Newly appointed Southampton coach Ivan Juric says his side are capable of achieving “something extraordinary” as they look to avoid relegation from the Premier League this season.
Juric, who previously played for Roma, Genoa and Torino, has also compared his style of football to metal music as he looks to turn around St Mary's fortunes this term.
The Croatian will take charge of his first match on Boxing Day, when Southampton hosts West Ham. The Saints team is currently at the bottom of the standings with six points, eight points away from the safety zone.
Meeting with the media 📸 pic.twitter.com/Q65aECoVJZ
– Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 23, 2024
Following the sacking of Russell Martin, Juric signed an 18-month contract with Southampton. However, his task, at least on paper, seems rather difficult.
In the history of the Premier League, only four teams have managed to survive the same position on 25 December: West Bromwich in 2004-05, Sunderland in 2013-14, Leicester City in 2014-15, and Wolves in 2022-23.
“It will be a very difficult task,” Juric said.
“I know that in history no one in the Premier League has stayed like this, but I think there are a lot of good players, and we have to (be) much better in some moments of the game.
“I'm optimistic. I'm really optimistic. Even on that day, I saw their mentality and it's the first step to doing better. I believe we can do something exceptional. The players must have great motivation to do something that no one has done before.”
Your 🆕 #SaintsFC Team news in Ivan Juric's first match:
– Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 23, 2024
Jurek added that the job at Southampton, although challenging, was an attractive opportunity and explained how a very specific type of music helps guide his tactical approach.
“It was a bit of a dream, the Southampton opportunity,” he said.
“I was thinking life is short, I want to try new things, I want to travel to another way of working, I put myself in a difficult situation, and that's it.
“They (the players) don't know me but I know them. I said I believe in them, they have quality, they can do it. Stay positive, work hard, anything is possible.
“When I was young I loved metal music a lot, and I think that's my style of football.
“Work hard, push hard, play well, be tough, all those things. I think (the players) can do that.
“They are young, they are positive, and they want to work hard. It is not easy to change the style immediately, but we have to be smart.”
