COAST BUSTER
Hughes banking on Austin firing to finally get his Saints motoring
MARK HUGHES insists he is not feeling the pressure despite making a worse start to his Southampton reign than any manager in their Premier League history.
Hughes’ dire tally of just 13 points from his first 16 games in charge puts him below even hapless predecessor Mauricio Pellegrino.
Things could get even worse when sorry Saints travel to high-flying south coast neighbours Bournemouth today.
But defiant Hughes said: “We want maximum points as soon as we can but we don’t feel unduly concerned 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 little bit patient but we know we have potential in the group and are better than we were last year.”
Hughes is banking on striker Charlie Austin to rediscover his form and lift Saints against the club he nearly joined.
Austin, 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: “Sport is like that and the game itself always throws up situations when a player goes back to a club some where they have some kind of connection, it seems like something happens.
“It happens time and time again and let’s hope it happens at the weekend. Charlie is going to be involved so will have that opportunity.
“Charlie is a goalscorer and if you give him the right service, in the right areas of the penalty box 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.”
Goalkeeper Alex McCarthy has recovered from the hamstring injury which forced him to withdraw from England duty so Hughes has a full squad to choose from.