Southampton Sack Ivan Juric After Record-Breaking Premier League Relegation

Southampton have parted ways with manager Ivan Juric following the club’s relegation from the Premier League, the club confirmed on Monday.

The Saints were officially relegated after suffering a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, setting a new Premier League record for the fastest-ever relegation.

Juric’s side endured a dismal campaign, finishing at the bottom of the table after losing 25 of their 31 league matches. Their drop to the Championship with seven matches remaining surpasses previous records held by Derby County in 2008 and Huddersfield Town in 2019, both of whom were relegated with six games left.

Appointed in December to replace Russell Martin, Juric took over with Southampton already in a difficult position. The 49-year-old managed just one league victory during his time in charge — a win against Ipswich in February. Southampton have now lost seven of their last eight matches.

Simon Rusk will take over as interim manager for the remainder of the season, with former player Adam Lallana assisting him.

“We can confirm that we have today reached an agreement with our men’s first-team manager, Ivan Juric, to end his spell at the club,” said a Southampton statement.

“Ivan came to Southampton at a tough time and was tasked with trying to improve a squad in a difficult situation.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t seen performances progress the way we had hoped, but we would like to thank Ivan and his staff for their honesty and hard work as they fought against the odds to try and keep us up.”

The club also addressed its future outlook as it prepares for life in the Championship.

“With relegation to the Championship now confirmed, we believe it is important to give fans, players and staff some clarity on the future as we head into a very important summer.

“We remain incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of our fans. Their continued dedication and passion, despite what has been a very tough season, is remarkable and is appreciated by everyone at the club.

“Despite the challenges that relegation will bring, our goal is to restore a sense of pride for them in their team and club once again.”