Nathan Jones has been here before. And while that might not fill fans with hope given rock-bottom Southampton’s predicament, what happened in the past could give them something to cling to.
His way has produced results in the past. It will now be his way or the highway at St Mary’s.
Jones says he has compromised on the methods that worked wonders at Luton, taking on board his players’ views rather than sticking to his guns. He did the same thing at Stoke, too, and it didn’t work. He lasted 10 months there.
Jones has now reached that crossroads at Southampton.