Hughes still playing it cool

MARK HUGHES insists he is not feeling the heat – despite making a worse start to his Southampton career than any manager in their Premier League history. Hughes’ tally of just three wins and 13 points from his first 16 games in charge puts him below even hapless predecessor Mauricio Pellegrino. That dire record could get even worse when sorry Saints travel to high-flying south coast neighbours Bournemouth today.

But a defiant Hughes (right) said: “We want maximum points as soon as we can but we don’t feel unduly concerned as yet because we think we are very close to turning things around. It’s a difficult league, we know that.

“The reality was we stayed in the Premier League last year by one position. Realistically, are we going to go from 17th to the top six in eight games? Probably not.

“We need to be a bit patient but we know we have potential in the group and are better than we were last year.

“People shape their view, how well or how poorly you do, in the early weeks of the season. The end game is where you are after 38 matches.”

Hughes is looking to Charlie Austin to rediscover his scoring form against the club he nearly joined. The striker, who came close to signing for Bournemouth from non-League Poole Town in 2009, is enduring the longest scoring drought of his Premier League career

– 12 matches.

Hughes said: “The game throws up situations when a player goes back to a club where they have a connection and something happens.

“It happens time and time again and let’s hope it happens at the weekend.

“Charlie is a goalscorer and if you give him the right service, more often than not, he will get shots off.

“We have not been able to get him in those kind of positions on a regular enough basis, so that is something we have to improve.”