Hassenhuttl completes staff as Southampton appoint specialist coaches
Left to right: Alex Clapham, Andrew Sparkes, Rubén Sellés, Ralph Hassenhuttl, Carl Martin, Alek Gross and Richard Kitzbichler
Written by Simon Austin — July 1, 2022
RALPH HASSENHUTTL has finalised his backroom staff for the coming season, with Alex Clapham joining from Notts County as set piece coach and Carl Martin moving up from the Under-18s to become an in-possession specialist.
Director of Football Matt Crocker has previously spoken to TGG about his belief in specialist coaching. He helped to introduce the system of in and out-of-possession specialists when he was Head of Coaching at the Football Association.
Rasmus Ankersen, who is Chief Executive of Southampton’s owners, Sport Republic, was also a huge advocate of specialist coaches - and particularly set piece coaches - during his time as Director of Football at Brentford and FC Midtjylland.
Clapham, 33, was first-team coach at Notts County last season and has also worked at Ytterhogdals IK in Sweden, Getafe in Spain and Sheffield United and Manchester City in England. The Pro Licence coach is founder of the excellent Cano Football account.
Martin, who is also a Pro Licence holder, led Southampton’s U18s to the Premier League South title last season. The former Watford youth coach, 35, spent the 2020/21 campaign shadowing Hasenhüttl and his staff to aid his development.
Clapham and Martin join Hassenhuttl’s new-look staff of first-team lead coach Rubén Sellés, first team coach Richard Kitzbichler, goalkeeping coach Andrew Sparkes and Head of Sports Science Alek Gross.
Kelvin Davis (senior first-team coach and assistant), Dave Watson (Head of Goalkeeping) and Craig Fleming (Lead U18s coach) were all sacked at the end of the season.
