Adkins relishing Saints challenge

Under-fire manager Nigel Adkins is determined to turn things around at Southampton in the face of heightened speculation regarding his future.

Southampton are bottom of the Barclays Premier League after conceding 28 goals and suffering eight defeats in their opening 10 games. Such performances have seen the spotlight fall on Adkins' position, despite having led the club to back-to-back promotions and enjoying vocal backing from the Saints faithful.

But despite talk of relegation and his job being on the line, Adkins remains defiantly upbeat. "I love being the manager of Southampton," he said. "I don't like being bottom of the division but I love the situation we're in."

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