Newly appointed Southampton manager Ivan Juric says his side are capable of “something extraordinary” as they try to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season.
Djuric, formerly of Roma, Genoa and Torino, also compared his style of football to death metal music as he looks to turn things around at St Mary’s this term.
The Croatian will take charge of his first game on Boxing Day when Southampton host West Ham. The Saints are currently bottom of the table with six points, eight points from safety.
Meeting with the media 📸 pic.twitter.com/Q65aECoVJZ
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 23, 2024
Following the sacking of Russell Martin, Djuric signed an 18-month contract with Southampton. However, his work, at least on paper, looks pretty sharp.
In Premier League history, only four teams have survived the same position on December 25: West Brom in 2004-05, Sunderland in 2013-14, Leicester in 2014-15 and Wolves in 2022-23.
“It’s going to be a very difficult job,” Jurich said.
“I know in history nobody has stayed in the Premiership with this situation, but I think there are a lot of good players and we have to (be) much better at certain moments of the game.
“I am optimistic. I’m really optimistic. Even the other day, I saw their mentality and it’s the first step to doing better. I think we can do something extraordinary. Kids have to be very motivated to do something that no one has ever done.”
🆕 Yours #SaintsFC team news for Ivan Jurić’s first game in charge:
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 23, 2024
Djuric added that the Southampton job, as difficult as it was, was an attractive prospect and explained how a very specific type of music helps his tactical approach.
He said: “It was a bit of a dream, Southampton’s chance.
“I was thinking that life is short, I want to try new things and I want to travel to the other way of working, put myself in a difficult position, and that’s it.
“They (the players) don’t know me, but I know them. I said I believe in them, they have quality, they can do it. Be positive, work hard and anything is possible.
“When I was young I really liked death metal music and that’s something that I think is my style in football.
“Work hard, push hard, play well, be intense, all of it. I think (the players) can do it.
“They are young, they are positive, they want to work hard. It’s not easy to change the style immediately, but we have to be smart.”
