Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is this week being lauded as the man to take over from Ralph Rangnick at Manchester United.
For a manager who recently drew against both Manchester clubs and beat Tottenham, this wouldn’t normally be unusual.
It is unusual for Ralph Hasenhuttl, because he hasn’t been perfect at Southampton. This is the manager who presided over two 9-0 defeats in the space of a year.
The fact he not only kept his job, but turned Southampton back towards consistency is, though, perhaps an argument for his credentials.
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There is an often nonsensical attitude in the media around progression in the Premier League. If a player performs well, he should move to a bigger team. If a manager impresses, he should manage a better team.
While it would be fascinating to see Ralph Hasenhuttl with better resources, this line of thinking isn’t always correct. See David Moyes at Manchester United as an example.
Certain managers, like a Guardiola, are suited to managing dominant teams. Others like Moyes at West Ham currently and Hasenhuttl are suited to overachieving with a more modest team.
If bigger clubs come calling, they will face a fight to secure Hasenhuttl’s services. The Southampton hierarchy firmly believe that he is the perfect manager for their model.
He believes in young players, he believes in building a club and he believes in sensible business.
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He may have graduated from the same football college as Jurgen Klopp, but that doesn’t mean Hasenhuttl is the same. At Southampton in particular, Hasenhuttl can develop young players who will become the next star for a Klopp or a Guardiola.
Nonetheless, it speaks to the quality of coaching in the Premier League that a manager like him makes sense in mid table. When Danny Ings was sold to Aston Villa, many predicted Southampton would be relegation candidates.
Far from the trapdoor, Southampton are a top ten team in an insanely competitive landscape, and Saints fans can continue to enjoy watching talented young players playing progressive football.
