With the build-up to the Premier League campaign of 2018/19 slowly gaining pace as fixture release day nears, manager Mark Hughes has been back in front of the media talking about his delight at returning to the club as gaffer.
Mark Hughes is delighted with the decision he made to help #SaintsFC in the #PL run-in: https://t.co/oeO7qCjzYO
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) June 11, 2018
Having come in and played his part in helping us to avoid the drop back into the Championship with his eight-game spell in charge last term, Hughes continues to say all the right things to the media after he signed his new three-year deal.
Speaking to saintsfc as he met with club press to once again look ahead to the coming year, Hughes admitted he took the club on in a tricky situation, but he knew that ‘high risk’ decision would carry a greater reward if we avoided the drop.
“It was high risk, if I’m honest, in terms of my position. It could’ve gone poorly, but I wasn’t really thinking about that. It was a different situation and a difficult decision on a few levels. I’d just left one position to go into another situation where it could’ve gone in a different way, and the club may well have had a different result at the end of the season, which nobody wanted.”
Having been at the club previously as a player, Hughes admitted that did factor in his decision to return as he already had an affinity with us and the fans and he felt that would help us over the line.
Now, of course, the battle is to kick on from where we found ourselves last season and hopefully, start pushing back up the top-flight table as we have stagnated for a couple of seasons owing to the changes we’ve had at managerial level and obviously player sales.
Fans themselves certainly have some renewed hope of kicking on now and on that front, it’s going to be a big summer and pre-season for Hughes as he gets us set to play in the way he’s been talking.
As I was convinced we were going down a few weeks earlier under the previous manager, it was a huge relief. Thanks you Mr Hughes, let's hope we have a decent season and lessons have been learned.
— Wightbuoy (@wightbuoy) June 11, 2018
We are delighted too ????
— Robbie (@SAINTSINFRANCE) June 11, 2018
Great, give him some money and let him build for next season
— Tariq Abdalla (@tariqabdalla7) June 11, 2018
Hughes did a fantastic job keeping us up,but now the real work starts.Onwards and upwards please.
— Paul Williams (@50srule) June 11, 2018
Just need to treat every game in the new season with the same intent then we may get somewhere. Top 8 please…
— Brendan Moseley (@BCPMoseley) June 11, 2018
As much as this was great, signing need to start being made, otherwise it’s just gonna be repeat of last transfer window ????
— rashfordboywonder???? (@rashfordthegoat) June 11, 2018
