Championship boss emerges as early contender for the Southampton job after Russell Martin was sacked following disastrous Tottenham defeat

Danny Rohl has emerged as an early contender to succeed Russell Martin as manager of Southampton.

Martin was sacked by Saints on Sunday evening after a 5-0 home drubbing against Spurs that saw Ange Postecoglou run riot in a dominant first-half.

The decision to sack Russell was made just 12 minutes after his final post-match press conference with the club bottom of the Premier League having acquired just five points in 16 matches.

Club executives are now accelerating their recruitment drive to hire a new head coach and have identified Sheffield Wednesday boss Rohl as a potential replacement.

The German has exceeded expectations since joining Wednesday in October last year for his first head coach role at a time when the Owls were sitting bottom of the Championship.

Wednesday are now ninth in the Championship standings after thumping Oxford 3-1 at the weekend and the impressive transformation job he has mastered at Hillsborough has caught the eye of Southampton.

Martin was sacked on Sunday following Southampton’s 5-0 defeat against Tottenham

Rohl previously worked at Southampton as assistant to former boss Ralf Hasenhuttl and has forged a reputation as a talented manager in his own right.

He successfully guided Wednesday away from relegation last season and has continued to make them a formidable outfit despite operating amid tight budgetary demands at the club

The 35-year-old is considered another up and coming coaching talent having worked at Bayern Munich and the German national team also. 

His affable personality and good communication skills were also demonstrated while he covered the European Championship in Germany on television last summer. 

Wednesday recognised Rohl’s potential by tying him to a new contract in the pre-season until 2027 knowing that interest from Premier League suitors would likely be inevitable.

Southampton are bottom of the Premier League having acquired just five points in 16 matches

The club’s decision to extend Rohl’s contract now means that Southampton will have to cough up compensation to bring him to the club.

Bookmakers have made him the early favourite as Southampton consider options.