ROMEU BEATS HUGHES BLUES

ORIOL ROMEU has extra incentive to help Ralph Hasenhuttl keep Southampton in the Premier League after admitting to being depressed when Mark Hughes dropped him. The Spaniard (above) was forced to turn out for Saints’ under-23s at non-league Ilkeston Town after being frozen out by Hughes.

But the former Chelsea midfielder has started every Premier League game since Hasenhuttl replaced Hughes as manager in December. Ahead of today’s clash with relegation rivals Cardiff, Romeu said: “It was really tough. It was depressing sometimes because it’s not easy not knowing what you have to do. “Obviously I was not physically ready either because I did not have the game time, so that is why I decided to play with the under-23s.

“I had to go through it, but luckily it got better. That is in the past now and we are all facing much better times.

“The new manager did not know me, he just saw me training for 20 minutes and made the decision to pick me. He saw something he liked and that was really nice so I am pleased to be back playing.”

Saints limped to survival last season but Romeu believes they are better equipped to contend with a relegation dogfight this time around.

The 27-year-old added: “Being more experienced we know how to deal with it, but we also know that if we don’t do things right then problems are going to come again.

“The final few fixtures of the season can be very, very stressful but the dressing room is stronger mentally.”

Saints are just two points above the drop zone having won three and drawn four of Hasenhuttl’s first 10 Premier League games in charge.

And the Austrian warned: “We’re still not out of trouble.

“We have to come up with our best performances until the end.”