Ivan Juric situation may interest some at Southampton FC | OneFootball

Ivan Juric could be set for another dose of disappointment

Southampton may be alerted to former manager Ivan Juric’s current situation.

The Saints are on the lookout for a new manager after making the decision to part ways with Will Still after just 13 Championship matches.

Under the guidance of under-21s coach Tonda Eckert, the South Coast outfit have won their next two matches after Still’s departure to climb back up the Championship table, giving the club more time to look for a permanent replacement.

Gary O’Neil has emerged as a strong contender for the role, despite his Portsmouth past, which is a move that has been backed by former Southampton striker Charlie Austin.

It was reported that the Saints had Coventry City manager Frank Lampard and Stoke City boss Mark Robins high up on their shortlist, but those moves seem increasingly unrealistic due to how well those two sides are currently performing.

With it still undecided who Still’s successor will be, news on the continent regarding Juric may be of some interest to Southampton.

Some Southampton fans may be interested in Ivan Juric development

Juric took over as Southampton manager in December 2024 but endured a torrid spell in charge at St. Mary’s, winning just two of the 16 matches he was employed for.

However, the Saints looked vastly uncompetitive under all three managers who led them forward last term, so Juric’s reputation didn’t take too much of a hit as a result.

In fact, he was appointed as Atalanta’s boss during the summer, leading them forward into a Champions League campaign, highlighting the pedigree he still possessed within the game.

However, things haven’t gone swimmingly for the Croat in Italy and after a tough start to the season, it appears his time could already be up as Atalanta manager.

It has been reported by calciomercato that Juric is on the verge of being sacked, with his replacement already lined up in the form of Fiorentina coach Raffaele Palladino.

This would be the 50-year-old’s third dismissal in the space of 12 months, having been let go by Southampton and Roma within that timeframe.

It would be a shock to see Southampton consider Ivan Juric for their managerial vacancy

Juric is a manager who enjoys a great pedigree in the game, having enjoyed roles at Torino, Roma and now Atalanta, clearly proving himself capable of operating at a top-flight level.

However, the past year has been damning for his reputation. Suffering three relegations within the space of 12 months isn’t what any head coach needs, and it could prevent clubs at a similar level from seriously considering him.

Although there were flashes of promise during his time as Southampton manager, Juric is now associated with one of the Premier League’s worst-ever teams, which isn’t a reputation the Saints will want to bring back to the club.

Therefore, even though he could make for an opportunistic appointment, it would be rather shocking to see Southampton make Juric their manager once more.