With Southampton taking another good and solid victory over Everton at the weekend – minus the squeaky bum stoppage-time that seemed to come from nowhere, Nathan Redmond has been full of praise for the difference manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has made since he came into the club.
After our last victory, the Austrian gaffer was full of praise for Redmond’s own turn in form since he walked through the door, but speaking to saintsfc following our 2-1 victory, the 24-year-old said that all the praise for the turn in form had to go to the gaffer, because he’d made the players enjoy the gritty side of their game, so we could flourish more in attack.
“Two completely different wins – today was about stamping our authority on the game and trying to hurt them where they’re weak. The last four games in the league, you can see the subtle changes that we’re making and the ones that are having a big impact. The nitty-gritty stuff that you see a lot of the boys doing – the tackles, the defending, winning the balls in midfield and chasing around up front – all becomes enjoyable for us now.”
He went on to say.
“The gaffer has made us aware that if we enjoy doing that, it’ll make the game twice as easy when we’re trying to go forward. We’re benefiting from everybody working for each other.”
Hasenhuttl has clearly shown the bounce of a honeymoon period, but the current levels of optimism surround the fact that even after tasting defeat it hasn’t overly knocked us or our confidence for a change and the side are looking like the side we know they can be.
It’s still early days and we’ll have more hiccups, but the gaffer does seem to be getting extra out of those players who we should’ve expected more from. Whatever he’s doing behind the scenes is working and long may it continue.
Redmond isn’t the only one enjoying a new lease of life.
