Following the club’s relegation to the Championship, Southampton promoted current manager Russell Martin to the managing position last year. In his debut season, Martin led Southampton to promotion and back to the Premier League despite having little managerial experience in the Championship. Although it was anticipated that Southampton would struggle in their inaugural Premier League season, the Saints have mostly disappointed with their performances, managing to record just one point after the first seven league games.
Despite some encouraging outings against Arsenal and Manchester United, Russell Martin’s team was unable to win any of those games. In addition, Southampton has only scored four goals in the league, which is the lowest amount in the Premier League. If results don’t improve in the team’s remaining league games, the Southampton board may decide to replace the manager. Although Southampton’s last Premier League season didn’t benefit from a change of managers, adding an experienced manager could aid Southampton in their league season comeback.
Therefore, after leaving Chelsea last year, the Saints are interested in hiring Graham Potter, the former manager of Chelsea, to the team. Potter has stated that he would like to take back administration of club football, and it is possible that the former Southampton defender would take the reins at St. Mary’s Stadium. One of the key components of Southampton’s strategy to rise to the top of the Premier League in the next few years is the development of young players, something Potter is renowned for emphasising in his tactical setup and attention to detail.
Moreover Potter managed Brighton previously and helped them avoid relegation and remain consistent by helping them to a mid-table finish in the 2021/22 season. Therefore, Potter’s arrival can lead Southampton to showcase their full potential with the talented squad they have, and take some important wins in the Premier League. Now it remains to be seen whether Southampton will decide to replace manager Russell Martin this season, if the overall performances remain same after the international break as well.
