'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Southampton parted ways with Mauricio Pellegrino after only nine months at the helm. The Argentine manager was appointed last summer to take charge of the Saints after current Leicester City Manager Claude Puel was unceremoniously sacked even after guiding the Saints to an eighth-place finish.
However, things did not go as expected for the former Deportivo Alaves manager during his time at St Mary's. Coming from a stunning season where he guided minnows Alaves to a 9th place La Liga finish, Mauricio Pellegrino only managed a pitiful 5 wins, 13 draws and 12 losses in 30 Premier League matches as Southampton manager.
At the time of his dismissal, the team had dropped into the bottom three on the table after suffering a humiliating defeat against relegation fighting Newcastle United. The Saints hierarchy acted quickly to appoint former Stoke City boss Mark Hughes to be their manager on a short-term contract for the remainder of the season.
Hughes has a huge task of keeping Southampton in the Premier League for another season with seven matches left.
At the end of the season, the Saints will be in search of a new manager to take over permanently and here is a look at top five managers who the Southampton hierarchy would consider appointing:
#5 Marco Silva
He has had an illustrious career as a young manager. The Portuguese guided Estoril to the Portuguese top flight in his first task as a manager in 2011 and later guided the club to a historic fourth-place finish in his last season in charge.
After spending three sensational years at Estoril, he took over at Sporting Lisbon in 2014. In his first season in charge, Silva guided the club to a third-place finish crowning it with a Taça de Portugal glory.
Silva's adventurous managerial career continued when he took over as manager of Greek giants Olympiacos in 2015. He guided the Greek team to their 43rd league title in his first season in charge but later resigned citing personal reasons.
The young Portuguese manager has had spells with two Premier League teams; Hull City and Watford. He could not prevent the former from being relegated but achieved an amazing feat by defeating English giants Manchester United in the FA Cup and Liverpool in the league.
His Premier League experience with both Hull City and Watford plus his mentality exhibited at Estoril, Sporting Lisbon, and Olympiacos is a clear show of his coaching pedigree and he can bring back the stability that Southampton have missed since Ronald Koeman's departure.
Marcos Silva's preference for a 3-4-3 formation which utilises powerful wingbacks would be a plus for him at Southampton as they have quality wing-backs in Cedric Soares and Ryan Bertrand who can fit the bill for the Portuguese manager.
#4 Eddie Howe
Howe has been exceptional in his second stint as a Bournemouth manager guiding them to both the Championship and Premier League promotions. The Englishman has managed to keep the Cherries in the Premier League - the most competitive league in the world for two consecutive seasons with a minimal budget at his disposal.
His team is on course to extend its stay in the league as they sit 10th in the table with 7 matches left.
He has overseen high profile victories against some of the league's better sides. This season, he has guided the Cherries to impressive victories over Chelsea and Arsenal. Howe's Bournemouth side play an attractive high pressing football based on keeping possession and high pressing.
With world class attackers like Dusan Tadic, Sofiane Boufal, Nathan Redmond, Guido Carrilo and Manolo Gabiadini available at Southampton's ranks, they present more options for Howe's tactical mobility in the final third and kill games with ease.
At 40 years, Howe's management skills will only be better as he spends more time as a coach hence he can guide Southampton to a whole new level.
#3 Paulo Fonseca
Fonseca is another Portuguese manager on the list after Marcos Silva. The young Portuguese manager has had spells in several clubs in Portugal with Shakhtar Donetsk being the only club that he has managed abroad.
Fonseca won the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira as FC Porto manager and Taça de Portugal as S.C Braga manager. In 2016, he took over at Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk where he guided them to a domestic treble in his first season in charge.
This season, the Portuguese manager guided Shakhtar Donetsk to UEFA Champions League round of 16 where they were narrowly knocked out by Italian side AS Roma.
His Shakhtar Donetsk side became the first team to beat high-flying English side Manchester City this season.He has been linked with taking over at Everton and if at all Southampton is to hire him then they need to act first to secure his services as he could be tempted by other Premier League sides.
The Portuguese managers favour a 4-2-3-1 formation and Southampton have a lot of qualities players who can fit the formation. With the plethora of attackers and midfielders at Southampton, the only reinforcement that he would need is a central defender to replace Virgil van Dijk who joined Liverpool in the January transfer window.
Dusan Tadic, Sofiane Boufal, Nathan Redmond, Shane Long all can play behind a lone striker who can either be Carillo, Gabiaddini or Charlie Austin in Fonseca's formation. The Saints have a proper squad depth that can also prove crucial for the new manager.
#2 Rafael Benitez
Rafa has had a remarkable coaching career winning all major trophies in Spain, England, and Italy. The Spaniard shocked soccer fans worldwide when he took over a troubled Newcastle United side in 2016.
Benitez could not manage to keep Newcastle United in the Premier League with only three months at the helm as the Magpies were relegated to the Championship.
Rafa stuck with his Newcastle United side and guided them back to the Premier League by winning the EFL Championship. The experienced Spaniard showed great character and his coaching prowess by guiding an average Newcastle United side with a limited budget at his disposal.
Benitez has always complained of lack of transfer funds at Newcastle something that won't be a problem at Southampton as the Saints spent approximately £55.26m in the 2017-18 season to acquire services of top-class talent.With enough funds at his disposal, Benitez can build a strong team that will be capable of European qualification at Southampton.
With a plethora of experience managing in the Premier League with Liverpool, Newcastle United and a brief spell at Chelsea, Benitez is well equipped to step up and take over the reigns at St. Mary's with his tactical mobility of easily switching his side according to oppositions strengths and weaknesses.
#1 Louis van Gaal
Louis Van Gaal has been out of management since being relieved of his duties as Manchester United manager. The Dutch manager has a rich coaching experience having managed top European clubs like Barcelona, Manchester United and Ajax winning all major trophies in the process.
Van Gaal led the Dutch to a third-place finish in the 2014 World Cup where they emerged third with an average squad that many people thought could not go past the group stage. Van Gaal masterminded a 5-1 demolition of 2010 World Cup Champions Spain in 2014 World Cup showpiece and also brushing aside host Brazil in the third-place playoff.
The Dutchman is famous for his promotion of youth and with Southampton having one of the best English youth players in the division, his appointed would be like a match made in heaven. The Saints have produced world-class homegrown talent in the last couple of seasons with the likes of Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw, Ward-Prowse etc.
The legendary Dutch manager had his spell at Manchester United cut short when he was sacked and replaced by Portuguese manager Jose Mourinho despite guiding the Red Devils to an FA Cup triumph that season.
Van Gaal possession-based footballing philosophy will be easily implemented at Southampton with the presence of world-class midfielders at the Saints ranks. Mario Lemina, James Ward-Prowse and Hojberg, the latter being a player that the Dutch manager gave his debut as a youngster at Bayern Munich posses qualities of controlling the tempo of the game from deep midfield allowing the team to flourish the Van Gaal way.
Louis Van Gaal wants to revenge on Manchester United for his unceremonious sacking and taking up the job as Southampton would present him with the perfect opportunity to revenge on the Red Devils in the Premier League.
