MARTIN Semmens was questioned on the future of manager Ralph Hasenhuttl and confirmed that there will not be much short-term change, adding: “We build stability with Ralph and the team.” 

The Saints CEO was speaking following confirmation of Sport Republic’s takeover of the Premier League outfit, having purchased Gao Jisheng’s controlling shareholding.

Hasenhuttl has been at the helm of Saints since December 2018 and has worked with a shoe-string budget under the previous owners to keep the side in England’s top-flight.

You often see new owners put their own man in charge when they purchase a club – most recently with Steve Bruce’s replacement by Eddie Howe after the Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle.

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Semmens, however, has stressed that both Saints and Sport Republic want to continue on a path of “stability”.

Daily Echo: Martin Semmens and Toby Steele (Pic: PA)Martin Semmens and Toby Steele (Pic: PA)

“Yeah, I think in the short term not much change,” Semmens told BBC Radio Solent, when asked what Sport Republic’s acquisition means for Hasenhuttl’s future.

“I think again, as I said in my statement, that continuing the path that we’re going on is equally as important to us as the change and the evolution.

“This club has had a bit of instability over the last 15 years and everybody in the club pre-Sport Republic were making sure that we were stable and clear in our path as we could be, and we stay in that way, right?

“We build stability with Ralph and with the team and the direction we're going in and the messages I gave out today were exactly that, which is we are exactly the same today as we were yesterday in operations and slowly but surely we will see improvements and movements in the right direction that will allow us to get better.”

Daily Echo: Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has kept Saints competitive without spending any more than they make (Pic: PA)Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has kept Saints competitive without spending any more than they make (Pic: PA)

He continued: “But in the short term, no you won't see any difference. Whether you're inside or outside the club.”

Semmens has been allowed to take his time finding a takeover that he believed was right for Saints, having turned away or failed to find agreements with a small handful of prospective investors.

With stability being one of his key aims, it’s likely that any owners who purchased the club would have had to be in favour of Hasenhuttl remaining as manager – for the short-term at least.

Hasenhuttl was appointed under the Jisheng regime to replace Mark Hughes in December 2018.

In 118 Premier League matches as Saints boss, the Austrian has won 39, drawn 29 and lost 50 – recording a goal difference of -42 in that time.