Southampton have have parted company with manager Ralph Hasenhuttl, the Premier League club announced on Monday.
The club are reported to have wanted to wait until after the World Cup break, but a string of poor results led them to act sooner.
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The decision follows their 4-1 defeat to Newcastle on Sunday, leaving them 18th in the table.
“Southampton Football Club can confirm it has parted company with Men’s First Team Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl. First Team Assistant Coach Richard Kitzbichler has also today left the club,” Southampton said in a statement.
“Everyone involved with the club would like to express their sincere thanks to Ralph for all of his efforts, as well as the unwavering commitment he has shown throughout his time as manager.”
Hasenhuttl joined Southampton in December 2018 and has kept the club out of relegation, but this season his side have managed just three wins from their openining 14 matches.
The loss to Newcastle marks the club’s fourth straight defeat at home, with Austrian Hassenhuttl admitting his future at the club was in doubt after the match.
“Do you know, I have taken a lot of decisions since I am here. The good thing is this one I don’t have to take,” Hassenhuttl said.
When asked whether he sees a way out of the difficulties facing Southampton, he said: “No, not at the moment. Because I cannot say that we don’t try a lot to change and to play football. I think we do it well, and we cannot say that the effort was not there. Until the last minute we tried and we were putting a lot of effort on the pitch.
“Everybody cannot say that the team is not fighting for it. But you know, we are not taking the reward for the effort we are putting on the pitch.”
First team lead Coach Ruben Selles will take charge on a interim basis, with a permanent replacement to be announced in due course.
Southampton face Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday in the third round of the Carabao Cup, before travelling to Liverpool on Saturday.
