Mauricio Pellegrino has replaced Claude Puel at Southampton after a successful season coaching Alaves in La Liga, Spain. The writing was on the wall for Frenchman Puel despite 8th place finish and a Wembley final in his first season as the style of play was not well received by the fans, no goals in 6 of the last 7 home games and a mere 17 goals in 19 league games at St Marys is just not the 'Southampton Way'.
Pellegrino knows the Premier League having played briefly for Liverpool in 2005 and also been assistant to Rafa Benitez at Anfield until the pair moved over to Inter Milan in 2010.
Just how long Pellegrino will be Saints manager is anyone's guess; the last ex-Argentinian centre-back with the initials MP that joined Saints from La Liga left for Spurs after 18 months at St Marys!
The club have stated than Virgil Van Dijk is not for sale, despite the much publicised contact with the player by Liverpool and subsequent public apology; but with rumours about the futures of full-backs Cedric Soares & Ryan Bertrand and fit again Jay Rodriguez, Pellegrino needs to hit the ground running and work with the Board to 'fine-tune' the squad. With West Ham's stadium unavailable in August, Saints start with two home games (Swansea & The Hammers) which will hopefully give the new manager the opportunity to get the season off to a good start.
Pellegrino knows the Premier League having played briefly for Liverpool in 2005 and also been assistant to Rafa Benitez at Anfield until the pair moved over to Inter Milan in 2010.
Just how long Pellegrino will be Saints manager is anyone's guess; the last ex-Argentinian centre-back with the initials MP that joined Saints from La Liga left for Spurs after 18 months at St Marys!
The club have stated than Virgil Van Dijk is not for sale, despite the much publicised contact with the player by Liverpool and subsequent public apology; but with rumours about the futures of full-backs Cedric Soares & Ryan Bertrand and fit again Jay Rodriguez, Pellegrino needs to hit the ground running and work with the Board to 'fine-tune' the squad. With West Ham's stadium unavailable in August, Saints start with two home games (Swansea & The Hammers) which will hopefully give the new manager the opportunity to get the season off to a good start.
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