Forget Danny Rohl - Southampton's ideal manager to secure instant Premier League return should be obvious

Southampton secured their return to the Premier League just over 12 months ago after beating Leeds United 1-0 in the play-off final at Wembley. However, fast forward to now and the Saints have been relegated back to the Championship already after a disastrous season in the top flight. The ill-prepared Hampshire outfit have struggled for results and may well end up being the worst team in Premier League history by the time this campaign comes to an end.

They sacked Russell Martin earlier this term in an attempt to turn their fortunes around. However, his replacement Ivan Juric wasn’t any better and has since departed as well. They now have a huge decision to make on who to bring in as their replacement.

Southampton’s ideal replacement for Ivan Juric

Southampton have been heavily linked with a move for Sheffield Wednesday head coach Danny Rohl. The 35-year-old German has worked with the Saints as part of their backroom staff in the past. Although he has worked wonders with the Owls under difficult circumstances, there is another, more attractive option they should consider instead.

Hull City took a gamble on Liam Rosenior back in November 2022. He spent a large chunk of playing career with the Tigers and was a popular man in East Yorkshire before landing the top job. The 40-year-old managed to keep them in the Championship comfortably in his first year and they then pushed for the play-offs last year.

Rosenior’s Hull side finished 7th in the table and were three points off the top six in the end. He was then though surprisingly sacked by their owner Acun Ilicali in a move that raised eyebrows across the Football League. Tim Walter came in to replace him at the MKM Stadium and has since been replaced by Ruben Selles.

Strasbourg, a sister club of Chelsea, subsequently came calling for Rosenior and although the former Derby County man could have easily stayed in England, he decided to get out of his comfort zone and test himself in France. His gamble has massively paid off and he has adapted well to life in Ligue 1. His team are currently battling for a place in Europe but they could face a battle to keep him.

Why Liam Rosenior would suit Southampton

Rosenior works well with young players and isn’t afraid to give youngsters the chance to show what he can do. That is nicely aligned with Southampton’s traditional policy. During his Hull days, he worked with the likes of Liam Delap, Fabio Carvalho Jacob Greaves, Tyler Morton and Jacob Greaves and helped progress their respective careers.

The ex-Brighton and Hove Albion and Fulham right-back may also feel he has a point to prove in England. His sacking by the Tigers was incredibly harsh and there is no doubt that he deserved to keep his job for the start of this campaign at least. He did ultimately fail though in the eyes of Ilicali as he didn’t get promoted last year with the players he had at his disposal.

Therefore, Rosenior may have a burning desire to prove some people wrong and Southampton would be a good opportunity for him to get back into the dugout in this country. They have some top players for second tier level and parachute payments will help them in the upcoming transfer window. The big question is, would the Saints be able to get him Rosenior out of Strasbourg?