Nathan Jones

Southampton gambled on Nathan Jones's appointment after sacking Ralph Hasenhüttl but they ignored the red flags and paid the price.

Before those moves Brighton lost Graham Potter to Chelsea and so moved for Roberto De Zerbi, whose work at Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk meant he was a name on the lips of Premier League executives. He was never going to turn down a three-and-a-half-year contract and the opportunity to manage in the Premier League for the first time. Overhauling the dynamic of their squad last summer was always going to be a brave step. On Saturday a young Saints fan wafted a giant cardboard P45 in Jones’s direction and his exit is a full stop at the end of an error. January arrival Mislav Orsic, part of the Croatia squad that finished third at the World Cup in December, was also omitted from the squad against Wolves. Bednarek, who irritated Southampton supporters by saying he had signed for a “bigger club”, wanted to play regularly before the World Cup but made just one league start before being recalled in January.

Southampton have relived Nathan Jones of his managerial duties with the club 20th in the Premier League.

On the field, they face a trip to Chelsea on Saturday. They now look set for a return to the Championship for the first time since being promoted in 2012. Southampton look to be staring into the abyss of relegation from the Premier League.

Southampton parted ways with manager Nathan Jones on Sunday after the Welshman won only one Premier League game during his three-month tenure.

[3-0 defeat at Brentford](/soccer/report/_/gameId/638036) earlier this month, the 49-year-old was heavily criticised for saying he had compromised on his style of management due to fan pressure. "Southampton Football Club can confirm it has parted company with men's first team manager Nathan Jones. [Carabao Cup](/soccer/league/_/name/eng.league_cup), but the club failed to get out of the relegation zone in the Premier League and remain rooted at the bottom of the table.

Nathan Jones has been sacked by Southampton after just 14 games in charge. The Welshman, 49, succeeded former boss Ralph Hasenhuttl in November but has ...

I’ve gone away from that because it’s the Premier League and due to certain players and internationals. “We were pound-for-pound the best because we were spending next to nothing and producing so much. Jones said: “I’ve compromised certain principles because of personnel, but also the way people want to play — because of fans. In Saturday’s dismal defeat to Wolves, Saints supporters chanted “You’re getting sacked in the morning” to the Welshman. He then angered some members of the team by blaming them for his reluctance to switch to his so-called “preferred style”. “First Team Lead Coach Rubén Sellés will take charge of training and prepare the team ahead of next weekend’s game against Chelsea.”

Southampton have sacked manager Nathan Jones after three months in charge of the Premier League club. Jones joined the club from Championship side Luton ...

"I have never done that in my life before," he said. "In 390 games, I have never done that. Premier League

Southampton parted ways with manager Nathan Jones on Sunday after the Welshman won only one Premier League game during his three-month tenure.

[3-0 defeat at Brentford](/soccer/report/_/gameId/638036) earlier this month, the 49-year-old was heavily criticised for saying he had compromised on his style of management due to fan pressure. "Southampton Football Club can confirm it has parted company with men's first team manager Nathan Jones. [Carabao Cup](/soccer/league/_/name/eng.league_cup), but the club failed to get out of the relegation zone in the Premier League and remain rooted at the bottom of the table.

Jones has been sacked by Southampton after just three months — so why was he hired in the first place and how did his reign unravel?

[Duje Caleta-Car](https://theathletic.com/football/player/duje-caleta-car-HFZDGu6l6jlHiWnV/) and [Armel Bella-Kotchap](https://theathletic.com/football/player/armel-bella-kotchap-uu1Q6qlrBVQoKgQy/) — international-level defenders — were left out of the squad altogether. January signing [Mislav Orsic](https://theathletic.com/football/player/mislav-orsic-7HMlLynW5m4w7CcS/) was in the same boat, having been part of the matchday group at St Mary’s. As tensions were raised over the weekend inside Staplewood, belief in Jones continued to drain out of the squad. Southampton relayed a message to staff in January, informing them that every decision made in the month was geared towards the short-term aim of survival. Jones told The Athletic later in the week that he did not recall making that comment. [strained relationship with a significant number of the players](https://theathletic.com/3497835/2022/11/07/hasenhuttl-sacked-southampton-behind-scenes/). On the other hand, there was an acceptance Jones was his authentic self until the end and the hierarchy, in appointing him, should have seen the potential peril. Despite having all of the World Cup to embed his principles and define a playing style, Jones There was also confusion about the coaching dynamic between Jones and the existing coaching staff — namely Ruben Selles — who were not sure of how it would work. Ankersen and Semmens have previously spoken about the appeal of going with managers who have failed in the past due to their ability to learn from mistakes and, in turn, improve as a coach. The American has not yet left [England](https://theathletic.com/football/team/england/) since his departure from Elland Road last week. At the final whistle, as boos reverberated around St Mary’s and a supporter was thrown out for attempting to hand him a P45, Jones walked straight down the tunnel.