Hasenhüttl had already announced that he would leave in summer 2023, so the directors had to handle a transition some time between now and then. Several new coaches arrived in summer 2022, so Hasenhüttl and Kitzbichler stayed to give some continuity and four months of space to decide the strategy. The World Cup break was clearly an attractive time to make the next decision.

But why right now?

It’s far less obvious why this happened one week quicker than was presumably scheduled, hours after a home defeat.

The Athletic Podcast said that Hasenhüttl would have been sacked after the Bournemouth result if he didn’t win. It’s surprising that Ankersen would give so much weight to the scoreboard in this way. Other than opposition finishing, it’s hard to find much difference between a 1-1 against one top three team, and a 1-4 against another the following week that brought on the end.

Was it the right decision?

After an incredibly long-term focused transfer strategy, Southampton are narrowly in the bottom three, but performances have been closer to 14th-17th best in the division. In that respect it’s hard to say Hasenhüttl wasn’t meeting pre-season expectations.

It’s much more likely that he decided appointing Nathan Jones now was the best opportunity to start a new cycle, than a real reflection on Hasenhüttl. Those expecting a short term boost are likely to be disappointed.

Southampton have moved away from 90-minute high intensity to a more patient tactic. That’s in line with league-wide tactical trends, and it’s understandable that Hasenhüttl was desp

It’s at least pleasing to see Jones’s Luton Town had a strong record of not going into losing positions, helping to maximise their results in such a closely matched league.