SAINTS manager Ruben Selles rejected the suggestion club upheaval has been a reason for his team’s poor performance over the season.

The St Mary’s side faces potential relegation from the Premier League for the first time since promotion to the top flight in 2012.

They are six points adrift of safety after the recent home defeat to AFC Bournemouth and are facing a major playing overhaul in the summer.

However, Sport Republic and the incoming director of football, Jason Wilcox, already have their hands full with appointments needed for outgoing directors.

Head of recruitment Joe Shields, managing director Toby Steele (already replaced) and academy manager Matt Hale are all among those who have left or are leaving this season.

However, Selles was not keen to suggest the turmoil could be linked to on-pitch performance. Speaking on Thursday night, he said: “No, of course.

“When you are in a club in our situation, you have some issues and the daily routines but it's nothing that we can extrapolate into the pitch.

“I think we are where we are and then we need to fight to show that we are good enough to compete in this league and then we can beat anybody so it's not any issues outside that are making the difference or disturbing us.”

The Spaniard added: “Well, that's the problem that we didn't find any consistency in any of the moments and in the beginning with the team we thought we can make it.

“We were considering what we do. I think we have had some good performances.

“But in the last week, we combined some of the good moments with the bad moments so that lack of consistency is in that situation and we are trying to find it back and that we are trying to make it better.

“And that's one of the things that we need to look at it and then say we need to do it better and then we need to be more robust in the things that we do.”