Southampton Football Club has parted ways with manager Ivan Jurić with immediate effect, just hours after the team’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on Sunday, April 6. The Croatian’s departure comes after a dismal 108-day tenure, during which the Saints became the earliest team in Premier League history to be relegated, with seven games still remaining in the season.
Jurić’s exit was triggered by a relegation clause in his 18-month contract, signed in December 2024 when he replaced Russell Martin. The 49-year-old oversaw 14 Premier League matches, securing just one victory—a 2-1 win against Ipswich Town on February 1—alongside one draw and 12 defeats. His sole other win came in the FA Cup third round against Swansea City, but it was not enough to salvage Southampton’s top-flight status.
The Saints’ fate was sealed following a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a result that left them rock bottom of the table with only 10 points from 31 games. This marks the earliest relegation in the competition’s history, surpassing previous records set by Ipswich Town (1994-95) and Derby County (2007-08), who were relegated with six games to spare. Southampton now face the additional challenge of avoiding Derby’s infamous record-low tally of 11 points from the 2007-08 season, needing just two more points from their remaining fixtures to do so.
Southampton’s struggles this season have been stark, with the team conceding 74 goals and suffering 25 defeats in 31 league matches—a record matched only by Sunderland (2005-06) and Sheffield United (2020-21) for losses in the first 31 games of a top-flight campaign. Jurić, who previously managed Roma until his dismissal in November 2024, was unable to reverse the downward spiral that began under Martin, with the club’s return to the Premier League after promotion via the Championship play-offs last season proving short-lived.
In a statement released on Monday morning, Southampton confirmed Jurić’s departure, along with that of his backroom staff. First-team coach Simon Rusk, who briefly managed the team following Martin’s exit, will take charge until the end of the season, supported by club legend Adam Lallana. Recently appointed technical director Johannes Spors is reportedly leading the search for a permanent successor, with the club now shifting focus to rebuilding in the Championship.
Speaking after the Tottenham defeat, Jurić had acknowledged the physical disparity between Southampton and their Premier League rivals, noting, “The difference between the Championship and the Premier League… the gap is huge.” He also praised the unwavering support of the Southampton fans, saying, “They have to be really thankful that they had fans like this. It was something incredible how they love their team, even though we were relegated.”
The club’s rapid decline contrasts sharply with their success last season, when a 22-match unbeaten run in the Championship culminated in a play-off final victory over Leeds United at Wembley. However, a lack of squad investment and organizational missteps—such as the departure of technical director Jason Wilcox to Manchester United and the absence of an experienced sporting director—left Southampton ill-equipped for the Premier League’s demands.