The Welshman Arrives At St Mary’s

Not exactly a surprise but within the last 30 minutes Southampton have confirmed the arrival of Mark Hughes as manager.

With most banking on an announcement this evening with news breaking that we were in advanced discussions today with the former Stoke City and Manchester City boss, and plenty of ex footballers – including our very own Matt Le Tissier – putting weight behind his appointment, the 54 year old returns to the club following his spell with us as a player.

Plenty has changed of course, the Dell has been replaced by St Mary’s but hope remains the same moving forward – especially given the position we find ourselves in when it comes to the Premier League table.

With spells at Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Fulham, Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City having hung up his playing boots and almost 450 games under his belt as gaffer in the top flight of English football, he carries with him eight top ten finishes and whilst his ninth certainly won’t arrive this season, having penned terms until the end of the 2017/18 campaign he’ll be hoping to earn the shot of making it nine in 2018/19.

He arrives at the club alongside long standing backroom boys Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki and they join as assistant manager and assistant first team coach respectively having worked with him at Stoke.

Their appointments see them join our existing backroom staff of first team assistant coach (and no doubt goalie guru) Kelvin Davis and head of goalkeeping Dave Watson. Alek Gross remains as head of sports science.

Speaking to saintsfc as news of his appointment broke, Hughes explained.

‘It’s a challenge I’m excited by. It’s a great opportunity to come back to a club I know well, and a club I’ve got real affinity with, and I couldn’t turn that down. I bring experience of the Premier League. I understand what it takes in this league to win games. But first and foremost I think it’s about coming in and maybe being that different voice, that different message from myself and the staff, that will enable the players to recognise and focus on what needs to be done in this key period of the season.’

He added.

‘The objective clearly is to remain in the league and make sure we’re a Premier League club next year. That’s where this club needs to be, that’s where it should be, and that’s our intention to make sure it remains there.’