SAINTS captain James Ward-Prowse missed the first match of pre-season after picking up a knock in training, but Ralph Hasenhuttl reassured supporters “it’s nothing serious”.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “It’s nothing serious. But, in the end, we have what we have. We don’t have to ask any risks with James so we decided to leave him at home. We know what we get from him. Absolutely it was the right thing to do (leaving him out). Last season in pre-season we had the same situation where he was also out with a knee injury. So this time it was good for us to try and test something different without him.”
The skipper could return to face Austrian Bundesliga SKA Klagenfurt on Monday, in the final match before Saints head back to England on Wednesday. However, Hasenhuttl may opt to rest him fully – with further pre-season fixtures coming versus Watford, Monaco and Villareal, before the Premier League returns. On his future, after links to the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and West Ham,
James Ward-Prowse said: “My commitment stems from the training ground and my love for playing football. That is ultimately what has got me here and that will never, ever change. My passion and love for what I do. Making sure I enjoy every moment I’m out on the pitch. That is the way that I show my commitment and I’ll continue to do so.”
