Southampton: Hasenhuttl relationship with players 'worrying' at St Mary's

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl’s relationship with his players seems to have ‘changed quite a lot’ amid uncertainty over his St Mary’s future, according to The Sun journalist Tom Barclay.

Saints got their season off to the worst possible start as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur despite going ahead.

According to the Daily Mail, Hasenhuttl has lost the trust of several players and there is surprise within the Southampton dressing room that he was not sacked over the summer.

The report suggests the 55-year-old, who has previously bossed the likes of RB Leipzig, is becoming increasingly detached from his squad and some players raised concerns over Hasenhuttl’s management when speaking to the club’s hierarchy at the end of last season.

He has told German publication Kicker, via The Sun, that he is planning to walk away from the dugout permanently when his Southampton contract expires in the summer of 2024.

It comes after a summer overhaul at St Mary’s, with assistant coaches Dave Watson, Kelvin Davis and Craig Fleming being sacked at the end of the 2021/22 campaign and replaced by Ruben Selles, Alex Clapham and Carl Martin, which Hasenhuttl hailed as ‘important’.

However, it is understood that some of the newly-formed backroom team are already harbouring misgivings over Hasenhuttl and his strategies.

Barclay believes it is a huge concern if Hasenhuttl has a fractured relationship with his players.

The journalist feels the Austrian’s connection to his Southampton stars may have altered.

Barclay told GIVEMESPORT: “I suppose the worrying thing, from a fan point of view, looking at that story, if it’s all correct, is the relationship that he seems to have – or lack of – with the players.

“That can’t be good if