and probably us.

It was the Watford at home game a great chance for 3 points as they were on bad run what does Ralph do play 1 up and Smallbone behind a role he hadn’t done before.

[FarehamSaintJames]

Seems odd to have all these rumours pop up just after a fans forum. Could be bollocks but equally would it be surprising?

Not having communication with the owners isn’t uncommon, equally they could’ve been leaving him to it to manage the first team etc.

Are these Ralph’s players or SR’s players? That’s another question that needs to be answered. Given that SR stuck with him through the summer would imply even he’s being told these are the players he’s having so put up with it, or he’s legit wanted these players.

If SR were to sack him a new manager would want his own players and to clear what he sees as the deadwood. And at this point the incoming manager would have more say given he’d likely be brought in to turn a bad run of form around etc.

[Whitey Grandad]

8 minutes ago, Give it to Ron said:

It was the Watford at home game a great chance for 3 points as they were on bad run what does Ralph do play 1 up and Smallbone behind a role he hadn’t done before.

That’s the match that did it for me. Why Smallbone when he had Broja, A. Armstrong, even Redmond, Long and Walcott on the bench?

[ErwinK1961]

31 minutes ago, JRM said:

Because I look at those players not playing for the shirt, the fans, pulling together as a team, just having a strop. Look at United where players keep getting rid of managers , maybe they're the problem. We lack leadership as a side on the pitch and sounds like they're a bunch of whining egos in the dressing room. 

1000% this.

[SNSUN]

4 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said:

That’s the match that did it for me. Why Smallbone when he had Broja, A. Armstrong, even Redmond, Long and Walcott on the bench?

It’s like he thinks we’re better than we are. ‘Oh it’s only little old Watford, I can play some fringe players and we’ll still win.’ Even now most of us can see how weak the team/squad is in certain areas and he’s playing Valery at CB in a 3 and Armstrong on his own up front. I worry the club, and Ralph, feel we’re immune to relegation because we’ve avoided it for the last few years but this league is stronger this season and teams that should be in a relegation battle are strengthening well. Sports Republic are not going to want to see their investment go down so hopefully if we do start lingering like a bad smell near the bottom, the trigger will be fired. 
 

It takes a lot for me to turn on a manager and I’ve always quite liked him, especially after the car crash regimes of Pellegrino and Hughes, but that bad run of form and consistent poor decisions and excuses have shown me that his time with us must be coming to a close. And yes I think we should have pulled the trigger in the summer… we could have still signed the youngsters but given them time to get used to a new manager and new tactics. Now we’ve had our pre-season and the season is underway and we may possibly be looking to bring in a new manager meaning everyone needs to get used to the new manager whoever it is. 

Is it too little too late? No but we have to hope the new signings (and new signings yet to come) bed quickly. And if we are going to sack Ralph it needs to be done before too much damage is done.

[CanadaSaint]

The reality, for me, is that we don't know how good our squad is - and nor, in truth, did we know last year.

I (and I suspect the players) think it's much better than we've seen over the last 20+ games, which accounts for the mounting rumble on here and also - apparently - in the dressing room. Playing players out of position and in unfamiliar, ever-changing roles will never unlock our best. Nor will it give young players a fair chance of succeeding.

The reality of what we're capable of being is hidden in the void between some absolutely brilliant performances and some utterly dire performances, with little in-between, and with both extremes being largely down to Ralph's line-ups, tactics and changes. He's both a great guy and an arrogant, stubborn, infuriating annoyance.

I wish we could just keep "the good Ralph", but the annoying one is proving increasingly destructive, and I don't think he's capable of changing.

[Lee On Solent Saint]

I like Ralph and really wanted him to be a success with us. However, I do think that a negative result this Saturday will be the end for him.

[Badger]

On 10/08/2022 at 00:28, cambsaint said:

I regard myself as a reasonable and (far too ) mature man who cannot give up following the Saints albeit from East Anglia for about 65 years.

I’m of a similar vintage and have the same concerns although it’s not so much just the manager (whoever it might be) or Ralph, as the club management who are causing me to question the continued support.

Trouble is there has been too much time and emotion tied up in following the club over 50years to simply say ‘shove it’, had enough and pack the interest in. 

 

[Turkish]

1 hour ago, JRM said:

Because I look at those players not playing for the shirt, the fans, pulling together as a team, just having a strop. Look at United where players keep getting rid of managers , maybe they're the problem. We lack leadership as a side on the pitch and sounds like they're a bunch of whining egos in the dressing room. 

So true mate. If a player is upset because they’re not playing then that’s a good thing, every player should be upset if they don’t get picked, but they should be working their bollocks off to get back in the side when they’re going to the media then it’s really showing what a prick they are. We had all this before a few years ago when the club backed Ralph and said players would go first, I was pleased about that. I expect the snivelling little pricks are the likes of Stephens who was mates with Austin, don’t deserve a place in the team but happy to gob off behind the managers back and shit stir

[Ralph Fastenbüttl]

2 hours ago, Saint86 said:

Don't think it's particularly shambolic to give Ralph a chance with this team - he has earned it in fairness. But it has to be his last chance. 

I think this is probably the fairest and most reasonable assessment of the situation I've seen on here. 100% agree.

[Streaky]

8 minutes ago, Turkish said:

So true mate. If a player is upset because they’re not playing then that’s a good thing, every player should be upset if they don’t get picked, but they should be working their bollocks off to get back in the side when they’re going to the media then it’s really showing what a prick they are. We had all this before a few years ago when the club backed Ralph and said players would go first, I was pleased about that. I expect the snivelling little pricks are the likes of Stephens who was mates with Austin, don’t deserve a place in the team but happy to gob off behind the managers back and shit stir

Could also be Che Adams, Stuart Armstrong or Adam Armstrong. He's fell out with them all, I'm sure it's the players fault.

Come on we all know what the problem is. Ralph wouldn't know man management if it hit him in the face.

[Turkish]

5 minutes ago, Streaky said:

Could also be Che Adams, Stuart Armstrong or Adam Armstrong. He's fell out with them all, I'm sure it's the players fault.

Come on we all know what the problem is. Ralph wouldn't know man management if it hit him in the face.

Maybe but pricks going to the media about it don’t help. 

[Badger]

On 10/08/2022 at 08:11, beatlesaint said:

Thing I don’t understand about Ralph is if building a team you buy players who fit the system you want to play. It’s now, bar two or three, his team, his signings. So you have to assume he gas been given the players ..  

Don’t think we can blame him for the signings, listening to Semmens last night he reinforced the club’s obsession with young players, 

Any incoming seem to have to match up with the photofit provided, so don’t think these are RH choices.

As I’ve outlined before Ralph might have wanted Orban or Hinterigger but been told we were bringing in some African kid who’s spent just one season in Spain. 

1 hour ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Are these Ralph’s players or SR’s players? That’s another question that needs to be answered. Given that SR stuck with him through the summer would imply even he’s being told these are the players he’s having so put up with it, or he’s legit wanted these players.

 

Agreed, think the clubs setting the agenda on signings, immediately improving the first team is not the goal.

[Toadhall Saint]

3 hours ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Some of us saw through him 18 months ago. 

Look at me - tosser.

[Matthew Le God]

7 minutes ago, Badger said:

immediately improving the first team is not the goal

I think Lavia, Bazunu and Aribo will all immediately improve the starting XI compared to last season. 

[Saint-Michael]

If I were a player I would be getting pissed off loosing most of the time knowing that the team I played in could or would do better if the manager used a different system one that suited the abilities of the players, a manager who played his players in there best positions and who made  substitutions in a game to try something different and not doing things the same way week in week out. It must be very frustrating to be a player in a team with a manager who does this. 

[Turkish]

Lavia will become a magnificent player. His range of passing is excellent he could be in reality the player we thought Hojbjerg was. To be that good on the ball on your debut at 18 away at a champions league club is impressive. If we can get 2-3 years out of him before he moves back to a top club we’d have done well

[FarehamSaintJames]

A manager should have control over who he wants to sign, and I feel SR are calling the shots and steering him down a tough road when he may have wanted more experienced players.

On the other hand if I was a player I’d be getting frustrated with the tactics, formation and team selection, we see ourselves what works and what doesn’t. It’s not rocket science for us and I can’t imagine it is for the players either 🤷🏻‍♂️
 

The next two or three games will show us what direction the club and team is going in

[Streaky]

15 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Maybe but pricks going to the media about it don’t help. 

Yeah not very professional but maybe they know we are on a hiding to nothing with Ralph in charge. Most of the squad were bemused that he wasn't sacked in the summer. 

So hardly gonna be giving it there all now, that's modern football for you, it's not right but that's what football has become. Ralph has to go for me and I've been saying it for a long time.

[MAY-Z]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

How is this becoming a narrative ?

This is the one thing I will never ever criticise Ralph’s ability to do, that is make people believe our players would be lucky to get a game in the Outer Mongolian 73rd division. He is an expert at that.

 

if you look at almost every player in the squad (probably KWP & JWP aside) they have all looked far far better when they start with us than they are now.

 

Salisu has gone from the looking like the most promising defender in the league to a liability

 

Bednarek goes ok for Poland, was ok early for Ralph and now no good.

Diallo, people were calling on him to replace JWP after his suspension last season, now he offers nothing

 

all the forwards looked ok and provided goals and assists early for Ralph and then stopped (Djenepo, Walcott, AArmstrong, Broja, Ely (once back from Celtic, Tella had a good season before last)

 

you can’t have all these player regressing purely coincidentally 

[EBS1980]

How many managers actually have control over signings? Most clubs have give recruitment departments. They may say this is what I need and then these teams do the work on who fits that requirement.

It’s no coincidence we sign city kids in the same window we appoint a new head of recruitment 

[Matthew Le God]

5 hours ago, ecurnew02 said:

 

 

The Daily Mail article is not factually accurate. 

An example...

"The response was to change the entirety of his coaching staff"

Entire 1st team coaching department was not changed! Richard Kitzbichler & Andrew Sparkes are both 1st team coaches & did not leave. 

They can't even get the basics right. So why trust them to be right on the rest?

[The Kraken]

28 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

I think Lavia, Bazunu and Aribo will all immediately improve the starting XI compared to last season. 

Cancelled out by the loss of Livramento and Broja right now, both of whom are not available to our first team. Add in Che Adams’ potentially, based on last week he’s not in out starting eleven.. Lavia is a prospect for sure but I think Romeu us better, right now. So, no, I don’t agree that on balance we are better. Particularly when Jan Valery gets a spot. If he’s an improvement then we need help. 

Edited 11 August, 2022 by The Kraken

[Saint Garrett]

14 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

The Daily Mail article is not factually accurate. 

An example...

"The response was to change the entirety of his coaching staff"

Entire 1st team coaching department was not changed! Richard Kitzbichler & Andrew Sparkes are both 1st team coaches & did not leave. 

They can't even get the basics right. So why trust them to be right on the rest?

Not sure they’re that pedantic tbh. 

[Turkish]

15 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

The Daily Mail article is not factually accurate. 

An example...

"The response was to change the entirety of his coaching staff"

Entire 1st team coaching department was not changed! Richard Kitzbichler & Andrew Sparkes are both 1st team coaches & did not leave. 

They can't even get the basics right. So why trust them to be right on the rest?

What is factually accurate is you’re an absolute bellend 

[The Kraken]

Given by how much he throws out the confused emoji, Matt Le God seems confused most of his life.

[Ralph Fastenbüttl]

55 minutes ago, Matthew Le God said:

The Daily Mail article is not factually accurate. 

An example...

"The response was to change the entirety of his coaching staff"

Entire 1st team coaching department was not changed! Richard Kitzbichler & Andrew Sparkes are both 1st team coaches & did not leave. 

They can't even get the basics right. So why trust them to be right on the rest?

Dude, c'mon. That their background filler blurb isn't completely 100% anally retentive and correct in its every detail means says nothing about the source or the info they're claiming to know.

[Chris cooper]

If Ralph goes can Matty le god fuck off aswell .. for the good of the forum ofcourse 😊

[OttawaSaint]

14 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Given by how much he throws out the confused emoji, Matt Le God seems confused most of his life.

Board is borderline unreadable due to his nitpicking. I'm sure he finds it amusing. He'd last about 2 minutes with that persona in real life. 

[hypochondriac]

3 hours ago, trousers said:

They're regurgitating the Daily Mail, so it's bound to be 100% true.

Myself and others posted about Ralph and his man management skills months ago and I was told it was all the fault of the players and that I was probably mistaken or lying. 

[hypochondriac]

It really does feel like things are coming to a head. I'm not sure how much longer the club can continue in this manner. There surely has to be some signs of progress on Saturday.