Following the end of his two-year stint as the manager of RasenBallsport Leipzig, Ralph Hasenhuttl quickly found himself at the helm of Southampton in December 2018. Upon taking the job at Saint Mary’s, the Austrian soon became well-regarded among the Saints’ loyal fanbase after steering them clear of relegation in the 2018-19 season. Since then, he’s arguably become one of the Premier League’s most tactically versatile managers. So, let’s take a look at how Hasenhuttl has coached Southampton’s undeniable on-field progression.
Bouncing Back from a Record-Equalling Defeat
Having secured a second-place finish in the Bundesliga during his first season with RB Leipzig, much was expected of the 52-year-old when he was announced as the manager of the Hampshire-based club. After an encouraging start, the Saints fell to a record-equalling 9-0 defeat to Leicester City at Saint Mary’s in October 2019. The result meant that Southampton had gone on a run of seven consecutive home matches without a victory. On the face of it, things had started to derail for Hasenhuttl.
While their barren run would continue as they failed to win any of their next four games in all competitions, it would prove to be a blessing in disguise. Following a 2-2 draw at the Emirates in November, Southampton would go on to lose just two of their next 11 games in all competitions. This run included avenging their heavy defeat to Leicester.
Fundamentally, while this resurgence can be attributed to many factors, the Austrian’s alteration to his preferred two-up-top system ultimately proved to be a much-need catalyst. At Leipzig, the 52-year-old often deployed both Timo Werner and Yussuf Poulsen together in the offensive third, and he would eventually opt to do the same at Saint Mary’s with Danny Ings alongside one of Che Adams or Shane Long.
In the early weeks of the tactical change, this garnered winning results against both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, showcasing its impressive capabilities. Moreover, on an individual level, this has also got the best out of Ings, who is, as of July 7th, 9/1 to win the golden boot in the football betting come the end of the season.
A Collective Desire to Develop
Having emphatically transformed Southampton’s fortunes, the Graz-born manager was rewarded with a new four-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2024. Among many in the football world, comparisons have emerged between Hasenhuttl and Liverpool’s title-winning manager, Jurgen Klopp. Impressively, the man described as the “Alpine Klopp” has been able to instil a never-say-die attitude into his team that has been at the heart of their recent success.
From an on-field standpoint, the 52-year-old has, in the past, compared his philosophies to Klopp’s because of the similarities in their action-packed styles. However, within both sides, there is a collective desire to work as a team to secure point-scoring results. This is evident in the Saints’ recent one-goal victory over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Despite facing 26 shots and only having 26 percent of the play, Southampton stayed compact and worked tirelessly to defeat the 2018-19 Premier League champions.
Promising Signs for the Future
With Hasenhuttl at the helm, the next few seasons offer undeniable promise to the Saint Mary’s’ faithful, with Southampton having already proved that they’re capable of competing with the league’s best sides. Importantly, if the Austrian can strengthen his squad in future transfer windows, then there’s no reason why the Hampshire-based team can’t challenge for a European place in the coming years.
