Mark Hughes has been appointed as the manager of
Southampton until the end of the season. The 54-year-old will take his first training session
on Thursday with Mark Bowen and Eddie Niedzwiecki joining his backroom coaching
staff as assistant manager and assistant first team coach respectively.
Hughes, who made 60 appearances for the club, said:
"It's a challenge I'm excited by. It's a great opportunity to come back to
a club I know well, and a club I've got a real affinity with, and I couldn't
turn that down.
"I bring experience of the Premier League. I understand
what it takes in this league to win games. But first and foremost I think it's
about coming in and maybe being that different voice, that different message
from myself and the staff, that will enable the players to recognise and focus
on what needs to be done in this key period of the season. "The objective clearly is to remain in the
league and make sure we're a Premier League club next year."
Hughes was dismissed by Stoke City in January, with
the Potters in the bottom three following a poor run of form. But they had
three ninth-place finishes under the Welshman before finishing 13th last term.
Hughes began his managerial career with the Wales
national team and subsequently managed Blackburn, Manchester City, Fulham and
QPR. He has never been relegated from the top flight as manager. Pellegrino was sacked on Monday after just one win
in their last 17 games - leaving the team just a point clear of the relegation
zone. Hughes' reign as Southampton boss begins with an FA
Cup quarter-final tie against Wigan at the DW Stadium on Sunday.
Source: Sky Sports