Wotte salutes Southampton board

Wotte added two defenders to his squad during the transfer window

Southampton's head coach Mark Wotte has thanked the club's board members for holding their nerve during the January transfer window.

Financially-stricken Saints turned down bids for two of their main assets last month and brought two players in.

Wotte told BBC Radio Solent: "I'm very happy that they didn't negotiate with the clubs that made offers for Adam Lallana or Andrew Surman."

Saints signed defenders Jan Paul Saeijs and Zoltan Liptak in January.

The Dutchman added: "We didn't lose one player during the window, which is a big thing for us. Everyone was expecting us to lose one or two good, talented players."

The board assured me that the quality in the team is more important than the short-term finance at the moment.

Saints head coach Mark Wotte

"It would have been easy for them to sell another player because we need the money. But they assured me that the quality in the team is more important than the short-term finance at the moment."

Wotte took over as Saints head coach when Jan Poortvliet stepped down last month.

"We have a good relationship and all the board members and staff are united in our bid to stay up in the Championship".