Southampton CEO Martin Semmens addressed post-match comments from manager Nathan Jones recently.

Jones and his team were beaten 3-0 by Brentford, which resulted in him suggesting his methods had been “compromised" since taking the job.

Southampton have only won a single league game since Jones was appointed to replace Ralph Hasenhuttl.

He said, per the Daily Echo: “I've compromised in certain principles because of personnel and the way people want to play and so on, and I've compromised because of fans and so on – it's a few little things. But no more."

Semmens responded at a fans forum this week: “I don't think any of us particularly enjoyed the interview, whether that's fans or staff or us here.

“I think you have to realize the pressure point that led him to say that, but let's try to clarify what he was doing. He was trying to see he is frustrated with himself for not following his own way, and had been listening a bit too much to outside influences.

“I don't think he was trying to divert attention away from himself but it did come across like that. We wouldn't sit here and say we enjoyed that interview and Nathan feels that way too."

Semmens added: “It probably annoyed everyone in this room but I think he was just trying to express his passion.

“I think he did feel the way at the moment but have you every said something you didn't mean when you're annoyed or angry? Under that kind of pressure, people say stupid things.

“We understand what you feel about the comments Nathan made and we have our feelings about them too. You have to respect that it's a private relationship and we're not going to say everything that has been said behind the scenes.

“We get it and I wouldn't say we enjoyed it either. Not that it matters, but I don't think it was specifically designed to create mayhem. Nathan respects that and knows that."