Russell Martin

[Cabrone]

19 minutes ago, east-stand-nic said:

Math equation time. Does anyone on this forum believe with a good Manager this squad could get 46 points over 38 games. I think probably yes.

I figure 33/34 points will be about enough to stay up. So, we need another 28-29 points from 23 games; around 1.2 points per game. I believe a decent manager, Moyes, Potter, AN other etc., could average 1.2 points per game from now to the end of the season. So, why is everyone saying we are nailed on down? Yes, if RM remains in charge we are 100% down. But IF we make a good change I think we could still do it.

Don't forget it would take a new manager a run of games to purge RM's ways from the team.

Even if the new person had an immediate effect we'd still need the form of a 50 point season over the next 23 games just to be in the mix.

It's not impossible but the slope is already very steep.

[Dirkdiggler]

https://www.fansnetwork.co.uk/football/southampton/news/63440/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0DksCoA0AxOUn7t-BaMJ2dtREKEU_8pXoE21yydjCl_0vZSeo03S54W5g_aem_8V0PoHwsxrzvrocNqvld0A#
 

Apologises if this has been posted already  

[St Lej]

TalkSport were just talking about Saints.Jim White who seems to be close to dragon said the owners are aware he is losing the fans and feel he needs the support of the fans. He clearly doesn't have the fans have a feeling Sunday will be his last game. 

Jog on and humiliate someone else Russell!!! 

Edited 11 December, 2024 by St Lej

[Saint86]

21 minutes ago, St Lej said:

TalkSport were just talking about Saints.Jim White who seems to be close to dragon said the owners are aware he is losing the fans and feel he needs the support of the fans. He clearly doesn't have the fans have a feeling Sunday will be his last game. 

Jog on and humiliate someone else Russell!!! 

If the board are going to keep him regardless, they have managed it horrifically. There has been zero management of fan expectations - no plan or communication etc set out, they're allowing negativity and toxicity to creep in, and they're hanging the bloke out to face the music every week. Board need to own the decision if that's what it is. Martin would get us promoted again next year if suitably backed and if the fan relationship isn't in tatters... But the latter is very questionable now.

Edited 11 December, 2024 by Saint86

[BranfootsLoveChild]

25 minutes ago, St Lej said:

TalkSport were just talking about Saints.Jim White who seems to be close to dragon said the owners are aware he is losing the fans and feel he needs the support of the fans. He clearly doesn't have the fans have a feeling Sunday will be his last game. 

Jog on and humiliate someone else Russell!!! 

Jim White thinks he's close to every ownner/chairman in the leaue. Every day he says he's spoken to or had a message from *insert name" from *insert club*. Think's he's more important than he is!

[Lord Duckhunter]

6 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

Martin would get us promoted again next year if suitably backed and if the fan relationship isn't in tatters...

What a load of old pony. 

[Dirkdiggler]

Also now picked up in the scum news paper 

[Dirkdiggler]

7 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

If the board are going to keep him regardless, they have managed it horrifically. There has been zero management of fan expectations - no plan or communication etc set out, they're allowing negativity and toxicity to creep in, and they're hanging the bloke out to face the music every week. Board need to own the decision if that's what it is. Martin would get us promoted again next year if suitably backed and if the fan relationship isn't in tatters... But the latter is very questionable now.

😂😂😂😂

[Farmer Saint]

Not getting rid of Martin, quelle surprise. 

I wonder what strategy that pushes us towards...

[franniesTache]

Heard a rumour that only two teams are being relegated this season as one of the relegations spots is being taken by us, and another by Martin's ego

Edited 11 December, 2024 by franniesTache

[Gloucester Saint]

21 minutes ago, Saint86 said:

If the board are going to keep him regardless, they have managed it horrifically. There has been zero management of fan expectations - no plan or communication etc set out, they're allowing negativity and toxicity to creep in, and they're hanging the bloke out to face the music every week. Board need to own the decision if that's what it is. Martin would get us promoted again next year if suitably backed and if the fan relationship isn't in tatters... But the latter is very questionable now.

I was going to click like on this post as 95% I agree with but I’m sorry, I can’t agree and the vast majority of Saints fans won’t agree that he would get us promoted again. It was touch and go last time and he hasn’t shown anything this season suggesting he’s improved. That football creates far too many errors even at second tier level to get the 90-100 points needed for autos. 60+ conceded smashes the argument that he’s good at that level and Swansea leaked like crazy too.

Plus the supporters are lost to his cause bar a few oddballs and the players will have a lot more than scar tissue this time around. 

Edited 11 December, 2024 by Gloucester Saint

[Holmes_and_Watson]

12 minutes ago, franniesTache said:

Heard a rumour that only teams are being relegated this season as one of the relegations spots is being taken by us, and another by Martin's ego

18. Russell's self importance.
19. Southampton
20. Manchester City (minus 200 points for financial breaches)

It's not looking good for possession based football. I hope our health service is prepared for the surge in people coming out of comas, when it's gone. 🙂

[Gloucester Saint]

13 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Not getting rid of Martin, quelle surprise. 

I wonder what strategy that pushes us towards...

I don’t think they have one. Parsons is horribly out of his depth, we need a reincarnated John Williams type CEO. Also need a DoF and new first team manager. At SR, urgently needs a reshuffle with the Danish duo dissolved out of it replaced by more top level football expertise.

Just football expertise needed at all levels of SFC and Valenciennes. If Dragan can’t bear to part from Rasmus then make him Goztepe CEO but keep him totally separate from the other two clubs and no voting rights etc over manager hires and player recruitment.

[Gloucester Saint]

20 minutes ago, Dirkdiggler said:

Also now picked up in the scum news paper 

If there is a club insider on here - not the toadying, forelock tugging PR types who post on here - someone needs to get this cut out and posted all over Staplewood. Undermine the fucker further. It might save your job in the longer run so something in it for you as well as the survival of the club.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Cabrone said:

Don't forget it would take a new manager a run of games to purge RM's ways from the team.

Even if the new person had an immediate effect we'd still need the form of a 50 point season over the next 23 games just to be in the mix.

It's not impossible but the slope is already very steep.

And the fitness, which is terrible for PL levels. Would need to be Poch style double training sessions with the muscle injury risk it would bring as Nigel had the 12/13 squad much fitter than now. 

As for that UI article - Nick is normally pro-club, lose him and that’s a very bad benchmark for both Martin and Parsons’ career prospects. Phil should get rid to save his own skin even if he doesn’t give a shit about the club. 

[Football Special]

1 minute ago, Gloucester Saint said:

I don’t think they have one. Parsons is horribly out of his depth, we need a reincarnated John Williams type CEO. Also need a DoF and new first team manager. At SR, urgently needs a reshuffle with the Danish duo dissolved out of it replaced by more top level football expertise.

Just football expertise needed at all levels of SFC and Valenciennes. If Dragan can’t bear to part from Rasmus then make him Goztepe CEO but keep him totally separate from the other two clubs and no voting rights etc over manager hires and player recruitment.

There's a huge gap in football knowledge at that level, they must know it. 

A few weeks back the word around Staplewood was Martin had the backing of the board and was still part of long term plans, so I'm not surprised that he's still here. 

[St Lej]

8 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

And the fitness, which is terrible for PL levels. Would need to be Poch style double training sessions with the muscle injury risk it would bring as Nigel had the 12/13 squad much fitter than now. 

As for that UI article - Nick is normally pro-club, lose him and that’s a very bad benchmark for both Martin and Parsons’ career prospects. Phil should get rid to save his own skin even if he doesn’t give a shit about the club. 

I agree, this side is so unfit it's scary, way short of what it requires.

It's all too late anyway. We are down and it's not even Xmas. It's going to be a long old slog to the end of this season.

I don't think I have ever been as depressed as a saints fan as I am now.

 

This season will go down in history, how many records we break now remain to be seen. The damage that has been done will take years to recover from. 

 

 

Edited 11 December, 2024 by St Lej

[Mr X]

Surely they can't be expecting Martin to manage us when we go down??? Only our club and fans would accept a manager that relegated us staying in position in the vain hope that he gets lucky again! Only to be hopelessly out of his depth in the premier league again........The very definition of insanity 

[Toussaint]

57 minutes ago, BranfootsLoveChild said:

Jim White thinks he's close to every ownner/chairman in the leaue. Every day he says he's spoken to or had a message from *insert name" from *insert club*. Think's he's more important than he is!

Its quite possible he is. He is a very prominent football anchor and its entirely believable he gets fed information from senior sources..

[Toussaint]

1 hour ago, Saint86 said:

If the board are going to keep him regardless, they have managed it horrifically. There has been zero management of fan expectations - no plan or communication etc set out, they're allowing negativity and toxicity to creep in, and they're hanging the bloke out to face the music every week. Board need to own the decision if that's what it is. Martin would get us promoted again next year if suitably backed and if the fan relationship isn't in tatters... But the latter is very questionable now.

The stars aligned for him last season, that will never happen again. 

[miserableoldgit]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

What a load of old pony. 

Not  so sure. In the same way that Adam Armstrong is a great Championship striker, but a pretty useless Prem one, I think that RM could do a decent job of getting clubs promoted.....just hasn't got it when it comes to the Prem.

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Over the years we have witnessed a lot of low times ie our first relegation under McMenemy, the Branfoot days and then of course the lead up to administration and our fall into the third tier. But I think I can honestly say I have never felt the embarrassment I currently feel as a Saints fan.

Other football fans aren't looking at us and saying what a wonderful club Southampton are, they are so loyal to their managers. Far from it. They look at us and our record and shake their heads and say what on earth is going on at your club and I have no answer other than to say we have a manager who everyone inc the owners know is not up to the job and yet we can't afford to sack him.

As fans we have no right to expect to be successful, we have no right to see enjoyable exciting football week in week out, we have no right to expect the owners to lash out on big names in the transfer window, but we do have the right to ask that we are not embarrassed to be a Southampton fan. 

[St Lej]

12 minutes ago, Fitzhugh Fella said:

Over the years we have witnessed a lot of low times ie our first relegation under McMenemy, the Branfoot days and then of course the lead up to administration and our fall into the third tier. But I think I can honestly say I have never felt the embarrassment I currently feel as a Saints fan.

Other football fans aren't looking at us and saying what a wonderful club Southampton are, they are so loyal to their managers. Far from it. They look at us and our record and shake their heads and say what on earth is going on at your club and I have no answer other than to say we have a manager who everyone inc the owners know is not up to the job and yet we can't afford to sack him.

As fans we have no right to expect to be successful, we have no right to see enjoyable exciting football week in week out, we have no right to expect the owners to lash out on big names in the transfer window, but we do have the right to ask that we are not embarrassed to be a Southampton fan. 

I could not agree more than this. I wasn't around for the McMenemy days but I was for the Branfoot days and they were dire.

I fear for our club and where we are going, as it stands the Sky Bet Championship and a local derby with our bitter rivals. 

We are being embarrassed and humiliated for the whole world to see. 

[Farmer Saint]

1 hour ago, Mr X said:

Surely they can't be expecting Martin to manage us when we go down??? Only our club and fans would accept a manager that relegated us staying in position in the vain hope that he gets lucky again! Only to be hopelessly out of his depth in the premier league again........The very definition of insanity 

Didn't that happen with Chris Wilder at Sheffield Utd?

[badgerx16]

2 hours ago, Saint86 said:

Martin would get us promoted again next year if suitably backed and if the fan relationship isn't in tatters...

No he wouldn't. He lucked out last time, lightning rarely strikes twice. Even average Championship teams sussed him out in 23/24, and it will be yet another season of defensive cockups and averaging 1.5 goals per game conceded.

Edited 11 December, 2024 by badgerx16

[S-Clarke]

37 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

Didn't that happen with Chris Wilder at Sheffield Utd?

They sacked Heckingbottom early Dec last season, Wilder came back and tried to keep them up but the damage was done - but they kept him on this season as they made a better fist of it under him, albeit futile.

[madge]

On another note…. There’s a woman on deal or no deal who’s a saints fan!!

She won’t win anything though … she’ll play safe for a £100 win and then make a complete cock up and go home with 1p… 

she’s probably got a decent beard though and called Russell.

[Turkish]

Just now, madge said:

On another note…. There’s a woman on deal or no deal who’s a saints fan!!

She won’t win anything though … she’ll play safe for a £100 win and then make a complete cock up and go home with 1p… 

she’s probably got a decent beard though and called Russell.

I just saw that. What's the difference between Southampton and Cinderella, never liked Stephen Mulhern. 

[Dman]

4 hours ago, Cabrone said:

Don't forget it would take a new manager a run of games to purge RM's ways from the team.

Even if the new person had an immediate effect we'd still need the form of a 50 point season over the next 23 games just to be in the mix.

It's not impossible but the slope is already very steep.

I don’t think it would. You can tell this squad isn’t comfortable / doesn’t believe they can play this style at this level. 
 

1 bit of encouragement to ‘fucking get rid’ and they’d jump at it 

[Oldandtired]

3 hours ago, Farmer Saint said:

Not getting rid of Martin, quelle surprise. 

I wonder what strategy that pushes us towards...

Getting ready for League One in 2026-2027. It’s all part of the plan.

[Lord Duckhunter]

2 hours ago, miserableoldgit said:

Not  so sure. In the same way that Adam Armstrong is a great Championship striker, but a pretty useless Prem one, I think that RM could do a decent job of getting clubs promoted.....just hasn't got it when it comes to the Prem.

It’s untenable that we can continue on this trajectory, end up with a horrendous points total and somehow a line is drawn under this season.

 

This is going to get more and more toxic, unless one of two things happens, a change of manager or a change in results. We’re not Luton or Blackpool, where the mangers has done a remarkable job to get us into the big time, we’ve spent nearly all of the past 60 years up there, and will have spent 11 of the past 12 in this league. I can’t believe many supporters will put up with 9 months of abject failure based on the fact we finished 4th last time we were relegated. 
 

Unless Lego takes this to end of April before being relegated, he’s toast….

[miserableoldgit]

1 minute ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

It’s untenable that we can continue on this trajectory, end up with a horrendous points total and somehow a line is drawn under this season.

 

This is going to get more and more toxic, unless one of two things happens, a change of manager or a change in results. We’re not Luton or Blackpool, where the mangers has done a remarkable job to get us into the big time, we’ve spent nearly all of the past 60 years up there, and will have spent 11 of the past 12 in this league. I can’t believe many supporters will put up with 9 months of abject failure based on the fact we finished 4th last time we were relegated. 
 

Unless Lego takes this to end of April before being relegated, he’s toast….

I don't disagree. I just think that RM has his place in the Football Hierarchy.........it's just not currently that of the position of successful Prem manager.

[OttawaSaint]

Bearded clam still here is he?

FFS!

 

[Tommy Mulgrew]

Another independent verdict on our wonderful play this season:

https://www.football365.com/news/southampton-deluded-arrogance-relegation-opinion

[Mr X]

Im convinced Martin is here for the rest of the season and probably beyond that! if they aren't going to see it fit to sack him for achieving five points from 45 available then there's not much that is going to change their minds! They obviously don't see that as underperforming 

 

 

[miserableoldgit]

22 minutes ago, Tommy Mulgrew said:

Another independent verdict on our wonderful play this season:

https://www.football365.com/news/southampton-deluded-arrogance-relegation-opinion

Absolutely spot on!!

[Number9]

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

Martin Russell's contract should never have been extended especially knowing that they would not be able to afford to get rid of him if they needed to...

 

Edited 11 December, 2024 by Number9
Correction

[IFHP]

Let’s face it the twat is here for the season, we are just going have to accept it .

just like we’ve already accepted we are going down and a few have accepted we are going down as the worst team in top flight history.

Palace have 13 points after 15 games and they’ve probably all ready got more points than we’ll get after 38 . 

[Weston Super Saint]

15 minutes ago, Number9 said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

Martin Russell's contract should never have been extended especially knowing that they would not be able to afford to get rid of him if they needed to...

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

I believe the extension element was written into the original contract and based upon promotion.  Therefore it was not something the club could 'choose' not to bother with as it would have been a contractual obligation.

The only argument is whether they should have breached the contract - and the likely financial restitution in doing so - and whether that would have been better value for money than what we currently see!

[OttawaSaint]

25 minutes ago, Number9 said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again...

Martin Russell's contract should never have been extended especially knowing that they would not be able to afford to get rid of him if they needed to...

 

As a club we always seem to do stuff like that. 

After Hughes kept us up it should have been, cheers Mark, there's your money, good luck for the future. Instead we handcuffed ourselves with a 3 year contract.

 

[OttawaSaint]

5 hours ago, Dirkdiggler said:

Also now picked up in the scum news paper 

There's even more than that. I'd say Aribo not blasting a clearance attempt and instead trying to cushion the ball to play out was a mistake that led directly to Forest's goal.

[CB Fry]

14 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

I believe the extension element was written into the original contract and based upon promotion.  Therefore it was not something the club could 'choose' not to bother with as it would have been a contractual obligation.

The only argument is whether they should have breached the contract - and the likely financial restitution in doing so - and whether that would have been better value for money than what we currently see!

The two choices would have been a Premier League contract or sacking him.

I don't think the second option would have been plausible. We would never have been that "brave". 

[Farmer Saint]

3 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

They sacked Heckingbottom early Dec last season, Wilder came back and tried to keep them up but the damage was done - but they kept him on this season as they made a better fist of it under him, albeit futile.

The 11 points from 24 games was a decent reflection of that I suppose.

[Lighthouse]

20 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again.

I believe the extension element was written into the original contract and based upon promotion.  Therefore it was not something the club could 'choose' not to bother with as it would have been a contractual obligation.

The only argument is whether they should have breached the contract - and the likely financial restitution in doing so - and whether that would have been better value for money than what we currently see!

Just the small problem of the fact that if we did that, nobody credible would ever want to manage us again, knowing that we hand out contracts not worth the paper they’re printed on and basically say, “yeah, we’re not going to bother giving you that.”

[Toussaint]

1 hour ago, Tommy Mulgrew said:

Another independent verdict on our wonderful play this season:

https://www.football365.com/news/southampton-deluded-arrogance-relegation-opinion

That’s a very insightful article 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

It’s untenable that we can continue on this trajectory, end up with a horrendous points total and somehow a line is drawn under this season.

 

This is going to get more and more toxic, unless one of two things happens, a change of manager or a change in results. We’re not Luton or Blackpool, where the mangers has done a remarkable job to get us into the big time, we’ve spent nearly all of the past 60 years up there, and will have spent 11 of the past 12 in this league. I can’t believe many supporters will put up with 9 months of abject failure based on the fact we finished 4th last time we were relegated. 
 

Unless Lego takes this to end of April before being relegated, he’s toast….

100% agree. It’s taken too long but the vast bulk of the fanbase bar a few outliers are turning against him big time and I don’t think it will stop at Russell Martin either. Which is Rasmus and Parsons’s own fault for putting their fingers in their ears. 

[StrangelyBrown]

6 hours ago, St Lej said:

TalkSport were just talking about Saints.Jim White who seems to be close to dragon said the owners are aware he is losing the fans and feel he needs the support of the fans. He clearly doesn't have the fans have a feeling Sunday will be his last game. 

Jog on and humiliate someone else Russell!!! 

I don't believe it.

He's done plenty enough now to get sacked and is still here.

Either SR are waiting for the right person to say yes to replacing RM, they think it will cost too much to get rid or they don't care about relegation.

My money is on the 2nd.

[Farmer Saint]

1 minute ago, StrangelyBrown said:

I don't believe it.

He's done plenty enough now to get sacked and is still here.

Either SR are waiting for the right person to say yes to replacing RM, they think it will cost too much to get rid or they don't care about relegation.

My money is on the 2nd.

Some of 2, some of 3...

[Saint_clark]

6 hours ago, Dirkdiggler said:

Also now picked up in the scum news paper 

Another 8 points we should have had just based on those errors. Put us on 13 points and well in the fight.

[Gloucester Saint]

19 minutes ago, StrangelyBrown said:

I don't believe it.

He's done plenty enough now to get sacked and is still here.

Either SR are waiting for the right person to say yes to replacing RM, they think it will cost too much to get rid or they don't care about relegation.

My money is on the 2nd.

It’ll cause the club to implode in the new year because the commentators and press will talk about Russell Martin the past tense and openly speculate on the club’s future. That’s without any fan dissent or even protests. 

In Lawrie’s book, part of the reason it seems he returned as a Director in 1994 was to sack Branfoot. Apparently, Askham wanted rid of him for a while but for some reason wouldn’t pull the trigger. Wonder if Parsons is refusing to, Rasmus is playing politics within SR and won’t sack Martin either?

SR have tried the ‘really highly regarded’ leaks to limit the gardening leave payments but nobody in the industry is that gullible. 

 

Edited 11 December, 2024 by Gloucester Saint