New Southampton manager Ivan Juric says his side are capable of “something extraordinary” in their fight against relegation from the Premier League.
The Saints head into Christmas six points off the bottom of the table, half a dozen adrift of 19th-placed Ipswich and eight adrift of safety.
In the Premier League’s 32 seasons only four teams have retained their place from the same position on 25 December – although West Brom (2004–05), Sunderland (2013–14), Leicester (2014–15) and Wolves (2022–23) have all Earned 10 points at the same stage.
“It will be a very difficult task and I know nobody in history has been in the Premiership with this situation, but I think there are a lot of good players and we have. [to be] Some moments of the game are very good,” said Juric.
“I’m optimistic. I’m really optimistic. Even the other day, I saw their mentality and that’s the first step to getting better. I think we can do something exceptional. Guys have to be very motivated to do something that no one has ever done.”
The Croatian, who has signed an 18-month deal at St Mary’s, stood out for Sunday’s goalless draw with Fulham while awaiting a work permit.
However, the 49-year-old, who has previously managed Genoa, Verona and Roma, will take charge for the first time when Southampton host West Ham on Boxing Day.
“It was a little bit of a dream, the Southampton opportunity,” he added. “I was thinking that life is short, I want to try new things and I want to travel to other ways of doing things, put myself in a difficult situation, and that’s it.
“They [the players] Don’t know me but I know them. I said that I believe in them, they have the qualities, they can do it. Be positive, work hard and anything is possible.”
Asked about his rumored preference for heavy metal music and whether it reflects his strategic approach as a manager, Juric added: “When I was younger I liked death metal music a lot, and that’s something I think my football like style
“Work hard, push hard, play well, be intense, all those things. I think (the players) can do it.
“They are young, they are positive, they want to work hard. It is not easy to change the style immediately, but we have to be clever.
