Ralph Hasenhuttl has launched a thinly-veiled barb at former Southampton bosses, insisting the current squad boasts "more potential than maybe a lot of other people thought".
Mark Hughes mustered just three wins in 22 Premier League matches in nine months at the helm, with Austrian Hasenhuttl replacing the Welshman in December.
Hasenhuttl needed just eight matches to surpass Hughes' league win tally on the south coast, and has now insisted Saints' existing squad has plenty of room for improvement.
"I think that shows, the point that we are not looking in the moment extremely quickly on new players," said Hasenhuttl.
"We see we have quick-learning players and that there's more potential than maybe a lot of other people thought they have.
"So that shows me this quick-learning team have the chance to make the step. Now we have the chance to find the limit.
"To take this to the summer and let everyone show us how good they are, how much they can develop their game.
"We have a good chance to stay in this Premier League and then look beyond that."
No-nonsense boss Hasenhuttl is clearing the decks at St Mary's this month, more focused on trimming his squad than adding new talent.
Manolo Gabbiadini has joined Sampdoria for £12million, with Cedric Soares loaned to Inter and Wesley Hoedt farmed out to Celta Vigo.
Hasenhuttl has admitted striker Charlie Austin could also leave before the window shuts, with Saints chasing Birmingham forward Che Adams.
Southampton will host Crystal Palace on Wednesday night in a Premier League clash that has Hasenhuttl intrigued – and laying out Roy Hodgson's tactical blueprint at length for his squad.
"Roy Hodgson is a very good manager with a clear plan," said Hasenhuttl.
"They've shown against the big teams they are not unbalanced at any time in the matches. So it will be a very interesting game.
"It's tactically a very interesting game, against a very well-organised well-balanced team.
"So we need very good solutions with and without the ball, we had a lot of things to show the players.
"We've had a good mixture of physically intense work on the pitch and good mind-work.
"Hopefully you'll see on Wednesday that we are prepared in the right moments."
