Mountain lover Hasenhuttl falls in uphill battle
NOT a great end to the season if your name is Ralph and you’re pining for the Alpine mountains.
Ralph Hasenhuttl was not expected to take Southampton to the same high peaks as near namesake
Ralf Rangnick at Manchester United but the Austrian had to endure chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” from disgruntled Saints fans after they were overwhelmed by Brentford.
Pontus Jansson, the impressive Yoane Wissa (below) and Kristoffer Ajer scored the goals which ensured the Bees will be in the Premier League again next season.
Southampton should be too as they have an eight-point cushion over 18th-placed Everton but stranger things have happened.
When Saints won a third straight game two months ago, Hasenhuttl was even being mooted as a possible successor to Rangnick at United.
He claimed all that was wrong with the south coast was that it lacked the air and mountains of home.
Since then, he has overseen one win in 10 games, with titlechasing Liverpool up next.
“The fans are absolutely frustrated and I understand this completely,” said Hasenhuttl. “I have no problem with them because I am responsible for the results. I will always be responsible for every mistake my players make.”
For Brentford boss Thomas Frank, this was a match to savour within a season to cherish.
His remarkable side are finishing as strongly as any team apart from the titlechasers, with six wins in their last nine.
They have as many points, 43, as last season’s other promoted clubs, Norwich and Watford, combined.
Frank said: “I had a big belief going into this season. We were confident but humble and we have put a lot of hard work into every single day.”
Brentford scored two goals in 79 seconds.
Their first came when Ivan Toney was given too much space from a corner to set up skipper Jansson after 13 minutes, then almost immediately Wissa finished emphatically.
Ajer brushed through Mohammed Salisu’s flimsy challenge for the third on 79 minutes.
Hasenhuttl may have plenty of time for mountain walks come August.
BRENTFORD: Raya 7; Ajer 7, Jansson 7, Bech Sorensen 7, Henry 6; Jensen 6 (Young-coombes 87), Norgaard 7, Eriksen 6; Mbeumo 6 (Baptiste 81), Toney 6, Wissa 8 (Dasilva 69, 6). SOUTHAMPTON: Forster 5; Walkerpeters 6, Bednarek 6, Salisu 5, Perraud 4; S Armstrong 5 (Romeu 83), Wardprowse 6, Diallo 5 (Elyounoussi 63, 5), Redmond 5; A Armstrong 6, Broja 6. MAN OF THE MATCH: YOANE WISSA – His pace and directness had done the damage by the time he went off.
REF: M Salisbury