Southampton, a Premiere League Football club has announced that its manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has signed a new four-year contract.
While announcing this in a statement on Tuesday June 2, 2020, Hasenhuttl stated that he would be staying with the club until 2024.
“Southampton Football Club is delighted to announce that Ralph Hasenhuttl has signed a new four-year contract at St Mary’s.
“The deal sees Hasenhuttl and the club further strengthen their commitment to each other, and to the long-term vision that has been developed for the first team and the wider football project,” the statement reads.
“Alongside Ralph, Richard Kitzbichler has also extended his contract as First Team Assistant Coach, and will continue to work alongside the existing first team staff of Craig Fleming, Dave Watson, Kelvin Davis, Andrew Sparkes and Alek Gross,” it adds.
Hasenhuttl, 52, succeeded Mark Hughes at St Mary’s in December 2018 and has been in charge of the club for virtually 16 months.
Southampton was in 14th place and seven points above the relegation zone before this year’s season was suspended mid March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Hasenhuttl, former RB Leipzig manager, is known for his support for youth at Southampton giving players like Michael Obafemi and Yan Valery opportunities.
Speaking about the deal, the Austrian said that it was a simple thing for him because of the good relationships between him, the players, fans and the club.
“This, for me, was a simple decision. Simple because of the relationship that I have built with the club, the players and the fans, and also because of the relationship they have built with me too,” he said.
“The way we have handled this together as a group of people has been incredible for me, and I believe we now have strong foundations here that can allow us to take the next steps in our progress as a team.
“For me, this is an important step in the journey. My players, our staff, and of course the supporters must understand my commitment to this club and to what we are trying to build together.
“We value the same philosophies, and this is a big part of why I want to stay here, and I hope we can share in some very successful moments moving forward,”
Hasenhuttl stated.
While speaking about the deal and why the cub is happy to have a new deal signed with Hasenhuttl, Martin Semmens, Saints chief executive said, “From day one, Ralph has had a positive impact on the club, everyone within it and our fans.
“He joined our club at a time when strong leadership was needed to drive the club forward. This he delivered, but it was the clarity of vision that has ultimately led us to this point.”
