FORMER Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted he wanted to "go underground" after four years in the Premier League.
The Austrian manager had always planned to retire in the summer of 2024 at the end of his Southampton contract.
Instead, Hasenhuttl was sacked with his Saints side in the relegation zone in November 2022 and he has been out of work since.
Hasenhuttl has now been named as the new manager of Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg, giving his first press conference to German media.
The former Austrian international explained his decision to go back into management after nearly two years of rest.
Hasenhuttl said: "I'm really happy to be back in the Bundesliga.
🗣️ #Hasenhüttl: Nach vier Jahren Premier League wollte ich einfach mal abtauchen. Ich hab es sehr genossen, unerkannt durch die Straßen zu gehen. Das war sehr angenehm und auch notwendig, um auch wieder die Kraft und den Hunger zu finden. #VfLWolfsburg pic.twitter.com/SWtDS4bfyD
— VfL Wolfsburg (@VfL_Wolfsburg) March 18, 2024
"For me, the decision was easy because I was able to recover for a long time and felt hungry again. I didn't have to think long before saying yes.
"It's not that I was bored at home. But the knowledge that you have as a head coach for so long is longing to be put to use.
"I'm looking forward to bringing all the experiences I've had as a coach to this club," he continued.
"After four years in the Premier League, I just wanted to go underground.
"I really enjoyed walking through the streets unrecognised. That was very pleasant and necessary to find the strength and hunger again."
Hasenhuttl will take his first training session on Tuesday after recent results led to the dismissal of Croatian coach Nico Kovac on Sunday.
Kovac, 52, took over at the Volkswagen Arena in May 2022 but recently endured a run of 11 consecutive league games without a win.
A 3-1 home loss to Augsburg on Saturday proved to be the final straw and Hasenhuttl has set out his immediate ambition.
Wolfsburg sit 14th, six points clear of the relegation playoff with eight matches left to play this season.
Hasenhuttl declared: "The task is clear. We have to try to win again to stay in the league.
"Ultimately, it's about bringing my style of football into the team as quickly as possible."
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