Meet Southampton’s New Head Coach: Ivan Juric
Southampton is reportedly nearing the appointment of Russell Martin’s replacement.
The Saints find themselves firmly positioned at the bottom of the Premier League, having managed to secure victory only once this season. Martin, who led Southampton back to the Premier League with a play-off win against Leeds United in May, had held his position for 18 months.
Despite the difficulties that come with Premier League football, Southampton has recently been linked with a potential move for Sheffield Wednesday head coach Danny Rohl. However, it now looks like Ivan Juric is set to take over, as FourFourTwo investigates.
Who is Ivan Juric?
At 49 years old, Juric mainly played as a midfielder during his career, representing Croatia five times on the international stage and having notable spells with Sevilla and Genoa.
After retiring at 34 in 2010, it became evident that Juric was passionate about management. He was appointed first-team coach at Inter Milan in 2011 under then-manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who currently manages Atalanta.
Juric has experienced three different spells at Genoa, along with time at Torino and Verona in Italy. His standout achievement came at Verona, where he secured notable Serie A victories despite managing one of the smallest budgets in the league.
Most recently, he served briefly as the head coach at Roma, where his tenure lasted only two months amidst frequent criticism for his management style and disappointing results.
With just twelve matches under his belt at Roma, Juric faces a significant challenge ahead as he seeks to guide Southampton to safety this season. A two-year deal has been established, extending his contract through to 2026.
Renowned for constructing defensively sound teams that are physically demanding and challenging to break down, Juric may look to implement this strategy using the resources at his disposal on the south coast.
In the opinion of FourFourTwo, it appears increasingly likely that Southampton is set for an immediate return to the Championship this season. The Saints’ recruitment strategy has been notably poor, and they have struggled to defend effectively.
Southampton is next in Premier League action this weekend, facing Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.
