Matt Le Tissier says Nicola Cortese has turned Saints into “a laughing stock.”

The Saints legend was left disappointed by the executive chairman’s decision to sack manager Nigel Adkins and replace him with Mauricio Pochettino.

“Sadly it doesn’t surprise me,” he said.

“It’s come at a very strange time of the season considering we have only lost two of our last 12 games and have come back from 2-0 down against Chelsea during the week.

“It seems a little bit odd to me but the way that club’s been run by the chairman over the last couple of years nothing surprises you anymore sadly.

“Once again I think he has made Southampton a bit of a laughing stock.”

Le Tissier admitted to not knowing much about Pochettino but instead was sympathetic towards the treatment of Adkins.

“Very little to be honest with you. It’s not something I’ve been thinking about to be honest,” he said of the new manager.

“I’m still a little bit shocked at the timing of the sacking of Nigel.

“It’s very very strange and it’s an odd thing to have to come to terms with today.”

He added: “It is a little bit sudden but he was under a bit of pressure early in the season and we thought it might happen then.

“Whether he couldn’t get the man that he wanted then we don’t know but it’s slightly odd the timing of it all. It’s very very strange.”