Eleven things about Southampton target Ralph Hasenhuttl

Here are 11 things you may not know about the Austrian:

1. Hasenhuttl is dubbed the ‘Austrian Klopp’

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp

The 51-year-old has been nicknamed as the ‘Alpen Klopp’, or ‘Klopp of the Alps’, for a similar playing style to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

2. He has managerial pedigree at both ends of the table

Hasenhuttl has taken charge of several clubs in the lower leagues of Germany.

When he took over at FC Ingolstadt, they were languishing in the second division, but he took them into the Bundesliga and then kept them in the top-flight.

3. Hasenhuttl took Red Bull Leipzig to second-place in the Bundesliga

His time at FC Ingolstadt came to an end when he decided not to sign a new deal at the club in 2016.

Hasenhuttl joined Red Bull Leipzig in the same year and in his second season in charge guided the German club to second-place and earned them a spot in the Champions League.

4. The former Red Bull Leipzig boss nurtures young players

Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita

Liverpool’s Naby Keita is an example of Hasenhuttl taking young players to the next level.

Keita joined Leipzig at the same time as the Austrian when he was 21-years-old. Under his manager’s guidance he became one of Europe’s best young talents and earned a £50m move to Merseyside as a consequence.

5. Hasenhuttl has had his eye on a Premier League job

In an interview with Football Paradise, Hasenhuttl revealed he has always wanted to manage a Premier League side.

He said: “There are a few German trainers in the Premier League and some players I’ve coached before.

“Pascal Gross from Brighton was telling me about how they play there, how they work there and he thinks I would enjoy it there, be a good fit.

“Of course, to be a trainer in the top-six, you have to show championships or cup you have won. Klopp [when he went to Liverpool] is bigger than I am now.”

6. Saints’ players can expect a high level of intensity in training

Saints celebrating at Fulham

Due to his style of play revolving around pressing, Saints’ players will have a rude awakening call on the training pitch at Staplewood.

One criticism of Mark Hughes was his methods in preparing his side for a match, lacked the intensity of his predecessors.

“I have an interesting way of playing football, I believe, and I’m a good motivator, but my biggest strength is that I’m open-minded and empathetic,” the Austrian said.

“I’m always trying to find a good and close relationship with everyone in the club, players, trainers, staff. That’s important to me, the human side.”

7. His playing career saw him capped by Austria eight times

Hasenhuttl’s playing career spanned over a decade and he was recognised by his country on eight occasions.

The former striker scored three goals on the international scene over a six-year period.

8. Hasenhuttl likes to set his side up in a 4-2-2-2 formation

Due to the intensity he wants his team to play with, the Austrian sets his team up in an attacking manner.

He will often deploy wingbacks and looks for them to dominate the channels and expose the other side’s weaknesses from the wide areas.

Hasenhuttl said: “Every opposition needs to be played in a different way and the formation depends on the opposition’s strengths.

“But we trained [mostly] with 4-2-2-2, 4-4-3 and 3-4-3 because we could adapt that for most games.”

9. He will become the first Austrian to ever manage a Premier League club

Ralph Hasenhuttl in charge at Red Bull Leipzig

Hasenhuttl will be the first ever Austrian to manage in the Premier League if he takes charge of Saints.

10. Like most Austrians, he is an avid skier

Growing up in a mountainous country, the 51-year-old fell in love with skiing.

Hasenhuttl revealed: “In Austria we are born with skis on our feet. I love to ski even now. But in the summer, it was football.”

11. Hasenhuttl has an artistic background

The Austrian comes from a family who are passionate about the arts and this saw him learn to play the piano as a child.