12 February 2023 , 09:51
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Southampton have sacked Nathan Jones following a dismal 2-1 defeat to Wolves at home.
The Welshman's tenure comes to an end after just three months in charge and with Southampton rock bottom of the Premier League table. Jones has come under fire in recent weeks over certain post-match comments - but ultimately Saints' results and performances saw him fired.
A short statement released by the club on Sunday morning read: "Southampton Football Club can confirm it has parted company with Men’s First Team Manager Nathan Jones. First Team Coaches Chris Cohen and Alan Sheehan have also left the club. First Team Lead Coach Rubén Sellés will take charge of training and prepare the team ahead of next weekend’s game against Chelsea."
Nathan Jones has been sacked as Southampton boss (Getty Images)The Saints actually took the lead against fellow strugglers Wolves and were then put firmly in the driving seat after Mario Lemina was controversially sent off. However, an own goal from Jan Bednarek and a late Joao Gomes condemned the former Luton boss to the sack.
Assessing his last game in charge, Jones said: “You make your own luck. You have to do things right. I thought we were excellent at times today. If I’m honest I didn’t want them to go down to 10 men because you’re on a bit of a hiding to nothing then, because you should beat 10 men with 11.
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“But it showed we were nervous. We ran hard, we worked hard, yes we’ve got young players. There was elements of pride in the performance. But we’ve had 17 shots today, only two on target.
Jones was handed a mocked-up P45 during his final 90 minutes in charge (Kieran McManus/REX/Shutterstock)"Overall I thought as a team we were good today. They did everything I asked them for. The front two worked hard and pressed, the midfield backed that up. We got balls into the box and it was a real front foot performance. There was real pride in that as I said. I can't stand here and be ultra positive. But we’ve got to be better and that’s the situation that we’re in.”
Jones oversaw a desperate run of form in the St Mary's dugout, winning just one Premier League game and losing seven to leave the Saints rooted to the bottom of the table. He angered supporters last week with a bizarre rant which claimed he had sacrificed his own principles for the players at the club.
"I've compromised," he said. "I've compromised in terms of certain principles because of one, personnel, but two, the way that people want to play and so on.
Jones' bizarre press conferences drew ire from supporters and neutrals alike (Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)"I've compromised because of fans, and so on, a few little things but - no more. I've been very successful playing a fluent style, Luton were a real aggressive front-footed side. Statistically, there weren't many better than me around Europe."
Remarkably, Jones has now become the eighth Premier League boss to lose his job this season - and the second at Southampton following Ralph Hasenhuttl's departure in November.
He also joins Jesse Marsch of Leeds United, Frank Lampard - who was axed by Everton last month, Chelsea ’s Thomas Tuchel, Steven Gerrard of Aston Villa, ex-Wolves boss Bruno Lage and Scott Parker at Bournemouth.