Southampton Football Club has sacked their manager, Ivan Juric, following the team’s relegation from the English Premier League.
The announcement was made on Monday, a day after the club’s 3-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
The defeat confirmed Southampton’s drop to the Championship with seven matches left in the season, setting a new Premier League record for the earliest confirmed relegation. The previous record was held by Derby County in 2008 and Huddersfield Town in 2019, who both went down with six games to go.
Juric, who is 49 years old and from Croatia, took over the team in December after Russell Martin was dismissed. However, he struggled to turn things around. Under his leadership, the Saints managed only one league win — a 2-1 victory over Ipswich Town in February — and lost 25 of their 31 matches this season.
“Unfortunately, we haven’t seen performances progress the way we had hoped,” the club said in a statement. “But we would like to thank Ivan and his staff for their honesty and hard work as they fought against the odds to try and keep us up.”
Simon Rusk has been appointed as interim manager for the rest of the season, with former Southampton player Adam Lallana assisting him.
The club also said it was important to give everyone at Southampton some direction as they prepare for life in the Championship.
“With relegation now confirmed, we believe it is important to give fans, players and staff some clarity on the future as we head into a very important summer,” the statement added.
Despite the poor season, the club praised their fans for staying loyal.
“We remain incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our fans. Their continued dedication and passion, despite what has been a very tough season, is remarkable,” the club said.
Southampton were promoted to the Premier League after winning the Championship play-offs last season, but their return to the top flight was short-lived.
