Juric Points to Physicality Gap as Reason for Southampton's Relegation

Ivan Juric attributes the struggles of newly promoted clubs in the Premier League to a significant gap in physicality between the top tier and the Championship.

Sacked Southampton manager Ivan Juric attributed the struggles of newly promoted clubs in the Premier League to a significant gap in physicality between the top tier and the Championship. Following his team's historic relegation with seven matches to spare, Juric highlighted the differences in physical demands between the two divisions. Southampton's 3-1 loss to Tottenham on Sunday sealed their fate, leaving them at the bottom of the table.

Juric's observations are echoed by the struggles of other promoted teams, Ipswich and Leicester, who are also on the brink of relegation. The 12-point gap between 17th-placed Wolves and the promoted teams underscores the challenges faced by clubs transitioning from the Championship to the Premier League. The disparity in physicality and overall quality between the two divisions appears to be a significant factor in the struggles of newly promoted clubs.

Ivan Juric has left Southampton after their relegation from the Premier League was confirmed yesterday pic.twitter.com/r2hecL4e0M

— Premier League (@premierleague) April 7, 2025

“What I notice the most in these three or four months I am here is a completely different physicality between us and the other teams in the Premier League,” said Juric, who joined Southampton in December after the club's poor start in the campaign.

”I think the same thing happened to Leicester and Ipswich Town. The difference between the physicality of Championship and Premier League.

“Physically when it's a moment of transition, when it's a moment like a basketball game, you cannot do it because they are physically stronger, faster and this is the huge difference.”

Southampton manager Ivan Juric expressed his commitment to helping the club return to the Premier League, despite their historic relegation. Juric, whose contract runs until the end of the 2025-26 season, is determined to guide the team back to the top flight. “It is really good to be a coach in the Premier League and if I took the long way to come back here, I am ready,” the experienced coach said, highlighting his enthusiasm for the challenge ahead.

Today’s result confirms our place in the Championship next season. pic.twitter.com/Dt3NqqkoIt

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 6, 2025

As a seasoned coach with stints at Genoa, Torino, and AS Roma, Juric is well-equipped to lead Southampton's revival. His words convey a sense of determination and readiness to tackle the challenges of rebuilding the team. With a long-term contract in place, Juric has the stability and security to implement his vision and work towards promoting the club back to the Premier League.

“Then I have to see with the club, with the ideas, with everything and what they think, what I think and whether we can do it or not.”