LONDON – Southampton announced the dismissal of Ivan Juric on Monday after the club was relegated from the Premier League, making this his second dismissal in the season. Simon Rusk is set to take over as interim manager, with Adam Lallana providing assistance.
In a whirlwind season, Juric was initially dismissed by Roma in November after less than two months in charge. He subsequently took over the reins at Southampton in December, following Russell Martin’s departure, with an 18-month contract.
Southampton’s relegation was confirmed following a 3-1 defeat by Tottenham, leaving the team with only 10 points amassed from 31 games.
“We can confirm today that an agreement has been reached with our men’s first-team manager, Ivan Juric, to conclude his tenure at the club,” Southampton declared in their statement.
The club acknowledged Juric’s challenge of enhancing an underperforming squad amid difficult circumstances. “Unfortunately, we haven’t witnessed the progression in performances we had hoped for, but we extend our gratitude to Ivan and his staff for their integrity and hard work as they battled against the odds to try and maintain our league status.”
Under Juric’s leadership, Southampton managed just one victory in 14 Premier League games and secured another win in the FA Cup. According to league statistician Opta, this relegation marks the fourth-earliest in Premier League history.
This tenure marked Juric’s initial coaching pursuit beyond the Italian borders. He has previously managed Mantova, Crotone, Genoa, Hellas Verona, and Torino.