Ralph Hasenhuettl is just like Mauricio Pochettino, says Southampton star James Ward-Prowse
Ward-Prowse fell out of favour with several Saints bosses after Poch left for Tottenham in 2014
JAMES WARD-PROWSE claims Southampton are really going places under Mauricio Pochettino clone Ralph Hasenhuttl.
JWP was a key player under Poch during the Argentine’s 16-month spell at Saints six years ago.
The midfielder, 24, is now playing a starring role for Hasenhuttl as the methodical Austrian tries to transform the club’s fortunes.
And Ward-Prowse can see many similarities between the innovative Premier League bosses.
He told SunSport: “The current manager is the most detailed since Pochettino.
“Both are very similar in the detail of where they want you to be at certain times. I think we’re making strides.”
Ward-Prowse fell out of favour with several Saints bosses after Poch left for Tottenham in 2014.
He seems rejuvenated under Hasenhuttl, with three goals in his last three league games.
And the England hopeful says the manager’s ability to help the players enjoy their football reminds him of life under the current Spurs chief.
JWP declared: “The main similarity is how they play without the ball.
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“They want to press high, they want to dominate the game and be on the front foot.
“For a few of us who were there with Pochettino you could see the similarities.
“He’s definitely brought a new energy to the team.
“The other similarities you can tell already are their passion and their love for what they do.
“Both managers on the training pitch would encourage you to do what they want to do.
“They make you feel happy as a player. I think that’s a big thing.
“You want to go out on the pitch with a smile on your face and enjoy what you’re doing.”
Ward-Prowse was barely getting out on the field under Hasenhuttl’s predecessor Mark Hughes, let alone with a smile on his face.
And there have mainly been miserable frowns on the faces of Saints fans over the last year.
But Hasenhuttl has re-energised the club since arriving at the start of December.
He has already picked up 14 points from his nine league games. And the south coast side fancy nicking three more today as they travel north to take on fellow strugglers Burnley.
Former RB Leipzig boss Hasenhuttl, 51, has put his faith in young players from the academy to the delight of Ward-Prowse, a Southampton youth-system graduate himself.
The midfield maestro, looking to follow up recent goals against Leicester, Everton and Crystal Palace today, added: “Since the manager has come in, there have been a lot of young players given debuts and opportunities.
“I for one can speak highly for being thrown in at the deep end to show what you can do — and the lads have done that.
“It’s just that clear pathway and identity of who we are as a team and a club. I feel like we lost that in recent times.
“But we’ve certainly got that identity back of what we’re doing on the pitch. The discipline off the pitch is just as important.
“He’s instilled that straight away and you can feel the difference around the place with that put in place.
“It’s really exciting as a Saints fan and as a Saints player.”