Southampton line up Ivan Juric to replace Russell Martin as head coach
Southampton is moving closer to hiring Ivan Juric to succeed Russell Martin. The ex-Roma coach, who was let go from the Serie A team last month after just 12 games, was on the list of candidates to take over from Ralph Hasenhüttl at Saints two years ago. This time, he is anticipated to be offered the position.
Southampton, currently at the bottom of the Premier League and battling to avoid relegation back to the Championship after securing only one victory in 16 games, is on the lookout for their fifth manager in just over two years.
Juric, who made a strong impact during his three years with Torino, was identified as a top choice by the Sport Republic ownership team, which includes Dragan Solak, Henrik Kraft, and Rasmus Ankersen. The Saints appeared to want to steer clear of any compensation payments, making the unemployed Juric an appealing option.
Kasper Hjulmand, the ex-manager of Denmark, was considered a potential candidate as well. Meanwhile, Southampton has a lot of respect for Carlos Corberán, who has a buyout clause of around £3 million in his contract with West Brom.
It's uncertain if a contract to hire Juric can be completed in time for him to lead Fulham on Sunday. Meanwhile, Simon Rusk, who became the coach for Southampton's Under-21 team over the summer, is currently in charge on a temporary basis.
Juric has managed six different teams in Italy, but he has yet to coach in England. The 49-year-old has mentioned that he is a big fan of heavy metal music, particularly enjoying bands like Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer.
