Southampton turn to Juric in bid to maintain Premier League status

SOUTHAMPTON, England (AP) — Ivan Juric was hired as the manager of Southampton on Saturday and was quickly challenged with the task of preserving its place in the Premier League.

Juric replaced Russell Martin, who was fired last week with his team on the bottom of the table.

"We remain focused on fighting for survival ... and believe this appointment will provide us with the grit and determination needed to improve results on the pitch," Southampton said in a statement.

The 49-year-old Juric signed an 18-month contract.

Most recently, he had a two-month spell at Italian giant Roma.

Southampton has lost six of its last seven games and is nine points from safety.

"It's a really big challenge but I'm very optimistic because I saw a team that can do better," Juric said. "I want an aggressive team and I think that fans of Southampton will like that."

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