Southampton might look to renew their interest in Torino manager Ivan Juric just a few months after deeming the price too high to prise the Croatian away from Serie A.
What’s the latest on Southampton’s managerial hunt?
The Premier League strugglers have been wayward this season, bottom of the division and four points adrift of safety, and the club are now seeking to appoint their third permanent manager of the term, following the dismissals of Ralph Hasenhuttl and Nathan Jones.
According to the Daily Mail, Juric has indeed been distinguished once again, with the Saints resigned to parting with a greater amount in compensation in order to land the manager best fit to turn the ship around.
Jesse Marsch, who was recently sacked by Leeds United, has also been under consideration; and while a move for the American might be financially favourable, the most auspicious pathway from a footballing standpoint may lie with the sagely Juric.
Is Ivan Juric the man for the job?
Juric’s arresting tactical vision could be of the perfect mould to belatedly shape a new era at Southampton – progressive runs and a suffocating approach reminiscent of Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds, direct and vertical surging runs made with lightning speed to hit teams on the counter; and a dynamic, intrinsic understanding of the manner in which the collective squad must carry themselves, maintaining shape when possession has been squandered.
It is a complex and erudite system, and failure to transfer this to England could possibly leave Juric branded as too clever by some observers. However, should it be successfully imprinted into the brains of the squad, the Saints would reap the rewards of a rejuvenation which could negate the threat of relegation over forthcoming campaigns.
At Torino, the 47-year-old led his team to a tenth-place finish in the Italian top flight last season, overcoming two worrying campaigns prior to that which left the club narrowly staving off relegation on both occasions.
In the current campaign, Il Toro are eighth after 22 matches and eyeing a potential Europa Conference League finish for 2023/24. These fruitful endeavours have been achieved despite the club making a net profit on the transfer front across the last two seasons with Juric at the helm.
If Southampton can succeed in their pursuit of the 47-year-old, a relentless and high-octane new approach could galvanise a beleaguered team and give them a renewed vigour.
Torino forward Nikola Vlasic, with words relayed by journalist Steven Moore, heralded his manager for his “famous” style of play, saying: “Ivan Juric and his famous style of football were factors for me to come to Torino, but not the only factors. I like the club, I like Italian football, and I like the city.”
With a discernible allure to the project, the St Mary’s hierarchy must ensure that the club can prosper from Juric’s tactics in order to save their season.
Hasenhuttl was dismissed in November with the club on a downward spiral, and his replacement Jones could not have been an appointment wider of the intended mark – the much-maligned former Luton Town boss lost seven of eight Premier League outings, and Southampton are now in a gravely concerning position.
Saints CEO Martin Semmens would certainly welcome a new head coach who can point Southampton out of trouble quickly, and trusting in Juric’s ‘famous’ philosophy could be a move worth making with their top-flight status very much on the line.