Benali predicts ‘big season’ ahead for Hasenhuttl and Saints
Saints finished 15th in the last campaign but have strengthened the squad over the summer.
Southampton is heading into a big season for the club, according to former defender Francis Benali, as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side looks to push up the Premier League table.
Although Saints reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup last term, losing to Manchester City, their league form tailed off badly, ending with nine defeats from the final 12 matches of the campaign to finish 15th.
While many of those results were decided by small margins, Hasenhuttl has moved to strengthen his squad, backed in the summer transfer window by the club’s new owners, Sport Republic.
Promising 18-year-old midfielder Romeo Lavia has arrived from Manchester City, along with Joe Aribo from Rangers, while striker Sekou Mara comes in from Bordeaux to bolster the attacking options, and fellow 20-year-old Armel Bella-Kotchap will provide cover at the back after arriving from Bochum.
Benali, who played 389 games for Southampton over 16 years until 2004, feels there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic ahead of Saturday’s Premier League opener at Tottenham – but knows Hasenhuttl’s squad will be expected to show they can deliver consistent performances.
“There is always that optimism this time of year for every football fan, with a lot of hope, but it is going to be a big season in many ways (for Southampton),” Benali told the PA news agency.
“The run-in we had from the back end of last season was pretty dreadful, and it is crucial to get as good a start as possible.
“The fixtures have made it quite a tough-looking one for Saints, but that is the challenge of the Premier League – you have to play the games at some point.
“So why not get underway with difficult ones and come through them with positive performances and good results?
“It is a tough start and a challenging one, one which I think Saints can rise to.”
Benali, supporting Prostate Cancer UK’s upcoming Football March, added: “We have got the new owners in now, and they are behind Ralph – we have seen that investment already.
“I like what Ralph and the club are doing, but it is results-driven on the pitch. There has got to be performance and return from the team and Ralph.
“It is a big season for Ralph. He has been here a few years now (since December 2018).
“Hopefully, they can try to kick on to that next level, but as we know well, it is notoriously difficult to do so for clubs like ourselves.
“The reality is that you look at the spending the big boys are doing again, with the players they are bringing in, and that gulf seems to be getting bigger year on year.
“For teams like Southampton, it is about trying into the top half of the table and having a bit of success in the cup competitions.”
Prostate cancer affects one in eight men in the UK. Benali’s father-in-law was able to make a recovery following successful brachytherapy radiation treatment.
Benali, 53, said: “Prostate cancer affects so many.
“This is an illness which needs to be continually raised awareness of and have funds raised to make a difference – and these marches certainly do that.”
Francis Benali is supporting Prostate Cancer UK’s upcoming Football March, four marathon marches from September 22-25 in Greater Manchester, south coast, west midlands and London. For more details, go to https://prostatecanceruk.org/get-involved/football-march