Ralph Hasenhuttl becomes a Southampton centurion as Saints beat Sheffield United

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl marked his 100th game in charge of the south-coast club with a much-needed 2-0 win away at Sheffield United which saw a gruesome run of nine league games without a victory terminated.

The visitors were the dominant side in south Yorkshire and displayed more quality than their hosts on numerous occasions; 2-0 flattered the Blades more than the Saints.

A handful of chances in the second-half were squandered by Hasenhüttl’s men after James Ward-Prowse’s penalty and Che Adam’s thunderbolt either side of half-time gave the south-coast side breathing space.

Alas, the result was the most important acquisition and it will hopefully act as a springboard for a strong end to the season.

It will also be a relief to Ralph Hasenhuttl, who was starting to come under some pressure, that his centurion was marked with not only a win but a strong performance.

When asked about reaching 100 games and his time as manager of Southampton Football Club, the Austrian smiled and said: “We’ve had some very beautiful times, sunshine. And sometimes it was not so nice.

“This is what you have to expect when you take over such a club here with the limits we have but to be honest, wins here make more fun than anywhere else because at times it’s something special for us. I enjoy every day here working and hopefully I have enough energy for the next three years.”

Despite being at the club for two years and three months, it’s the first time he’s managed 100 games at one outfit, with his 95 games at FC Ingolstadt between October 2013 and June 2016 the second-highest tally.

The 53-year-old is obviously still committed to the cause at Southampton and is proud to be manager of the Premier League side. “By far the most I have ever had in a club so far,” the Austrian said. “I was always stopping earlier because I was empty or running out of energy. Hopefully, this doesn’t happen here.”

Hasenhüttl’s tenure has certainly been a rollercoaster. One with plenty of ups and downs, the odd loop-de-loop and maybe a corkscrew in there too. It’s been an interesting ride.

Yet, a ride that Saints fans would get off of, ultimately, with a smile on their face. There were some nervy moments but in the end, the good parts are the most memorable.

The Austrian was appointed as Southampton manager on 5 December 2018 after Mark Hughes was relieved of his duties following a poor start which saw just nine points won from 14 Premier League matches. Instantly, the former RB Leipzig manager had his work cut out for him.

The Premier League’s latest arrival instantly made his name known, saying in his first press conference that “if you want guarantees then buy a washing machine” when quizzed on Southampton’s chances of survival. He was already a hit.

Three days after his appointment, a trip to fellow relegation-rival Cardiff City was Hasenhüttl’s first game in the dugout. The game itself wasn’t particularly memorable besides Jannik Vestergaard’s disastrous mistake which gifted the Bluebirds the sole goal of the game in a 1-0 defeat.

However, the image of the then-new man in charge walking towards the fans in the away end, their spirits dampened by the defeat as well the South Wales rain, spinning his finger around as if to say, “I’m going to turn it around” was.

A week later and Hasenhüttl had his St.Mary’s bow. A 3-2 win against Arsenal and there looked to be life in Southampton’s season again as they won their first home game of the season.

The afternoon will also be remembered for Ralph’s infamous sprint down the touchline in celebration of Danny Ings’ opener, then abrupt change in mood as he raised his hands, reminding himself and anyone who was looking that it was still early days in the contest.

In one-and-a-half weeks, Hasenhüttl had displayed more personality and charisma than his three predecessors had combined.

Survival was ultimately the goal for the campaign and it was achieved…just. The season wasn’t without its moments of agitations and anxiety but the Saints finished 16th with 39 points, five clear of 18th-placed Cardiff.

Going into the 2019/20 season, there was plenty of optimism given that Hasenhüttl had had a full pre-season with his players and had a role in summer signings. However, in the early months, it felt like Groundhog Day.

By November, the Saints had registered just eight points in ten league games. The main highlight of few by that point was a famous 4-0 derby win in the Carabao Cup away at fierce rivals Portsmouth. That spell included a certain heavy defeat to Leicester City.

There’s no doubt that a decent-sized portion of the fanbase were calling for Hasenhüttl’s head at that point, with little progress shown. However, it didn’t feel like any other frustrations that fans had had with a manager before. There had been glimpses of immense quality from Southampton under Ralph Hasenhüttl, and the board had clearly been paying attention and made the call to keep the Austrian in charge.

The decision certainly paid off. An incredible turnaround saw 23 points picked up in 12 games which propelled the south coast side into the top half of the table. That spell included a certain redemption-day style win away to Leicester City.

Southampton struggled for form following a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace in late January as they won one and lost four of the following five games before the campaign was put on hold for three months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whilst in lockdown, the Austrian mastered up what he called his ‘playbook’, a lengthy document highlighting a style of high-pressing football that he demanded to be implemented on every age group; he was heavily dedicated to the cause at Southampton.

During the Premier League restart, the Saints played their best football under Ralph Hasenhüttl (at that point), as they won five and lost just one of their remaining nine games, finishing 11th. A 1-0 home win over Manchester City arguably the highlight.

A new four-year contract for Hasenhüttl was the best signing the Hampshire club could’ve made last summer and, again, Southampton fans were optimistic going into a new season under the Austrian. But this time there was genuine evidence that the Saints could achieve something special, despite not having their fans behind them supporting in person.

The fans were proved right to have hopes for the season. Their team were one of the best outfits in the entire Premier League before the turn of the year, picking up 24 points from the first 15 games which also saw the south coast club sit at the summit of the top-flight for the first time in over 30 years (albeit for just over a day).

Beating the champions Liverpool 1-0 at St.Mary’s in their first game of 2021 was one of the many highlights of the season and hasn’t seen much competition for the highlight of 2021 so far. Hasenhüttl was slaughtered by some for his post-match tears at full-time that evening…but it demonstrated just how much he cares about Southampton Football Club.

Unfortunately, the season hasn’t turned out the way it was looking set for. Injuries certainly haven’t helped since the turn of the year but there are only so many excuses you can conjure up when you go nine league games without a win, losing eight of those.

The FA Cup run has been a welcome distraction and the Austrian has a great chance of managing his team from the Wembley dugout and, however unlikely, could be the first Southampton manager since Lawrie McMenemy in 1976 to lift the famous trophy.

Regardless, the win over Sheffield United will hopefully dust off a few cobwebs and remind the players how it feels to win a Premier League game ahead of some fixtures they’ll see as winnable on paper.

Despite the odd moment of pain and heartache, Ralph Hasenhüttl’s first century of games as Southampton manager should be reflected on with glee. The 53-year-old has turned a club that was facing the ominous prospect of relegation into a competitive Premier League outfit. Here’s to the next 100.

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