RALPH Hasenhuttl admitted FA Cup hero Nathan Redmond has endured a “very difficult season” at Saints, before his standout display at Bournemouth. Discussing the 27-year-old’s display against Cherries,
Ralph Hasenhuttl said: “He had a very difficult season so far to be honest. He’s a very sensible player and he sometimes needs one or two positive actions at the beginning and then something changes in his mind and he believes in what he is doing and then this is what he should do more often I think. He knows that he can do and deliver this more often. But it is important for him also for the belief in what he is doing that he only gets this game if he invests a lot. I think physically he is now in a better shape and he can do more and finally you deserve more then.”
Asked why he feels Redmond struggles to replicate similar form more often,
Ralph Hasenhuttl added: “If we would know this, then we would change it, that’s for sure because we need a Reddy that we have seen today. I always think about a very sensible player who is not always 100 per cent convinced about his qualities and I think this is what we have to do. We have to help him to come in the best shape. Physically he must invest a lot. I think this is the first step. When he does this, and today he was really working hard also against the ball, and then he is also more in the game. Then when he gets the ball he has more qualities. Today I could feel that he was turning forward. We always speak about don’t play back, don’t stop the game. You have to let the ball run and then you are strong. Because when he does the one against one with the opponent, he has the quality to do something special. Today he showed this and for me this is important and for him also.”