Southampton have confirmed the appointment of Ruben Selles as their head coach for the remainder of the season ahead of a vital fixture against Leeds United on Saturday afternoon.
The match comes with Leeds and Southampton sitting at 19th and 20th in the table respectively. The two sides find themselves separated by a single point.
Leeds also ended their search for a new manager this week with the appointment of Javi Gracia on Tuesday. It remains to be seen whether the ex-Watford boss will actually be in the dugout for the Whites on Saturday however, due to issues in securing a work permit.
Selles was not Southampton’s first choice candidate, as Saints were reportedly interested in securing the services of Jesse Marsch after he was sacked by Leeds. Talks broke down regarding the length of Marsch’s contract at the south coast club, however.
Selles was in charge of Southampton’s shock 0-1 victory over Chelsea last weekend courtesy of a James Ward-Prowse free-kick.
Potential new manager bounce?
Whether Gracia finds himself on the touchline or not, Whites supporters will be hoping for a far better performance than the dismal display last Saturday against relegation rivals Everton which saw them lose 1-0.
The display couldn’t be any worse than that, could it?
Saints cannot be underestimated. After their win against Chelsea and this appointment, they will be a side brimming with confidence.
After all, this fixture is just as important to them as it is to us. They will go for it.
The first goal will be vital in this match, you feel. If it goes Leeds’ way, the crowd will be fired up and Southampton may crumble. If it goes the other way, however, things could quickly turn ugly.
It really is hard to remember a game with this much riding on it for the Whites in recent memory. A must-win, in every sense of the word.
