Where did things go wrong for Nathan Jones in his strange run as Southampton manager?

Just like that, Nathan Jones has come and gone as manager of Southampton. Arriving on the South Coast as a replacement to long-term Saints boss Ralph Hasenhüttl, Jones was tasked with one thing — ensure the club doesn’t get relegated. Within 14 games he was gone. It seemed a strange appointment at the time, and with Southampton rooted to the bottom of the table in 20^th at the time of writing, it’s safe to say the move massively backfired.

Indeed, the Saints have struggled for form all season despite an encouraging summer transfer window. Signing some exciting youngsters like Joe Aribo from Rangers and German defender Armel Bella-Kotchap, you got the impression that Southampton were back on track following a couple of inconsistent years. However, a poor start led to Hasenhüttl’s sacking and the appointment of Jones. A loss in his first game to Liverpool at Anfield was understandable, but the recent results meant that the former Stoke City and Luton Town manager’s sacking was almost inevitable regardless of their run to the semi-finals of the League Cup.

Although they were never going to top the Premier League winner odds, this is a Southampton side with more than enough potential, but where did things go so wrong for Jones at St Mary’s? Read on, as we look at his brief tenure and try to pinpoint what caused Jones’ sacking.

Tactically out of depth

From the get-go, you could tell Jones wasn’t used to the calibre of players he had at his disposal. While he worked wonders on a tight budget at Luton, his side was comprised of experienced journeymen, players who would do the dirty work and had hundreds of appearances under their belts. Due to their financial restraints, Luton were forced to play their old-school style, which simply doesn’t work in the Premier League.

The crowning moment in Jones’ downfall was perhaps his last game in charge, where he suggested Wolves benefitted playing with 10 men when their last-minute winner took them out of the relegation zone at St Mary’s. “The 10 men was to our detriment because it made it a free hit for them and added more pressure,” he said, alongside: “I could have stayed in a mining community, been a PE teacher and had a nice life, married a nice Welsh girl. I don’t. I want to test myself on every level and that’s nothing against Welsh women. I want to test myself.”

Away record

The biggest concern for Southampton under Jones was their record away from home. Just one win at Goodison Park against Everton made them a soft touch on the road, having been outclassed by Brighton, Brentford and Fulham whilst shipping too many goals. The most concerning result will be the loss to Nottingham Forest though. In something of a relegation six-pointer, that defeat could come back to haunt them at the end of the season, with Steve Cooper’s side dragging themselves out of the relegation zone, casting the Saints four points adrift of Leeds United in 17^th at the time of writing.

Never winning over the crowd

The most concerning of all seems to be that Jones never really convinced the fans that he was the man for the job. Far too often this season there have been empty seats and a lack of atmosphere from a fan base that have proved they can make their ground a fortress in years gone by. It was a stark contrast to the animated and passionate Hasenhüttl, who always did his best to get the crowd on his side, something Jones could never replicate.