Daily Echo:

MAURICIO Pellegrino will be keen to show he’s already stamped his authority on Saints when he makes his debut as manager in a friendly against St Gallen tomorrow.

The Argentine’s main focus since taking his first training session nine days ago has been, along with the usual fitness programme that comes in pre-season, imprinting his style on the team.

Although, at these early stages, it will be very much the unfinished product, the friendly against the Swiss Super League outfit will be the first insight in to what can be expected from Pellegrino’s team next season.

The 45-year-old boss has been very keen to start building relationships in the camp and with just under a month until the beginning of the Premier League season will want to demonstrate the progress he’s so far made.

Pellegrino has been working with a young 28-man squad in Austria, where the team have been concentrating mainly on fitness and team bonding but with ball work increasingly involved in the sessions.

The opening pre-season match tomorrow (3.30pm BST), which Pellegrino is putting little impetus on the result of, more getting the shape and system right, will take place in Switzerland, in the low profile surroundings of Swiss lower league outfit FC Goldach’s Sportanlage Kellen ground.

The St Mary’s chief stated that he’s enjoyed working with a young side at the training camp, running the rule over what the academy has to offer.

It is expected that he’ll use a range of players in the friendly, as is commonplace in these preparation games.

But he’ll soon turn his attentions fully to first team players, with a number of them returning from breaks after international duties.

England Under-21s James Ward-Prowse, Nathan Redmond, Matt Targett and Jack Stephens, who were in action at the European Under-21 Championships in Poland last month, will soon return to the fold along with Cedric Soares, who was in action for Portugal at the Confederations Cup.

Saints will return to England ahead of further pre-season training on Monday, with a second friendly match booked in at Championship side Brentford a week tomorrow (July 22).

Following the Bees game, Saints head to Evian, France, for their second trip away, where they will face Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne at Stade Municipal de Chambery on July 29.

On their return to Southampton, Saints will entertain German side FC Augsburg and Spanish outfit Sevilla to round off their preparations at St Mary’s.

The Augsburg game will take place on Wednesday, August 2 (7.45pm), before Pellegrino’s men host La Liga outfit Sevilla on Saturday, August 5 (3pm).

The club’s main sponsor Virgin Media are offering a special deal for both home matches.

Tickets, which will give you entry to both matches, start from as little as £5 for Under-18s, with adults paying just £12.