Southampton Appoints Ivan Juric: Former Roma Boss Steps In as Manager

Southampton have appointed Ivan Juric as their new manager, replacing Russell Martin with the club in last place in the Premier League. Juric, who was dismissed by Roma after less than two months in charge last month, has been given a deal that includes a break clause, which will be assessed next summer.

Ivan Juric Appointed Southampton Manager to Replace Russell Martin

Southampton sacked Russell Martin after their heavy 5-0 defeat at home to Tottenham, which left the club at the bottom of the Premier League. Martin had led the team to promotion from the Championship last season, but the club’s poor performance this season led to his dismissal.

Ivan Juric, who was fired by Roma last month after a short stint of less than two months, has been appointed as the new manager on an 18-month contract. His deal includes a break clause that will be reviewed this summer. If Southampton manages to stay in the Premier League, Juric’s contract could be extended for another two years.

The Croatian coach had been a target for Southampton in the past, having been considered to replace Ralph Hasenhuttl when he was let go two years ago.

In the meantime, Simon Rusk will continue as interim manager for Southampton’s upcoming match against Fulham on Sunday, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

Juric expressed his excitement after signing his contract: "I'm very pleased. I think it's a really big challenge but I'm very optimistic because I saw a team that can do better."

Southampton also looked into other potential candidates, including West Brom's Carlos Corberan, former Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand, and Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl.

Juric emphasized his desire to connect with the fans, saying: "It's important to immediately be connected with the fans. I want an aggressive team and I think that fans of Southampton will like that."

Source: SkySports News | Southampton's new manager Ivan Juric promises 'death metal' football

Who is Ivan Juric?

Southampton new manager Ivan Juric has a passion for heavy metal, with bands like Napalm Death, Obituary, and Carcass among his favorites. Photograph: Matt Watson/Southampton FC/Getty Images

Ivan Juric began his coaching career working alongside Gian Piero Gasperini, who is currently the influential head coach at Atalanta.

Juric was part of Gasperini's coaching staff at both Inter Milan and Palermo before landing his first managerial role at Serie C club Mantova in the 2014-15 season.

The following year, he moved to Serie B side Crotone, where he achieved a historic promotion to Serie A, marking the club's first-ever top-flight appearance. However, he didn’t stay to lead them in Serie A, as he was offered the opportunity to replace Gasperini at Genoa, which he accepted.

Juric had three separate stints at Genoa over the course of two years, but his time there was turbulent, with the club sacking him three times between February 2017 and December 2018.

In 2019, he found stability at Hellas Verona, who had just earned promotion to Serie A. Despite having one of the smallest budgets in the league, he successfully kept Verona in the top division for two consecutive seasons before moving to Torino.

Juric left Torino at the end of last season after three years with the club in Serie A. In September of this year, he took over as Roma's head coach after The Friedkin Group dismissed fan-favorite Daniele de Rossi. However, his time at Roma was short-lived, as he was sacked after less than two months, with the team just four points above the relegation zone.