Ralph Hasenhuttl has been talking to the press ahead of the game against Huddersfield, read here what he has to say including the latest injury news.

Ralph Hasenhuttl once again impressed in his press conference ahead of the game against Huddersfield with his charm and dry Austrian with ending with a little festive cheer for the assembled hacks, but this is what he had to say.

The first good news was that of the six players doubtful for the game up in Yorkshire, five of them have trained this week and are in contention to face Huddersfield and he suggested that the new found mood within the camp was helping the injured recover that much quicker..

"Five players came back and this week we have trained with 23 players.

“It was a little bit too much, but everyone wants to jump on the train as it’s leaving the station.

“It could be a coincidence that everyone is fit again, but we are building something up and everyone wants to be a part of that.”

Talking of the mood within the camp which seems to have improved drastically to a high not seen since Ronald Koeman the Austrian had this to say.

"You could feel that everyone enjoyed it a lot this week and it helps us as managers to put new stuff in their mind."

“They are following it really well now and it’s important that they see this kind of information can work."

“We have a long way to go until we are out of this situation and the game against Huddersfield is really important."

“We can send a strong signal to the league that we are not going to lean back.”

However Hasenhuttl is not getting complacent after what was a dream home debut for him against the Gunners and he is well aware that those three points will mean little if the team don't follow it up with a result ay Huddersfield.

“It’s a six-point game."

“I think the win against Arsenal would be really important when we can also get a few points in Huddersfield."

“No one thought that we can take something against Arsenal but against Huddersfield it’s a completely different situation.”

So far Ralph is enjoying life at Southampton & indeed England.

“I enjoy my work very much."

“Speaking in English in front of my players is getting better and better every day. Press conferences not really but I want to improve also in this part of my English."

“I think at the moment I am happy to see I have a team that is very quick learning and I think they appreciate what we tell them and show them."

“The videos helped us a lot in the first week, otherwise performances like last Sunday wouldn’t have been possible.”

Finally the Saints boss commented on recent speculation about Mario Lemina and he stressed the importance of keeping the best players in the January transfer window and the hinted that no one is looking to move.

“First I see that the transfer window in England is similarly important as it is in Germany."

“The only difference is in England the games continue over Christmas and New Year.

“No one here is uncomfortable at the moment and if he does we find a solution."

“Lemina is a very important player for us, one of our best players, and though he’s not 100 per cent fit I need him."

“The other guys we don’t want to speak about speculation. The players know what they have, what they can expect from us and that’s the main part.”

All in all the Austrian impresses every time he speaks in public and if he is having the same affect on the players as he is on the Saints supporters then hopefully the Saints players are also impressed.

Huddersfield is a big game but you feel that unlike our trip to Fulham where we were leaderless and the defeat at Cardiff where Hasenhuttl had only spent a day with the squad that we are now a lot better prepared and there is a clear direction and purpose in everything we are doing.

Photo: Action Images

BaselSaint added 11:34 - Dec 21 “It could be a coincidence that everyone is fit again" Interesting comment.
3

SaintBrock added 14:05 - Dec 21 Hope it is a co-incidence, he does apologise for his English so could just be mis-speak. Would hate to think he was in any way cynical about genuine fitness problems. If so he will soon lose the support of players.
1

KriSaint added 17:54 - Dec 21 - he followed the interesting statement up by saying "everybody wants to be on the train that is leaving the station now"..... I feel that he is NOT being cynical about genuine fitness problems.
0

Blogs 31 bloggers

Southampton Polls