On April 7, 2025, Southampton Football Club announced the departure of their manager, Ivan Juric, following the team’s relegation from the Premier League. Juric, who joined Southampton in December as the successor to Russell Martin, faced significant challenges during his tenure, winning only two out of 16 matches. His management concluded with a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur that confirmed Southampton’s relegation, marking a historic low for the club as they became the first team in Premier League history to be relegated with eight games still left to play in the season.
Juric’s tenure at Southampton was characterized by struggles. He arrived from AS Roma, where he himself had faced dismissal after just 12 games. Despite the potential for a managerial rebound, Juric could not alter the course of Southampton’s season. Officially, his managerial period lasted only 107 days and included an unfortunate record of merely one Premier League victory, a 2-1 win against Ipswich Town. This rocky start saw fans’ hopes dashed, as the Saints lingered at the bottom of the league table with a mere 10 points amidst 25 losses throughout the season.
The club’s official statement acknowledged the difficulties Juric encountered. They expressed gratitude for his effort, stating, “Ivan came to Southampton at a tough time and was tasked with trying to improve a squad in a difficult situation.” However, they noted that the expected progress was lacking, prompting the decision to part ways. The statement underscored the club’s priority to provide stability to fans, players, and the broader staff as they now seek to navigate what promises to be a challenging season in the Championship.
As Southampton begins the process of rebuilding, Simon Rusk has been named interim manager, with guidance from former player Adam Lallana as his assistant. The transition reflects a broader strategy to stabilize the club after a tumultuous season. This administrative shake-up is a crucial moment, as the club braces for life in the second tier of English football.
Southampton’s plight this season comes into stark focus when reflecting on their journey back to the Premier League. Just last summer, they celebrated promotion against Leeds United in the play-offs, but their subsequent campaign was marred by misfortune. Notably, the Saints suffered a shocking sequence, losing eight of their first nine games, and securing only one victory—against Everton—over their initial 23 league fixtures. Juric’s lack of previous experience in English football did not help matters; he lost the first six of his matches as manager.
The season’s statistics paint a bleak picture for Southampton. Being only the third team to have lost 25 matches out of their first 31 in a top-flight campaign, they also stand as the team with the highest number of goals conceded—74—while simultaneously being the lowest-scoring team across all divisions, producing only 23 goals in 31 games. If they finish with fewer than 11 points, they would join the ranks of Derby County’s 2007/08 season as the lowest ever in Premier League history.
As Juric departs, the club and its supporters are left to reflect on the lessons learned this season, hoping for an invigorated future as they regroup in preparation for their Championship campaign. Transitioning back into the Premier League will require a thoughtful rebuilding effort, one that prioritizes on-field performance and fan engagement in the wake of a difficult season that has fundamentally altered Southampton’s trajectory.