Southampton manager Ivan Juric has pointed to the stark physical disparity between the Premier League and the Championship as a primary reason for the struggles of newly promoted clubs, following his team’s historic relegation from England’s top flight. The Saints’ fate was sealed with a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, marking the earliest relegation in Premier League history with seven games still remaining in the season.
Juric, who took over the helm at Southampton in December after a dismal start to the campaign under Russell Martin, has overseen just one win in 14 league matches. Speaking after the Tottenham loss, he highlighted the physicality gap as a critical factor in his team’s inability to compete. “What I notice the most in these three or four months I am here is a completely different physicality between us and the other teams in the Premier League,” Juric said. “Physically, when it’s a moment of transition, when it’s like a basketball game, you cannot do it because they are stronger, faster, and this is the huge difference.”
Southampton’s relegation comes just 11 months after their promotion via the Championship play-off final against Leeds United. The club’s rapid return to the second tier underscores a broader trend this season, with fellow promoted sides Leicester City and Ipswich Town also battling near the bottom of the table. Juric suggested that the physical demands of the Premier League have caught all three clubs off guard. “I think the same thing happened to Leicester and Ipswich: the difference in physicality between the Championship and Premier League,” he noted.
The Croatian manager also pointed to recruitment as a deeper issue, arguing that Southampton’s focus on youthful talent over experienced players has left them ill-equipped for the top flight. “Recruitment is everything in football,” Juric stated. “We have a lot of talented young players, but with not many games in the Premier League. You have to find the right players for this league—intense, physically good players.” Despite spending over £100 million on new signings last summer, the Saints’ strategy has failed to yield results, leaving them with a meager 10 points—dangerously close to Derby County’s record-low 11-point Premier League season.
With Southampton now condemned to the Championship, Juric expressed a determination to stay and rebuild. “If we take the long road to come back here, I am ready,” he said, emphasizing the need to develop young talents like Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Mateus Fernandes, Tyler Dibling, and Kamaldeen Sulemana into players capable of thriving in the Premier League. He also set a short-term goal to avoid further ignominy: surpassing Derby’s unwanted points record. “Our goal has to be to avoid being the worst team in Premier League history,” Juric insisted.
Despite the gloom of relegation, Southampton fans remained supportive, offering a standing ovation at the final whistle against Tottenham. Juric praised their loyalty, calling it “incredible” and “something completely new” to him. “The love they show is amazing,” he added, ensuring his players acknowledged the traveling supporters post-match.