Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl singled out Saints debutant and summer signing Mohammed Salisu for praise after he helped to keep a clean sheet in Thursday’s 2-0 FA Cup win against Wolves.
The Ghanaian has suffered with prolonged injury since joining for £10.9m from Spanish outfit Real Valladolid in the summer. Having recently recovered and undergone an intensive fitness programme to bring him up to the required standard, Salisu has certainly endured an obstacle-laden pathway to his first start as a Saints player.
Hasenhuttl showed an acute awareness of this and was keen to stress his admiration for both the defender’s performance and his stoic attitude in working hard on his road to recovery. The manager discussed Salisu’s centre-back partnership with Jan Bednarek at Molineux and his general training in comments to the Daily Echo, saying:
It was a very long wait for his debut. It’s not so easy to immediately find the game. He had not a lot of chances to train and then to step up immediately and play a good game is very good for him. This is the start.
After this long time he was out, he is definitely a player that can help us in the future and that is the reason why we signed him.
Hasenhuttl also denied that Salisu was nervous ahead of his debut:
No, definitely not. This guy has quality and is convinced about what he is doing and he was not a little bit nervous I think.
What is important is he understands immediately what we are and I felt comfortable. The more we work, the easier it is for him to do the job. He is quick, he is strong, he has a good body, so he’s definitely a player for the future.
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At just 21 years of age, Salisu’s maturity on and off the pitch is the mark of a dedicated professional.
His work ethic and ability in keeping a clean sheet (his eight clearances were the most of any Saints player at Molineux) are two positives which should have the St Mary’s faithful salivating over the prospect of what the defender can add to Southampton.
