Adkins questions future with Saints

Southampton manager Nigel Adkins is unsure of his future at the club.

The Saints have struggled upon their return to the Premier League and are in the relegation zone after conceding 24 goals in just eight games so far this term.

Southampton were smashed 4-1 at West Ham on Saturday, with all goals scored in the second half and Adkins bemoaned his side’s defensive frailties.

When asked if he would be given time to turn the team’s form around, he told reporters: “I don’t know. That is football, I am being brutally honest with you.

“There is a vision at the football club to play a certain brand of football by passing the ball.

“You’ve got to keep it out at one end and stick it in at the other end.

“On too many occasions this year in the Premier League, we’ve not kept it out of our net and I am being upfront and honest with you.

“There needs to be stability at any football club, which is important. But I am not naive as it’s football and football is a results-driven industry.

“We’ve got a process in place that we’re doing our best to adhere to, but you’ve got to win games of football.”

Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce was impressed by West Ham’s second-half comeback.

“It was a surprise we won 4-1 when you look at what we did in the first half,” Allardyce said after the match.

“The good thing for us is the professionalism of players that took a little bit of criticism at half-time for what was a bit of a lacklustre performance.

“The only good thing we did was not to allow Southampton any real chances in the first half.

“We can forget the first half now and just enjoy the victory and really focus on the positives of how we turned the game around when we looked like we were struggling. In fact, we didn’t look like we were struggling, we were.

“To come out and put it right, not just in terms of winning the game but winning the game comfortably is great.

“Scoring four goals against any side in the Premier League is no mean feat and 4-1 is a brilliant result for us.”