RALPH Hasenhuttl insisted he does not read social media but conceded he does not have the answers to job speculation as he “can only answer this question when I have wins”. The form, and subsequent media reports about his handling of the squad, have meant Hasenhuttl has been subjected to regular questions about his job security.
Ralph Hasenhuttl insisted: “Not really one minute I think about this. This is not the way I plan my week and as long as I am here I do my best for us to be successful. It costs me so much energy and I have no energy left for thinking about your question, but it is always nice when Friday is coming and you ask me this question because it is the first time I think about it. This shows me that everything else we do here has only one focus and that focus is to make the team better, and this takes enough energy. In any league, you need to have arguments and I can only answer this question when I have wins, at the moment I do not have wins so I cannot answer this question and you are in the better position. The only goal is to see my team working hard and knowing that at the weekend we have a very important game for this club and for the fans, it is not about me. I think we have done a very good job in the last four years and it is quite necessary now to win games because of this, otherwise it is possible we are below the line.”
Hasenhuttl was also asked about the supporters’ mood towards him, which has deteriorated since a first public display of animosity during a 3-0 defeat at Brentford in May last season. Saints are only just coming out of the financial constraints put on by former owner Gao Jisheng in January, with Sport Republic’s acquisition of the club, and employed a youthful summer transfer policy. Hasenhuttl was posed whether this means supporters should be more giving with time and understanding, and if their expectations should be lowered.
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “I cannot speak about what you say because I do not read the social media stuff that you maybe read. What I can speak about is in the last game (4-0 defeat at Manchester City) was 90 minutes exactly how it should be to support the team. The only chance to come out and be successful again is to stay together and I had this feeling in the away game at Man City, although we couldn’t give the supporters a lot of pleasure moments they were supporting us until the last minute. I have never had the doubt they know about our situation and this is what makes them so special. No, you do not need to lower your expectations. We all want to have a team where we have been playing like sometimes in the last years, we have always had tough moments but we have had moments where we can turn things around. It’s every year the same that we are fighting to be successful and it is normal that, now being part of the Premier League for more than 10 years, fans want to see us higher up the table.”
