Time is running out for Russell Martin at Southampton after his side’s latest collapse. The Saints seemed to be cruising to a first win Premier League win of the season on Saturday as they led Leicester City 2-0 after an hour, only for the visitors to fight back to level before Jordan Ayew’s 97th minute winner left St Mary’s stunned.
The result leaves Southampton 19th in the table with just one point from eight games, and Martin’s men have the small matter of a trip to face champions Manchester City this weekend.
Crucial games against Everton and Wolves follow, and a failure to land three points from the latter clash in particular will surely leave the English manager facing the axe. Express Sport looks at the five prime candidates who are available to replace him…
Graham Potter
The former Swansea, Brighton and Chelsea boss has been out of work since his departure from Stamford Bridge in April 2023. Potter has seemingly been cautious about rushing back into football, but having been overlooked for the England job, the time now appears right to return to club management.
The Southampton situation seems made for him. A man with a reputation for elevating struggling sides with little in the way of resources, whilst playing an attractive brand of football, could yet save the Saints from the drop.
Gareth Southgate
Glenn Hoddle went from the England job to Southampton, and it’s not inconceivable that Southgate could now follow suit. If nothing else, he’d harbour a positive environment and back his players, the very qualities that saw him lauded by many during his stint in charge of the national side.
His wage demands may prove a stumbling block though, having been on more than £5million a year by the time he resigned from the FA this summer. The Saints would need to act fast too, or at least before Erik ten Hag gets sacked, given Southgate’s continued links to Manchester United.
Jesse Marsch
The American has previously been on Southampton’s radar, and seemed poised to take over following the sacking of Nathan Jones in February 2023. That time around, talks fell through at the 11th hour, but Marsch would surely be tempted to leave his role as head coach of Canada if another chance to crack the Premier League came his way.
Kjetil Knutsen
A left-field candidate, but one who has now been linked with so many jobs in British football it will be an anti-climax if he doesn’t land one soon. Has enjoyed a highly successful stint in charge of FK Bodo/Glimt in Norway and has got them competing well in Europe, a notion which made him the initial favourite for the Brighton job when Roberto De Zerbi left this year.
Marcelo Gallardo
Mauricio Pochettino, Mauricio Pellegrino, Marcelo Gallardo? Another man previously heavily linked with the Southampton job after Jones left, the River Plate boss would be an intriguing appointment for a club not shy of employing Argentinian managers.
However, he only returned to his current club in August, so much would depend on contract clauses and his desire to work in the Premier League. He’s also revered at River, having previously won a string of honours there as both a player and a manager.
