Ralph Hasenhuttl has previously stated his ambitions on life after Southampton which will be tested now that the Austrian coach has parted company with the Premier League club.
Given the increasing speculation around Giovanni van Bronckhorst with the pressure intensifying after the 2-1 loss at St Johnstone, as well as Hasenhuttl’s previous working relationship with Ross Wilson, inevitable links have emerged regarding a reunion at Ibrox.
However, the former RB Leipzig boss is on record with the aspiration that his job a Southampton would be his last in football, ahead of pursuing other interests in life. A premature departure with the Saints before the end of his contract around 18 months early could make him think twice or simply seek out pastures new sooner than anticipated.
As featured in The Athletic (via Kicker) in February, the 55-year old was clear that he does not see his long term future in football management:
“I always wanted to prove to myself that I could very well work for a club for a longer period of time. Hopefully it will be five-and-a-half-years here, that’s a damn long time in modern football, and then that’s probably it.”
“Five-and-a-half-years in the Premier League, that’s a lot of energy, regardless of job satisfaction. I can’t imagine that I want to do anything else in coaching after that.”
“And saying no to everything else is also a yes to yourself, and I want that. That’s the solid plan and I hope I have the strength to pull it off. I want to put Southampton on a very healthy footing by 2024, but then that is it.”
“I’ll be 57-years-old. I’d like to experience other things and not sit on the bench like Roy Hodgson at 74. Definitely not.”
Unlikely
That means for reasons of aspiration, hunger, desire as well as the required finance, it appears very unlikely that Hasenhuttl could be pursuaded to launch himself into the Glasgow pressure cooker, if and when the Rangers job becomes available.
Added to that, his cap and tracksuit attire alongside his very animated persona on the touchline doesn’t seem to be a great fit for the requirements at Ibrox. He’s not the first and certainly won’t be the last to be linked given the situation that currently looms large on Edmiston Drive.