Just two wins from 16 games, including a 3-0 FA Cup win over Swansea, is a sorry return for the now-departed Juric.
After two months at Roma earlier this season, his record for 2024-25 is played 28, won six, drew four and lost 17.
Martin left after five points from 16 Premier League games, while Juric won four from 14. Rusk, who steps in as caretaker again, earned a point in the 0-0 draw at Fulham.
Sources suggested Juric had struggled to bond with the squad. While he fell out with Flynn Downes, a £15m signing from West Ham in the summer, he reintegrated Kamaldeen Sulemana and Paul Onuachu who struggled to play under Martin.
He largely blamed the recruitment for Southampton’s failing, with the Saints having missed out on a number of first-choice targets in the summer.
Liam Delap and Jack Clarke went to Ipswich while Fabio Carvalho joined Brentford from Liverpool. Denmark international Matt O’Riley, who Martin worked with at MK Dons, went to Brighton and an offer for Bournemouth full-back Max Aarons was also rejected.
Summer buys including Ben Brereton-Diaz, Ronnie Edwards and Charlie Taylor were also offered to Championship sides before January in the hope of loaning them out, with Edwards and Brereton-Diaz joining QPR and Sheffield United respectively.
The former Croatia international tried to impose his style: a high-press, aggressive, man-to-man game. But the Saints were unable to adapt well enough. Juric admitted he should have adjusted quicker to the Premier League with the squad he had.
Decent performances at Liverpool and Manchester United, where Southampton led in both, showed glimpses but there was never going to be enough quality to survive.
Juric may have inherited a sinking ship but he never looked like he would steer them to safety.
“I have some sympathy for Southampton as newly promoted sides have really struggled in recent seasons but it has been embarrasing for them,” Premier League title winner Chris Sutton said on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club.
“It has been a pathetic season. After the relegation the manager [Juric] said the aim was to get past Derby’s record low of 11 points – that’s the lowest of low bars.
“It has been a mess. The cautionary thing is look at what has happened to Luton, they are bang in trouble in the Championship and could go down again.
“That is my fear for Southampton.”
