Saints are latest club to pull trigger on a boss who might not get another chance

MARK HUGHES has been pushed off the Premier League’s managerial merry-go-round again.

And it is impossible not to wonder when, or even if, he will be invited to jump back on it.

A legend and major trophy winner as a player, Hughes has been unable to hit the same heights as a Premier League manager.

And after six attempts at it, the Welshman, 55, strangely, remains something of an unknown quantity.

Third-bottom Southampton ended his latest spell yesterday, pulling the trigger following Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United (below) – a game Saints had led 2-0.

And from stints at Blackburn, Manchester City, Fulham, QPR, Stoke and now Southampton, a total of 466 Premier League games, no clear indication of what type of manager he is or what to expect has really emerged.

There’s no defined reason for any top-flight club to turn to him over any other candidate.

Just how many chances at the big jobs can some managers expect? Of the other bosses to have racked up the most Premier League gigs, you can see why they have been able to.

Sam Allardyce (seven clubs) is considered English football’s No.1 firefighter. Harry Redknapp ( five) has man-management skills and produced exciting teams at West Ham, Portsmouth and Tottenham. Roy Hodgson ( five) is renowned for creating well-drilled sides, while Alan Pardew (five) has a manager of the year award on his CV. David Moyes ( four) got the West Ham job due to his reputation for bringing organisation and discipline.

Hughes has had his managerial moments too – back-to-back FA Cup semi-finals, a top-six finish at Blackburn and three ninthplaced finishes with Stoke.

But he has not earned a reputation for any of the redeeming features that have helped the other multi-job managers get re-employed.

Nor does he possess other qualities that might make a Premier League manager stand out – a distinct style of football, winning trophies, unearthing transfer market gems or developing players.

Hughes has not yet been relegated but only preserved that record narrowly last year. The fear at Southampton was, if they didn’t make a change, he would not be able to say the same next May. Also, what he highlighted as his big selling point when he was appointed initially on a short-term deal in March – his ability to gather Premier League points and win games

– has been horribly destroyed at Southampton. Hughes departed Saints with a win percentage of just 13.6 per cent, having won just three out of 22 league games and 17 points from a possible 66.

Two wins in eight games kept Southampton up by the skin of their teeth last season and Hughes was rewarded with a three-year deal. But just one win in 14 games has followed this time around, despite spending around £50million in the summer.

After a tough start to the season, the hope was that September’s 2-0 victory at Crystal Palace would be a springboard. But Saints haven’t won a league game (or any match in 90 minutes) since.

Players were baffled by some of Hughes’ methods, results were poor, morale had plummeted, it all got too much and something had to give.