Southampton next manager: Ex-Aston Villa boss in running to replace Ivan Juric
Southampton are on the lookout for a new manager after Ivan Juric left his position and a former Aston Villa boss could get the role.
The Croatian departed after the Saints’ relegation to the Championship was confirmed following the 3-1 loss to Tottenham on Sunday (6 April).
The South Coast outfit have had a miserable campaign and are currently on track to break Derby County’s record for the lowest points total in Premier League history with seven matches left to play.
Steven Gerrard in running for Southampton vacancy
Aston Villa hired Steven Gerrard in November 2021 after he had led Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title.
However, his reign at Villa Park was underwhelming and his side won just 13 of his 40 matches in charge and he was sacked in October 2022.
Gerrard then went to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia but left his post in January and needs to revive his once promising managerial career after numerous setbacks.
The ex-Villa boss has now emerged as a contender for the vacancy at St Mary’s, according to the latest bookmakers odds.
The 44-year-old is 20/1 with Bet 365 to take over on the South Coast, an outsider with several other cotenders ahead of him, including Danny Rohl at 1/4, Liam Rosenior at 8/1 and Steve Cooper at 18/1.
Gerrard needs to rebuild his reputation after Villa and Saudi stints
If he was appointed at St Mary’s, Gerrard would face a tough task to rebuild his reputation after failed stints at Villa and Al-Ettifaq.
He enjoyed major success in Glasgow but has been unable to replicate that in his next two roles, leaving both before making a significant impact.
| Gerrard roles (league) | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points per game |
| Rangers | 107 | 76 | 21 | 10 | 2.33 |
| Aston Villa | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 1.16 |
| Al-Ettifaq | 51 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 1.31 |
His stint in B6 particularly proved that he was not ready to manage in the top-flight and his Saudi adventure does little to suggest that has changed but a spell in the second tier may be exactly what he needs.
If hired by the Championship outfit, he would have to prove himself in English football once again but given his character, it would not be a surprise if he bounced back just like Frank Lampard has done at Coventry.