Ralph Hasenhuttl has labelled steering Southampton to Premier League safety as one of his biggest managerial achievements.
Saints' Austrian boss paid tribute to Saints' coaches and players for trusting his taskmaster methods, to turn a "horrible situation" in December into top-flight security in April.
Southampton sat 18th in the Premier League table with just nine points from 15 games when Hasenhuttl took the helm in early December.
The 51-year-old has guided Saints to 29 points from 21 games, with Saturday's 3-3 draw with Bournemouth at St Mary's sealing top-flight safety.
"It was really one of the most difficult jobs for me as a manager to come back with this team," said Hasenhuttl.
"Everybody knows after my first game we were five behind Cardiff, with a very tough schedule over Christmas.
"We are very happy, and we have the feeling we deserve these points, because we did a lot for it.
"This is amazing, I think a bit tired after a very intense, crazy game.
"But happy, very happy, for the club, supporters, players staff, everybody who is with us.
"And to be safe two games before the end of the season is tremendous, amazing, sensational.
"The training camp in Tenerife after losing my first game at Cardiff was a horrible situation.
"And how we built the belief there, it was really, really hard work and intensive.
"A lot of players showed you can expect much more from them than they had shown in the first part of the season.
"So I would like to thank the players for believing in that."
