Former Southampton CEO Martin Semmens has revealed how close the club came to appointing Jesse Marsch as manager.
Jesse Marsch was linked with the Southampton vacancy last year
The US coach was linked with the vacancy at St. Mary’s last February, with the saints still fighting against relegation to the Championship.
Marsch had recently been dismissed by Leeds United and was available as a free agent.
The Hampshire outfit was searching for a replacement to Nathan Jones, who lasted just a few months in charge.
Marsch was seen as a natural replacement to Ralph Hassenhuttl, given their similar managerial backgrounds and style of play, but the move collapsed in the closing stages of negotiations.
Semmens makes Jesse Marsch claim
Semmens has opened up on the failed negotiations with the former Leeds and RB Leipzig boss.
He claimed that Marsch made sense to appoint due to his similarities to Hassenhuttl, but that a difference in opinion over the direction of the future of the club led to him backing out at the last minute.
“I felt the right thing to do was to go back to who we were, our Red Bull pressing style,” said Semmes, via Talksport.
“He would come in on day one overly positive and say this is how we are going to play, I felt he would be brilliant for the atmosphere.
“He could see the club were going in different directions.
“He had doubts about whether we would all be here next season if we did get it done.
“He turned it down at the last minute.
“It was disappointing but understandable.”
Marsch remains without a managerial job, with the 50-year-old coming up on the one-year anniversary of his Leeds dismissal next month.
Meanwhile, Russell Martin is now in charge of the Saints as they look to fight for promotion straight back to the top flight.
Southampton are currently third in the Championship table.
Martin’s team are unbeaten in their last 21 league games, last suffering defeat in late September.
This incredible run of form has seen them bridge the gap to second place Ipswich Town to one point.
Southampton had leapfrogged the Tractor Boys on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Swansea City, with their superior goal difference separating them from Kieran McKenna’s side.
However, Ipswich earned a point away to league leaders Leicester City on Monday night to move back into second place.
Next up for the south coast club is a fourth round clash in the FA Cup against Watford on 28 January.
Martin is working out for Southampton
We’ll never know now if Marsch would have kept Southampton up, or even if he’d have been able to lead a promotion push like we’ve seen from the club this season.
But the signs are extremely positive that things have worked out in the long-run anyway by appointing Martin in the summer.
The Saints are third, but will be considered the favourites by many to clinch a top two spot.
Martin’s side have been excellent in the last few months, playing an exciting brand of attacking football and getting great results, so Southampton fans will be happy with the progress that’s been made.
