Sturrock off to Southampton?

[cider head]

Saints will today confirm Paul Sturrock as their new manager.

The Plymouth boss will be unveiled this afternoon as the successor to Gordon Strachan who stepped down a fortnight ago.

The 48-year-old held talks with Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe yesterday before agreeing personal terms.

He takes over immediately from caretaker boss Steve Wigley who will now revert to his previous role of Director of Youth.

The timing of the appointment allows him to have a full week to prepare the players ahead of the televised sell-out at home to Liverpool a week on Sunday.

Saints have had to agree an undisclosed compensation package with the West Country club who are desperately disappointed to lose one of the brightest young coaches in the game.

Some Home Park fans have accused Southampton of double standards for accusing Tottenham of poaching Glenn Hoddle only to do the same to Sturrock. However the key difference is that the Scot had a clause in his contract allowing him to speak to any Premiership club who came in for him.

That four-year deal was signed only at Christmas and the directors were happy enough to agree to that clause so they can have no complaints that it has been exercised, albeit sooner than they would probably have liked or expected.

Sturrock resigned yesterday afternoon, clearing the way for today's installation at the Friends Provident St Mary's Stadium.

Coincidentally, Glenn Hoddle announced he no longer wished to be a candidate just hours before Sturrock quit!

Argyle were second from bottom in Division 3 when Sturrock took charge in October 2000 and he has since inspired a remarkable transformation in the club's fortunes.

He steered them to a respectable finishing place of 12th and then in his first full season in charge he took Plymouth up to Division 2 as champions.

He continued building steadily. Last season was one of consolidation with Plymouth finishing just outside the play-off places in eighth.

Now they are top of the table and looking set fair to step up to Division 1.

In the second quarter of this campaign Sturrock had the best record of any manager in the country, even topping Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson who are the only ones ahead of him overall this season according to the LMA.

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