Southampton's alternative manager target Pierre Sage is closing in on a transfer move to fill current Saints boss Will Still's void at Lens.
Transfer markets are also known as the best months for manager appointments, and even for coaching merry-go-rounds. Look at Southampton, Will Still has arrived to take over Rusk's tactical duties while also creating a void in his former employer's dugout.
And as a matter of coincidence, Still's previous commitments are set to be assumed by another Saints transfer target.
According to L'Equipe (via Get Football News France), Lens are closing in on handing their first team keys to Pierre Sage, who even made Southampton's shortlist a few weeks ago.
Saints fans must not draw comparisons between Sage and Still
Low-key speaking, Sage has endured a better transfer luck than Danny Rohl, so far. In that aspect, even former Saint Ruben Selles might be level with Sage, though, he wasn't being eyed to return to St. Mary's.
Coming to the reality, none of the trio of Still, Sage and Rohl are in tactical action soon, meaning the jury is out for them and for Southampton's decision too.
And it will remain like this for other coaches too who were speculated to win the race for Southampton's managerial hotseat.
On his part, Sage is another tactically flexible candidate as Still and might even take Lens to a step above what Still did. Even if that happens, Southampton fans should judge the Englishman by the Championship scale only.
Why? The reason for that lies in the Ivan Juric hire where the Saints admired his abroad track record while ignoring the fact that they needed him to guide them through the challenges of English football.
Similarly, should Sage bring European football to Lens, Southampton fans shouldn't start blaming Still for barely keeping them afloat in the Premier League. That isn't a fair comparison knowing how the previous season went for both clubs, and again, the Saints should back Still and keep fair expectations from him.