Exclusive interview with Ralph Hasenhüttl - BILD

Great interview. He comes across so well and plenty for us to look forward to based on what he is saying.

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Southampton in the south of England. More than 200 cruise ships and around 1.7 million passengers stop here every year. Ralph Hasenhüttl (51) is one of 250,000 inhabitants who are not passing through. He has a lot to do with Southampton FC!

Since December, the Austrian coach of the Premier League club. He has fulfilled the first task: avoid relegation. "That was my hardest mission so far," he says. "Even if you do many things new and well, you may not win a game, because the league punishes mistakes brutally."

The former coach of RB Leipzig raves: "For me, the Premier League is the strongest league in the world. It immediately captivates you. The quality is brutal, you feel like you play throughout the year in the Champions League. In addition: football is just everything here in England, it has a higher priority than in Germany. "

SPORT BILD met Hasenhüttl in his office on the training ground in Marchwood, eleven minutes from the city center. In the futuristic Liebherr Pavilion, named after the Swiss entrepreneur Markus Liebherr († 62), who saved the club from bankruptcy in 2009, he has his kingdom in 20 m². From the balcony he looks at one of the five well-maintained training pitches. English weather, it's raining, of course. But Hasenhüttl exudes: "This country is made easy with its climate for football to play. It is never too cold, never too warm. That's how I loved it as a player. "

Hasenhüttl is dynamic, tidy. Put your feet up in the summer break? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that! In England, he is no longer just a coach, but also a manager. "I'm involved in every decision. Even if a new bus is to be bought. When the crew is free, I'll take care of the scouting, phoning with possible newcomers. That's what Ralf Rangnick took over as sports director in Leipzig. But that's a great next step for me. That's why I find the task so appealing."

How does he manage two jobs in one day? "You need a good time management. I sometimes stumble and have to be even more structured. "He has even changed his diet. Eight kilos are down by interval fasting (now 98 kg). The effect? "I am more efficient and resilient. I can do more during the day. I never thought I would last, but I eat in the afternoon at 4pm the last time, then again early at 10am."

Is that also the bad food in England? Hasenhüttl laughs: "Not at all! The food is better than his reputation. I love Apple Crumble with custard!" After the league, he now wants to rebuild the club: "For the first half year, we first wanted to bring back the feeling of being back. I think we have managed to make people positive for the club again. Next season, we want to climb as far as we can. If we keep our point cut, we can land at 10th place."

Hasenhüttl wants to strengthen his team, looking for a goalkeeper coach, a fitness coach and up to five new players. "We want players who fit our philosophy: lots of speed, high pressing, gaming intelligence. The English football is very man-oriented, in the direction of the players are trained. It's important that we get guys who can also defend ball-oriented. "None of them should be older than 24 years. "I have had good experiences with that in Leipzig. I've learned to develop young players and see that you can succeed with them."

In Leipzig he had two strong years with the places two and six. Just like RB, he records every training session by video. Only the masts of the cameras must be shorter - because next door is the nature reserve New Forest. Hasenhüttl: "I learned a lot in Leipzig, especially from Ralf Rangnick. He showed how to successfully lead a club successfully. These approaches and experiences are very helpful to me now."

From next season, the game philosophy of Hasenhüttl should also be implemented in the offspring.

The club is justifiably proud of the academy. Stars like Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Liverpool) and Theo Walcott (Arsenal) were trained here. "Our academy has the highest ranks in England," says Hasenhüttl. "We have some good guys in the pros. Like Yan Valery. Our goal is to constantly develop exceptional talent."

How is Southampton ranked by the financial possibilities? Hasenhüttl: "In the Bundesliga I would probably compare with Mainz or Freiburg. We are limited in our possibilities, but we are taking a very sustainable and healthy path: we are a self-financing system, living from purchases and sales."

The club belongs to the Chinese businessman Gao Jisheng (estimated assets 240 million euros). How much does he get involved? "Hardly, there is loose contact. For example, if we win against Tottenham, it's an extreme publicity for him. The Chinese are very interested in the Premier League. The games are seeing 100 million people there." In summer, the club flies to Macau for four days as a club owner. "Such trips I find in the preparation actually suboptimal," says Hasenhüttl honest. "That's why we only have five players plus juniors, the others are in the camp in Ireland. So the journey to China has little influence."

He quickly got used to the life outside of the place. Driving on the left? No problem! "That went after two days. I tend to bother the speed limits. A maximum of 75 km / h on the highway - that is tough, especially as you are always stressed. Sometimes I would like to get on the gas."

He grins: "But everywhere are speed cameras, as I unfortunately had to find out..."

And what bothers him the most at the stadiums? "Clearly the guest cabins. That's a disaster, even at Manchester United at Old Trafford. They are not bigger than my office, sometimes we coaches do not even have an extra room. "

At the harbor overlooking the water Hasenhüttl is at home. His beloved piano had to stay in Germany. "The apartment is not big enough for that. And I have no time. But the other day I played in the team hotel, for the debut, rather spontaneous. I sang: 'Weus'd a Herz host wia a mine' from the Austrian Rainhard Fendrich, I think that's great."

The fans in Southampton love him for his looseness. In the winter they have written his own Christmas song, Sponsor Virgin welcomes guests at the stadium on a poster in "Ralphampton". But Hasenhüttl remains modest: "Initially, the hype was almost too much for me. I won two games and was equal to "King Ralph". You have to be careful. But if you succeed in inspiring people here in a sustainable way, then they are already similar to the Leipzigers: regardless of the outcome, they are very positive. That gives me a lot of strength. "

Is a return to the Bundesliga conceivable? "You can not rule anything out in football," he says. "But right now I do not think that I'm working as a coach in Germany again. In England, the coaches enjoy a very different status. Add to this incredibly interesting league. I have an extremely high job satisfaction. "

In Southampton, the fans fear is now: If Hasenhüttl still successful, he could be quickly gone. Like Mauricio Pochettino (47), who went to top club Tottenham after only one and a half strong years.

Hasenhüttl: "I do not think about what's coming to Southampton. I've found a job here that fills me up, and I'm not here to run away. I want to make a name for myself in this league."

As I said, he is not just passing through...

Source: https://sportbild.bild.de/fussball/...pton-king-trainer-england-62607904.sport.html

 

The bottom paragraphs fill me with huge belief. Let's make it so you get your own statue!

 

Sounds like he is enjoying his learning circle..........Very positive interview I thought...........

 

So when's he off to Spurs?

 

Already gone.

 

I love Ralph.

 

I bet you say that to all the Ralphs.

 

King Ralph

 

So he's been done for speeding I wonder how he's getting on with the local wild life...I remember Poch being stupefied by all those 'donkeys' walking around loose in the New Forest.

I note he is doing the Football Director's job at the moment...I wonder if that is temporary or a permanent change.

 

Says all the right things but don't they all? I love the man but if/when a big club makes a move for him I imagine he will leave like the rest.

Got to enjoy him whilst we can!

 

So as had been mentioned before he wants to replace Watson and get in another Fitness coach as well as new players in. Hopefully we can get so wages of the books and some transfer rev in to get him what he needs

 

I'd not heard it called Ralphampton but I like it!

 

The club just needs to back him and we are all onto a winner.

 

So many coaches/managers have left us through lack of ambition though.............Which is a crying shame........

 

Koeman was the point where we cracked. I, like plenty of others, heaped criticism on Ronald. I have subsequently wondered several times whether it was Saints fault all along.

 

Ralph would have seen a few donkeys when he first arrived. They got shipped out to pastures new with some more to follow hopefully.