#PLStories- Southampton FC boss Ralph Hasenhuttl admits Thierry Small debut was tough on the young player #SAINTSFC

RALPH Hasenhuttl admitted he threw youngster Thierry Small in at the deep end during the FA Cup clash with Coventy – before reiterating his belief that the 17-year-old can only improve. It was a baptism of fire for the former Everton man on his Saints debut, with the left-back hooked at half-time as Hasenhuttl attempted to give Saints control of the second-half after a dismal team showing in the first 45 minutes. Small, who has been involved in multiple matchday squads since arriving from Merseyside in the summer, had a few nervy moments – including almost heading home into his own net when he overpowered a backpass to Willy Caballero. Whilst relatively few Saints players covered themselves in glory in the eventual 2-1 victory, Hasenhuttl admitted that perhaps the tie with Championship Coventry was not the “perfect game” for Small to receive his first minutes in senior football. Speaking to the press, Hasenhuttl stated: “I mean it tested him, definitely! “I think he was a little bit nervous, he’s very young and it was a big crowd. “It was maybe not the perfect game (for him) to start, but I wanted to see how brave he is, how much he makes – I think he had a few good actions up front, but in the defence you could see was not so (good), a little bit shy in some moments. “This is not possible on the FA Cup, you have to be immediately there and he wasn’t. “But okay, I think this is the behaviour what he should do, there are still a lot of things to improve, but he will.” With Saints into the next round, there maybe another chance for Small on the near horizon. The draw for the fifth-round will take place on ITV, shortly before their coverage of Liverpool’s clash with Cardiff City tomorrow (Sunday, February 6.) Saints will be ball six out of 16 potential match-ups, with the draw slated to begin at around 11:40am.