RALPH ON BRINK

Saints stars have lost faith in manager

RALPH HASENHUTTL has lost the trust of several Southampton players, with many surprised he was not sacked before the season began.

Sources have described players’ dissent in last Saturday’s 4-1 defeat at Tottenham. Sportsmail understands players spoke to club chiefs at the end of last season, after Saints lost 10 of their last 13 matches. They were then disappointed when all the coaches were sacked but Hasenhuttl stayed.

The Austrian’s contract runs until 2024 and the club insist there is no appetite to change manager. But one source said: ‘Ralph just doesn’t really talk to people any more. He drops players without any real thought.’