Southampton announce sacking of Mark Hughes

The Welshman did not have a very convincing record with the Saints in his eight-month stint.

It was a busy day out at Southampton FC as the club revealed that it has parted ways with their first team manager Mark Hughes. Along with Hughes, his staff - the assistant manager and the assistant coach, will leave the club too, as revealed in the statement.

Times at the St. Mary’s Stadium were not going pretty well since the last season as they lost one of their key players, Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool in January. Since then, the Saints, under the then manager Mauricio Pellegrino, started experiencing a threatening downfall. The Argentine was sacked immediately in March and Hughes was appointed subsequently.

The Welshman signed a short-term contract till the end of the last season and managed to keep the club from getting relegated. Following their survival in the Premier League, Hughes signed a three-year contract with the club before the start of the current season and so did his fellow staff members, Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki.

#SaintsFC can today confirm it has parted company with First Team Manager Mark Hughes.Full statement: pic.twitter.com/EisJf8c2gb

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 3, 2018

However, things didn’t work out well for Hughes and Southampton made a poor start to the new season with just one win in 14 games. Currently standing 18th in the table, the Saints have just 9 points, equalling with 19th placed Burnley.

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With the danger of relegation already at the brink, the club’s board sacked Hughes with an inmediate effect. Under the 55-year-old, the Saints played 26 games and won just 5 maintaining a lowly 19.2 win percentage.

Post the former Manchester City, Stoke City and Fulham manager’s departure, the Saints’ first team assistant coach Kelvin Davis is all set to take charge for the time being. Davis’ first test in his new role will come against Tottenham Hotspur, whom the Saints visit on Wednesday at the Wembley Stadium.