This post is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which features personal comments from FLW Fan Pundits on breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings, and more.
Southampton’s owners have been advised that they must make the right decision with their next manager in order to maintain fan trust.
Will Still was fired shortly before the international break after winning only two of his 13 Championship games in charge at St. Mary’s, leaving the team near the bottom of the league table.
Still, it was the latest in a long line of disastrous management appointments by Southampton under the ownership of Sport Republic.
Nathan Jones, Ivan Juric, and Still have all been big flops, while Russell Martin has failed to perform in the Premier League, where the Saints should ideally be functioning.
Sport Republic was informed they had to get the next Southampton appointment correct.
Following Still’s departure, several names were connected with taking over at St. Mary’s, including Frank Lampard and Mark Robins.
Gary O’Neil also thought to be in the running for the post, but his interest appears to have waned following a backlash from Southampton fans over his Pompey history.
Tonda Eckert, who took over the role temporarily following Still’s retirement, now appears to be the most likely contender to succeed him. The German has won both of his Championship matches so far, tying his predecessor’s record in 11 fewer games.
However, his lack of expertise may be a huge concern for some Saints fans, raising suspicions that Sports Republic is about to make another mistake.
With this in mind, Football League World’s Southampton fan pundit, Martin Sanders, has delivered a clear message to his club’s owners about what they must do to restore fan confidence.
“I think the fans have lost patience; they have no faith,” said Martin. “They’re so somber and low.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Saints fanbase so depleted in all the years I’ve followed them.
“It’s low; I don’t believe people trust the owners to make the proper decision. I believe the relationship between the owners and the fans has reached a breaking point.
“Unfortunately, I believe they have made a significant decision on the manager front. I have been very clear about what I have said.
“Go hire an experienced manager. “You can’t mess around.”
The next managerial appointment might be make or break for Sport Republic.
Given Southampton’s current Championship position of 17th, their next management hire must be a success if they are to have a chance of making the play-offs.
The Saints are only seven points behind Millwall in sixth place, and a great run of form during the festive season may see them enter that fight very soon.
However, making a poor decision may result in Southampton failing to go past the mid-table level, condemning them to another year in the Championship. Furthermore, another ill-fated selection would erode the fanbase’s faith in Sport Republic and could spark a real effort to force them out of St. Mary’s.
With everything on the line, Southampton’s owners cannot afford to make the wrong decision and must make the correct one.
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