Ralph Hasenhuttl described as “a very successful year” the past 12 months as Saints look to build towards an exciting 2021. The St Mary’s outfit are set to go into Boxing Day’s fixture against Fulham seventh in the top flight, just two points off a place in the top four. Saints ended 2019 15th in the division, with 22 points from 20 league games. With just 14 games played this season, they have already accumulated 24 points.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “We had a very successful year to be honest. We had successful times where we definitely played fantastic football, and the development of the team. When you are that long in your job I think there are not so many things that surprise you, but I think the way we developed our game, especially with the ball, was one of the most surprising parts of my management career so far, because nobody expected that. When you see them playing now it is completely different, this is definitely for us all a very big statement for the team, that they wanted to learn and they have learned very quickly, we sent in the right messages maybe and that is the reason why now we are in the position we are. It is still very tight there in front, when you win two games you are immediately up into the Champions League spot, and when you don’t win for two weeks you move immediately back and it is turning quickly. But I think the overall performances, with the way we want to play football, is coming closer to what we really want to see from our team, and this it is may the biggest positive things of this very, very negative 2020 with the circumstances of the virus and everything. We enjoyed our job definitely, yes.”
