Paul Onuachu explains why Southampton spell failed to take off

Nigeria forward Paul Onuachu says a series of managerial changes and tactical systems that did not suit his style contributed to his inconsistent spell at Southampton.

Onuachu joined the English club in January but struggled to establish himself as Southampton fought against relegation. The striker has now suggested that the timing of the transfer, together with uncertainty over the team’s approach, made it difficult for him to perform consistently.

“There are times in football when things don’t go well. For me, the Southampton period was like that. First of all, the transfer happened in January,” Onuachu told Trabzonspor Magazine.

The forward, who now plays for Trabzonspor, said he did not regret moving to Southampton. However, he acknowledged that players need to examine whether a club’s style is compatible with their own before agreeing to a transfer.

“I haven’t regretted any of the decisions I’ve made, but sometimes there are questions you need to ask before signing with a team. You need to find out if their system suits you,” he said.

Onuachu also pointed to the number of coaching changes at Southampton and the different systems used during his time there.

“Many coaching changes and systems that didn’t suit me. I knew the team had a 50-50 chance of staying in the league or getting relegated. But sometimes you take a risk and then you see if it works. I took the risk and it didn’t work,” he added.

The Nigeria international said the experience had highlighted the importance of researching a potential new club thoroughly. In particular, he believes players should understand how a team operates and whether its tactics allow them to play to their strengths.

“Maybe I’m making excuses, but sometimes if you want to go to a team, you need to ask and learn very, very well about the system, how things work in the team, and everything else. That’s all,” Onuachu said.

His comments provide an explanation for a difficult period at Southampton, where the January arrival was unable to find sustained consistency as the club faced a battle to avoid relegation.