Southampton chairman Nico Cortese insists he does everything in the best interests of the club.

Cortese has attracted criticism in the wake of the sacking, with Saints icon Matt Le Tissier accusing him of having an ego problem.

According to Cortese, though, everything he does is for the benefit of Southampton.

He said: "Maybe I need to sacrifice my popularity to get the right decision. If that's the case, I'm happy.

"I am a perfectionist. Some people say that's not good, but it helps the football club to keep attention to detail and not stand still."