Keith Wyness reacts to shock Southampton departure – ‘wow… disaster’
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted Southampton owner Dragan Solak is already planning for next season’s Championship fight after appointing himself chairman at the club.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 67-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed the Saints are “looking in the marketplace” as they plan a revamp on the football side at St Mary’s Stadium.
Southampton issued a statement on Tuesday (14 January), revealing Henrik Kraft has stepped down as chairman and replaced by majority shareholder Solak.
The Serbian billionaire said he has been “deeply disappointed with the football results this season”.
Saints sit bottom of the Premier League with just six points despite replacing Russell Martin with Ivan Juric last month.
The south coast club were promoted via the playoffs last season and look set for an immediate return to the Championship for the 2025-26 season.
Southampton planning for Championship fight after Solak statement, says Wyness
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “This is an owner who is saying: ‘Wow, this season has been a disaster.’
“He’s gonna come back in now and get his hands back on this asset. That’s what it screams to me.
“It hasn’t gone well. It’s a big step for an owner to come in to the Premier League, but Dragan was very clear that Southampton were going to give it a go.
“They’ve spent something like £70-80million on new players. They’ve been unlucky in some games, but they’ve also had some thrashings.
“It does look like they’re down already.
“Dragan is now going to get in there and make sure they can get back up again.
“The player recruitment and football director side is under question and they’re looking in the marketplace for new people to come in.
“It’s good that the owner is putting his hands back on the club and trying to get it into fit shape for the battle in the Championship.”
In other news, Premier League clubs racing to sign Southampton star – expert.
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