Saints are a 'laughing stock' - Merrington

Former Southampton manager Dave Merrington believes chairman Rupert Lowe must take some of the responsibility for the “complete instability” at the club.

Steve Wigley took over as head coach from Paul Sturrock after just two games of the season and now his own position is under threat, with no wins from 10 league games and a 5-2 hammering by Watford in the Carling Cup last night.

Wigley is Saints’ sixth full-time manager in four years and Merrington believes Lowe – who became chairman in 1996 – must carry the can for the revolving door at St Mary’s.

Merrington told BBC Radio Five Live: “If the chairman’s going to sack (Wigley) he has to look at himself, because the number of managers that they have had now has made them a laughing stock.

“He would probably say ‘well I’ve only ever sacked one manager’ but you have to question why managers have come and gone so quickly and there’s a complete instability in the club.

“I think if this was an industry outside (of football), then the chairman of the company would be in question.”

Another former Saints boss Alan Ball believes Wigley can never have full authority over the players as long as he is only head coach, rather than manager.

“When you are at a football club you need to know exactly what your job is,” Ball said.

“If your job is manager you’ll do it to the best of your ability.

“If you are just coaching, who are the players going to respond to? Who do they fear, who do they want to please?

“In this instance I’d think they would want to please the chairman rather than the coach.”