Nathan Jones: Southampton permitted to speak to Luton Town boss after sacking Ralph Hasenhuttl
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Nathan Jones' Luton are eighth in the Championship
Southampton have been given permission to speak to Luton Town boss Nathan Jones about their managerial vacancy after sacking Ralph Hasenhuttl.
Hasenhuttl left the club earlier on Monday in the wake of the Saints' 4-1 home defeat by Newcastle.
Southampton have won just one of their past nine matches and are in the Premier League relegation zone.
Luton will allow the club to speak to Jones after their Championship match at Stoke City on Tuesday.
The Football News Show: Managerial change at Southampton
"We would like to place on record that the Premier League club have approached the board in the correct manner, for which we are grateful, and that the whole situation is extremely amicable with Southampton and with Nathan," said the Hatters, who are eighth in the Championship table.
"We would also like to urge all supporters travelling to Stoke to show him and the team your support on what we hope will be yet another memorable away day."
Former Brighton and Yeovil player Jones is in his second spell as Luton manager, having taken the club from League Two to League One in his first three-year tenure between 2016-19.
In 2019, with Luton on course for promotion to the Championship, he replaced Gary Rowett as Stoke boss, but returned to the Hatters 18 months later.
First team coach Ruben Selles will take charge of Southampton for Wednesday's Carabao Cup third round home game against League One side Sheffield Wednesday.
Hasenhuttl, who was appointed in December 2018, is the fifth Premier League manager to be sacked so far this season.
Scott Parker, Bruno Lage, Thomas Tuchel and Steven Gerrard were dismissed by Bournemouth, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Chelsea and Aston Villa respectively, while Graham Potter left Brighton to take over as Chelsea boss.
Analysis
Former Southampton defender Francis Benali on BBC Radio 5 Live
Clearly Nathan Jones is in a good position to be the next Southampton manager. But it could be that things don't work out and it doesn't actually happen for whatever reason.
There are a number of managers who will look at this job as a great opportunity - a young group of players, potential to spend in the January window and it's a Premier League job.
It's not just Nathan Jones who will be interested in Southampton - there are a lot of managers who will be champing at the bit to have this position.
The World Cup break could help clubs like Southampton. Making this decision [to sack Hasenhuttl] gives the new manager, whoever it is going to be, the opportunity to work with this exciting new, young squad.
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