Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has heaped praise on Oriol Romeu for his attitude off the pitch this season, highlighting why the club were right not to sell him.
Hasenhuttl says that Romeu is a fantastic professional and one of the best he has ever worked with as a manager.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Hasenhuttl said:
When I see him pushing the team and he is coming from warming up and is not part of the first XI and push everybody and jumping up if we score or something – it’s unbelievable for me.
As I said one of the best professionals I’ve ever worked with as long as I’m a manager.
This is very, very positive for me. It’s not always possible for me to explain to everybody why he doesn’t play.
This comes after Romeu was heavily linked with a move to Spanish side Celta Vigo in the January transfer window. Ultimately, Southampton did not allow Romeu to leave and Hasenhuttl opted to keep him in the squad.
Judging by Hasenhuttl’s comments, it was the right call not to sell Romeu. He is clearly an influential figure off the pitch for the Saints, even if he is not a regular starter in the Premier League. Romeu could be key to helping keep team morale hight and getting the players who are starting prepared for matches in the best way possible.
Romeu is also still an important player when he does get minutes on the pitch. The Spaniard offers a defensive resilience that Southampton do not ger from their other midfield options.
Although he can be found guilty of misplacing passes, he picks up good positions in front of the back four to mop up play and break down attacks in order to protect the defence.
When Southampton are looking to hold on for a result late in a game, Romeu could be a crucial player to come off the bench and help secure the points.
