Southampton have had a mixed bag when it comes to recruiting managers over the past decade or so.
Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman can both down as huge hits after both secured top eight finishes in the Premier League, but the less said about Mauricio Pelligrino, Nathan Jones and Ruben Selles the better.
The jury is still out on Russell Martin.
Martin rebuilt a broken Southampton following relegation from the Premier League in 2023 as he overhauled the playing style alongside achieving an immediate return to the top flight via the Championship play-offs.
However, football is a fickle industry and the fact Southampton have just one point from seven matches since making the step up has seen the pressure start to mount for Martin.
The Southampton hierarchy may well already be considering potential replacements, but the Saints have an ex-player with an eye on the job further in the future.
Dusan Tadic speaks on managing Southampton
Attacking midfielder Dusan Tadic has enjoyed a really impressive career since leaving Southampton despite the fact he was 29 when he left for Ajax.
Now 35 and at Fenerbahce, Tadic was asked whether he would consider joining the coaching staff at the Turkish club and the Serbian responded: “I can play at the highest level for a few more years, but I want to be a coach in the future.
“I played for Ajax, I play for Fenerbahce and I also played for Southampton. It’s a very special feeling to represent a club you play for as a coach. We’ll see what happens in the future.”
Southampton fans would welcome Tadic back
Tadic spent four seasons at Southampton after being signed by Ronald Koeman in 2014 and was part of perhaps the Saints’ most exciting team of the Premier League era.
The 111-cap Serbia international played in a side that qualified for the Europa League alongside the likes of Sadio Mane, Jose Fonte and Graziano Pelle and dazzled St Mary’s with his quick feet and creativity.
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Tadic amassed 162 appearances for Southampton, scoring 24 goals and providing 32 assists before heading to Ajax where he won three league titles and reached a Champions League semi-final.
Tadic was the Eredivisie top goal scorer in his debut campaign in the Netherlands, bagging a quite remarkable 28 goals from midfield and is still regular providing goals and assists in the twilight of his career in Turkey.
A real blast from the past, Southampton fans would welcome Tadic back with open arms should he enjoy success as a manager.