Sky Sports pundit urges Leeds United to hire ex Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl
Darren Bent has urged Leeds United to bring former Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl back to the Premier League in a bid to avoid relegation.
Leeds announced that Michael Skubala and his makeshift coaching team will be in charge against Everton and the coming games.
However, it’s understood that the search for a permanent manager is going and Bent, a Sky Sports pundit, wants them to bring in the Austrian.
Speaking on talkSPORT Evening Drive from 4pm-7pm on 14 February, he said, “I really like Ralph. When you look at Ralph’s record (at Southampton), and the things he had to deal with at that time.
“He lost people like Danny Ings, his goalscorer. [Jannick] Vestergaard, [Pierre-Emile] Hojbjerg. Good players! And the investment that came into these players wasn’t really there. He lost key players and he still kept them afloat. I think, if you’re Leeds and you get Ralph, I’d be happy. I’d back Leeds to stay up [under Hasenhuttl].”
Makes sense
Hasenhuttl proved that he can overachieve under a limited budget at St Mary’s while also playing good football at the same time.
His team had a plan both on and off the ball and until the final few months of his tenure, it worked perfectly as they gave some of the big teams a run for their money.
Unlike the other managers Leeds want that are in jobs, the Austrian is not tied to any club so there will be no compensation needed.
If he’s keen on returning to the Premier League, Leeds would be a very good fit especially as they’re going to have new owners in the summer.
This will mean that they will also loosen the purse strings if the club avoids relegation and can look to build in the right direction under him.
Jurgen Klopp is also an admirer of the former Saints boss and has called him “incredible” in the past. [Sky Sports]
Thus far, an approach has not been made to him but it could be given how the other managers are turning down the chance of moving to Elland Road.
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