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What a difference 24 hours can make. Just a day ago it seemed like former Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch was on the verge of joining Southampton but discussions have broken down according to the Athletic. Let go by Leeds United on Feb. 6, Marsch entered talks with a Saints team that wanted to quickly replace Nathan Jones before their match with Chelsea due to sitting at the bottom of the table. 

The team wanted Marsch to take a short term deal with an option to extend which seemed to be the sticking point in negotiations. Marsch was even in Southampton for an overnight visit to finish negotiations before things broke down.

There's a genuine possibility that Southampton are relegated this season and if that's the case, any manager would want long term security, especially Marsch when his reputation would be on the line taking the job. If he kept the team up he could become a specialist at avoiding relegation but if they went to the Championship and let him go, it could be a while before he lands another top level job.

With the managerial position for the United States men's national team also open, by taking this job, Marsch would be removing himself from consideration to lead the team in the World Cup in 2026 as he's likely one of the front runners to replace Gregg Berhalter. Leaving that option off the table without guarantees would be a hard thing to do, so it makes sense that Marsch would pass on Southampton if he was only getting offered a six-month appointment.

For a Saints team that reportedly admired Marsch even when they hired Jones, it's weird that they wouldn't make a long term commitment to him if that's what it took to get their guy, but it's just the latest in a series of missteps that has seen a stable Premier League club fall to to the bottom of the table. If things don't turn around soon, it could be a while before Southampton are back in the Premier League so they'll need to ensure that their third manager of the season is the right one.