RALPH Hasenhuttl doesn’t have any regrets over sending Fraser Forster out on loan and is delighted to see the goalkeeper excelling.

Forster joined Celtic for the season in the summer and played out of his skin to ensure the Hoops beat Rangers in last weekend’s Scottish Cup final.

Even though Saints are shipping goals left, right and centre at the moment, Hasenhuttl knew the 31-year-old needed a change of scenery.

The Austrian said: “First, I am very happy that after a long time where he didn’t play that he has the chance to play there.

“He is a fantastic goalkeeper, that I always knew.

“We had four goalkeepers in our squad and every goalkeeper played and had the chance to show up.

“Maybe he didn’t have the most chances, but he had one and it was a difficult year for him without playing.

“With the league he’s playing in now he’s done fantastic.

“He’s a good goalkeeper, we know this, and I’m very happy we gave him the chance to play again and find back his self-confidence.”

Forster lost his place in Saints’ starting XI following the club’s Boxing Day defeat to Tottenham Hotspur back in 2017.

He was replaced by Alex McCarthy, with the St Mary’s side then splashing out on Angus Gunn last summer.

This led to Forster, who is believed to be one of the top earners at Saints, falling even further down the pecking order.

An injury to McCarthy at the back end of last season saw the 31-year-old back in the fold with a place on the bench.

The Saints loanee was then given his only game of the season away to West Ham which ended in a 3-0 defeat, although Hasenhuttl had a made a host of changes to his team.

A lack of minutes on the pitch saw him join former club Celtic on loan for the season.

It’s understood that Saints don’t have an option to bring him back to St Mary’s in January and, although Hasenhuttl isn’t surprised to see him flourishing, he isn’t thinking about his return.

“I know he’s a good goalkeeper and if he gets his chance back to play he’ll improve his performances,” continued Hasenhuttl.

“At the moment we aren’t thinking about that.

“We have three goalkeepers here and he is loaned until the end of the season. It’s not the moment to think about that.”