HOW FAR CAN THE HASENHUTTL REVOLUTION TAKE SAINTS?

Rarely has a manager both unified and enthused a fanbase as immediately as Ralph Hasenhuttl at Southampton.

When Hasenhuttl joined on December 5, Saints were on their haunches and heading for the Championship, having taken just nine points from 14 matches under Mark Hughes. That dismal return jolted the club back to life as they scoured Europe for a new coach, and this time they came back with a manager more like Mauricio Pochettino than Mauricio Pellegrino.

Those who weren’t aware of the credentials of the man who gave Ingolstadt their first and second ever Bundesliga campaigns, before leading promoted RB Leipzig to 2nd place in the top flight, were soon won over by the power of Hasenhuttl’s personality and the forward-thinking nature of his approach.

“If you want a guarantee, buy a washing machine,” quipped the quotable Austrian at his unveiling. Yet his impact on Southampton’s performances was both instant and striking. Back-to-back wins over Arsenal and Huddersfield saw Hasenhuttl embraced by the city to such an extent that, by Christmas, a sponsor put up a ‘Ralphampton’ billboard outside St Mary’s.

“The difference has been unbelievable,” rejuvenated James Ward-prowse said. “We have a clear structure, and a plan of what to do with and without the ball.”

This fulsome praise came with palpable excitement from the ever-improving English midfielder, who will be joined by more academy graduates as the new campaign unfolds. Hasenhuttl isn’t afraid to go with youth over experience, given his desire to develop potential, and Saints’ summer transfer business – their first two recruits being 21 and 22 upon arrival – has helped to reshape the squad in his image.

An intense, focused pre-season will only improve their pressing, intelligent football, meaning they could sustain the kind of form that, at times last season, was more akin to a side challenging for European qualification than one attempting to beat the drop.

Hasenhuttl certainly has the Southampton fans believing they can return to the top half after two seasons fighting relegation. The manager has proved to be a galvanising force at a time of disillusion. The former Austria international is the kind of ambitious individual who will attract admiring glances from afar, but he appears focused and fulfilled at St Mary’s.

And, while Southampton’s destination is unclear, the journey looks set to be enjoyable again.