JIMMY Case believes Saints need to learn from AFC Bournemouth’s example and keep faith with Mark Hughes.

Hughes’ record from his first 16 league games is worse than that of any Saints manager since George Burley 13 years ago.

But Case points out that Bournemouth are reaping the benefits of their manager’s relative longevity.

“Eddie Howe has been at Bournemouth six years and they look settled as a team as a result.

“But Southampton have had six managers in that time and again there’s talk about certain managers coming in.

“I like Mark Hughes and the way his teams play and I think he needs a bit more time.

“Some people shout from the terraces ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ but when a new manager comes in it takes time to find out about your players and the best formation to use.

“They look a bit tentative but whether they know the way they should be playing or are trying to find his way, I don’t know.

“I think they’re just lacking a couple of results."

Case, who spent the 1991/92 season at Bournemouth after six years in Saints’ midfield under Chris Nicholl, said: “I like the boy Oriol Romeu, the way he gets about to win the ball and he also has that range of passing.

“I think Chelsea letting him go was a mistake and don’t know why he wasn’t on from the start against them last week.

“I think Mark is just trying to find his best team to get results.

“It just seems they need a boost from somewhere.

“If they get a win against Bournemouth I think they would go on and beat Newcastle [at St Mary’s a week later].

“That’s how football goes sometimes and is how it would be I think.

“Even a draw would be a good result on Saturday as Bournemouth are favourites, for sure.”

An Anfield hospitality host, Liverpool legend Case saw Saints’ 3-0 defeat at Liverpool last month.

“For certain parts of that game Southampton held their own but Danny Ings was missed that day, that’s for sure,” he continued.

“Danny has sharpened things up. When he’s playing he’ll get them going and set the tempo with his enthusiasm and ability to get about the pitch and close people down.

“He reminds me of when I had Wade Elliott at Bashley.

"It might have been non-league but the principle is the same.

"Wade was like an irritable wasp to the opposition and Danny is the same.

“When one of your players does that it shows up those who aren’t, two or three fold.”

Saints trip to the Vitality Stadium will be the first time Saints have gone to Bournemouth as underdogs.

Case dropped into the third division for the first time when he played for the Cherries under Harry Redknapp, having playing 216 games for Saints from 1985-91.

“I have an affinity with both clubs,” said the 64 year-old, who still lives in Southampton.

“I played for Southampton against Bournemouth years ago and it’s certainly been a turnabout.

“When I left Bournemouth, Harry and the chairman came to me and said they’d have to let me go.

“Although I was 39 I’d played nearly all the games but that was a moment when the banks had just come in and anyone at the end of their contract had to leave.

“I said I’d go on half money just to keep playing but me and Kevin Bond had to leave.

“I used to have a cups of tea with the groundsman next to the lawnmowers in his shed underneath the stands!

"They’ve come a hell of a long way since then.

“They’ve got a squad together that can maintain a push beyond mid-table and they’ve started really well.

“As well as being a settled side they have quality in there with forwards like [Callum] Wilson and [Josh] King.

“It will be a difficult game for Southampton, that’s for sure.

“They will go a bit more cautious, but Bournemouth’s attacking play and style of football might suit them.

“They certainly need a result going into the Newcastle game, which is a big one looking at where they are in the table.”