Claude Puel has spoken about his time at Saint's in his press conference ahead of his return to St Mary's with his new club Leicester City. Find out what he said here.

Claude Puel has been talking about his year in Southampton.

Are you looking forward to going back to Southampton?

I think it will be a strange feeling of course. It will be strange going back to the St Mary’s Stadium but it will be nice to see some familiar faces of course. But the most important thing is to keep a good focus about my team and players and try to make a strong game.

You have great form going there?

Yes, but it is the same for Southampton. Their performances are very interesting. There is a high level of performance on the pitch, against Manchester City, a great team, and Arsenal. It will be a good balance between the two teams and I hope we see a good game with quality on the pitch. I am sure of this.

Have you kept in touch with people?

Yes, of course. Former players and staff. It is amazing and a good feeling but the most important thing is to show the good dressing room away because I don’t know this dressing room. It will be important to take the right dressing room.

How do you reflect on time at Saints

I gave it my very best. It was a good feeling all the season with the journey in the FA Cup (Sic), but now I have no hesitation when Leicester gave me the opportunity and my focus now is on my team and with my club, Leicester.

What do you think will be your reception at St Mary’s

I hope the fans remember our good times of course, like the journey in the cup and the final. It was great at Wembley. They are good memories. It was their first final since 2003 I think. It was a great moment. Also, with games against inter Milan home and away, we took 8,000 fans for the journey. It is fantastic. They remember the good times we shared.

Photo: Action Images

saintpp added 04:33 - Dec 12 Spoken like the true gent he was it was a shame he wasnt allowed at least 6 months more to use his expereince of the Pl and our players. He certainly couldnt have had worse points total than the present guy who has a full strength sqaud with Charlie and VVd fit. Anyway his name is in the history books as only the 3rd manager in living memory to take us to major cup final,but no doubt the boo boys will be jeering him again.

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patred added 07:40 - Dec 12 Some managers suit a club, some don't. He failed to ingratiate himself to the fans here, and to the players we are told. He finds it hard to comminicate in English so was at a disadvantage from day one. Puels appointment should be a lesson to those making that decision.
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underweststand added 08:28 - Dec 12 Interesting to see what sort of reception he gets at SMS. Have to feel that perhaps the wave of " fan displeasure" must have paid a larger part in his dismissal than the feelings in the Boradroom.(?) Of course it was disappointing for those who expected us to quallify for Europé, but the early season loss of Charlie Austin and the later absence of VvD made the job harder at both ends of the pitch. Looking back at those games, one goal more from the strikers, or one less conceded would have made a lot of difference. Yes we made it to a Cup Final, but were robbed-buy a referee. That was hardly Puel's fault, the blame (if we want scapegoats) must lay with the strikers who just couldn't score. If we don't get the 3 points on Wednesday, then "some fans" will instantly blame MP , when it was many of them - who wanted Puel out (!) . We need a reality check here, there are only about 3 Prem. managers who get away without criticism nowadays, and they manage the (present) top 3 clubs....the rest have to take the same criticism as MP. The question we need to consider..is what sort of response will Saints fans have - if Leicester finish higher in the table than Saints do ...(come May). Meantime, will Jamie Vardy try and cripple VvD AGAIN at some stage in the game. Grrr!

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BaselSaint added 08:45 - Dec 12 One of the broadsheets commented over the weekend that he was the first manager to be sacked by Saints for being boring. It doesn't sound too good when it's put like that. I wish him luck - but not this weekend.
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A1079 added 08:56 - Dec 12 I hope and see no reason why he should not be treated with respect and dignity by Saints fans and SFC. He did his best and he gave us a good cup final experience, which I will never forget.
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saintmark1976 added 08:59 - Dec 12 Ironic really. A club not renowned for communication skills with its fans asks season ticket holders for their comments about a manager who against the odds has just obtained a top eight Premier league finish and a Cup final appearance. The fans are not happy so the club sack the manager. Four months or so later the same manager returns with a club of similar stature who currently are higher up the league than the club he was forced out of. Makes you think does it not?

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BoondockSaint added 14:21 - Dec 12 Unfortunately for him he came off as aloof. But that was probably the language barrier. He couldn't find the words to say: "Look at the bog-average side Les and the board want me to manage! We've needed 2 CBs, 2 strikers and a quality back-up goal keeper since before I got here!"
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SanMarco added 16:15 - Dec 12 He will have said it Boondock - he just wasn't listened to. The Board cost us that final - alright the ref made a mistake but there is no guarantee we would have won that game after going ahead early on...
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DorsetIan added 22:48 - Dec 12 The man is a gent, there is no doubting that. He was dignified throughout, and left the club in a very civilised manner without any hint of rancour. I met him and his wife at Southampton Airport on their way to Paris just after the Cup Final and he was very happy to chat and have is photo taken. I am pleased that he has found another job and has had a good start. Does make you wonder what another season might have brought... ...but, my God, the end of last season with all those games when we couldn't score was painful!! And the stilted play and lack of goal-scoring confidence which that period brought has only very recently (seemingly) been put behind us. I really hope that MP goes all out for a win tomorrow night. Leicester are playing well but we can score one more than them if we really have a go. Let's risk a loss and properly roll the dice!

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