An “unbelievable” manager with a release clause of £5m is now Southampton’s first-choice target to replace Ivan Juric, according to reports.
Saints' new manager search underway after Juric departure
It was always going to be a difficult task for Juric to keep Southampton in the Premier League, given the very poor start Russell Martin made to the campaign, but things couldn’t have gone much worse for the Croatian coach.
The 49-year-old oversaw just one win in the Premier League during his time with the Saints, a 2-1 victory against fellow strugglers Ipswich Town in February, and his dismissal was confirmed following the 3-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.
With relegation to the Championship also confirmed, the board’s most pertinent task will be to bring in a new manager capable of winning promotion back to the top flight next season, and a number of targets have already been identified.
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The likes of Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Liam Rosenior and Danny Rohl are all under consideration, with the latter two managers the front-runners for the role. Rohl is eager to leave Sheffield Wednesday, and he could have the opportunity to do so if Southampton are willing to pay the £5m release clause in his contract.
According to a report from GiveMeSport, the Wednesday boss is the Saints’ number one choice to replace Juric, with chiefs starting the new manager search weeks ago.
Rohl has impressed at Championship level with Sheffield Wednesday, and sporting director Johannes Spors is believed to be a big fan, potentially making it more likely the Saints will pursue a move.
"Unbelievable" Rohl could be excellent appointment
The 35-year-old is clearly held in high regard at Sheffield Wednesday, with Josh Windass describing his manager as “unbelievable”, while also claiming he is the “best head coach” he’s played under.
It would be fair to say the German has done a stellar job with the Owls, securing Championship survival on the final day of the 2024-25 campaign, despite his side’s second-tier status looking perilous when he first took over.
Since then, the Zwickau-born manager has stabilised Wednesday in the Championship, with his side currently sitting in 13th place, indicating that he could now be ready to manage a side with aspirations of gaining promotion to the Premier League.
Rosenior is another intriguing option for the Saints, given that his Strasbourg side are on course to qualify for the Champions League this season, but Rohl could be a more attainable option, given the £5m release clause, and there are plenty of indications he could be a success at St. Mary’s.