Russell Martin

[Oldandtired]

The biggest reason for him to go came out of his own mouth recently.

That is the moment when we will have to trust the model more than ever because the temptation to move away from it will be very strong.

Russell, matey……IT AINT WORKING.

[Graffito]

17 minutes ago, Oldandtired said:

The biggest reason for him to go came out of his own mouth recently.

That is the moment when we will have to trust the model more than ever because the temptation to move away from it will be very strong.

Russell, matey……IT AINT WORKING.

That’s a quote from Guardiola in 2011. Martin endorses it but he didn’t say it. 

[derry]

It's not that Martin has failed because he managed to get us promoted in spite of his process essentially being picked apart by the better and pressing counter attacking teams. He failed to really threaten the automatic promotion places. He did eventually win the play offs. With McCarthy in goal he was forced into a bit of pragmatism, reduce passing around at the back, move the ball out quicker play more on the break. Surprise, surprise it worked, Leeds away, clean sheet at WBA, clear win at home then Leeds again at the final, promotion achieved.

Back in the Premier, McCarthy in goal, repeat the pragmatism, no fear! that was an unfortunate blip in the process. We will show the Premier League what they haven't realised, the ultimate weapon in the results business, ultra short possession will sweep all before it. Utter delusion, having failed with it in the Championship it's the answer in the Premier League. The fact Burnley tried it and were promptly relegated again ignored.

We were far better results wise with the pragmatic approach than the rediculous fatal error ultra short slow passing out from the back.  If we are to stand any chance in this division we have to change. Martin has to do it and admit his process is a dead duck if he hasn't been given that choice already he should have been. If he isn't prepared he should be sent on gardening leave along with his personal staff. He isn't going to turn this around. The more matches he manages the less chance we have of turning this around.

[Oldandtired]

1 hour ago, Graffito said:

That’s a quote from Guardiola in 2011. Martin endorses it but he didn’t say it. 

So he is a wannabe pep. It's still not working though....

[S-Clarke]

1 hour ago, derry said:

It's not that Martin has failed because he managed to get us promoted in spite of his process essentially being picked apart by the better and pressing counter attacking teams. He failed to really threaten the automatic promotion places. He did eventually win the play offs. With McCarthy in goal he was forced into a bit of pragmatism, reduce passing around at the back, move the ball out quicker play more on the break. Surprise, surprise it worked, Leeds away, clean sheet at WBA, clear win at home then Leeds again at the final, promotion achieved.

Back in the Premier, McCarthy in goal, repeat the pragmatism, no fear! that was an unfortunate blip in the process. We will show the Premier League what they haven't realised, the ultimate weapon in the results business, ultra short possession will sweep all before it. Utter delusion, having failed with it in the Championship it's the answer in the Premier League. The fact Burnley tried it and were promptly relegated again ignored.

We were far better results wise with the pragmatic approach than the rediculous fatal error ultra short slow passing out from the back.  If we are to stand any chance in this division we have to change. Martin has to do it and admit his process is a dead duck if he hasn't been given that choice already he should have been. If he isn't prepared he should be sent on gardening leave along with his personal staff. He isn't going to turn this around. The more matches he manages the less chance we have of turning this around.

As I'm sat here today, I genuinely feel we were very, very fortunate to be promoted ahead of Leeds. We were the weakest of that 4 and just another also-ran in the playoffs. We did have a flirt with the autos, but if we're honest we always looked set for the playoffs.

So, I think we've somewhat surprisingly ended up in the PL without the quality or structure to really do anything here. We did have a splurge in the summer, but we didn't fix the key area which hasn't been addressed since 2021 - a PL goal scorer. Adam did great for us last year, but he thrives on space for his runs. If he doesn't get space then he's pointless.

We could change the manager, which feels somewhat inevitable, but my feeling is that very little will change as we have too many Championship players in key positions.

[Kermitzasaint]

15 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

Why does the new man get nineteen games when Russ only gets eight? (Many wanted him gone after six, some as few as three or four).

Yeah fuck it. Best we give up now and let RM take us down. Why even bother to try. 

[RedArmy]

1 hour ago, Oldandtired said:

So he is a wannabe pep. 

Thats been obvious for 12 months. 
 

He thinks he’s Pep on the pitch and Klopp off the pitch. 
 

If he was the other way round we’d be doing a lot better. 
Solid at the back, press teams, win the ball back high up the pitch and keep it high up the pitch, and off the field get in players faces once in a while and tell them it’s not good enough. 

[CB Fry]

3 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

So basically you’re counting the fact that he was here to get us promoted against him. Yes, Russ has short comings, as will absolutely any manager we have a realistic chance of getting, but to say that he only gets eight games after getting us promoted, whilst a complete stranger gets nineteen, makes no sense.

If Russell Martin can bin off most of the team that got us promoted are we not allowed to hold him to the same standards.

His first seven games we've got one point scored fuck all and not really deserved any more. But yeah let's just give him the season because any replacement will be worse. Sure.

[Lighthouse]

30 minutes ago, Kermitzasaint said:

Yeah fuck it. Best we give up now and let RM take us down. Why even bother to try. 

You seem to be equating showing a modicum of patience with giving up. I can absolutely guarantee that if the new bloke had a sub-standard start, people would be calling for his head by Christmas, regardless of Fry’s nineteen game suggestion.

[CB Fry]

7 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

You seem to be equating showing a modicum of patience with giving up. I can absolutely guarantee that if the new bloke had a sub-standard start, people would be calling for his head by Christmas, regardless of Fry’s nineteen game suggestion.

You seem to be obsessed with the 19 game thing when really that is just a humorous reference to the various scenarios that can play out. 

One of the scenarios I outline involve us staying up with the new guy but you can only equate new manager with failure. 

Hey let's stick with the guy on one entire point.

 

[Sarnia Cherie]

21 hours ago, Badger said:

Has to be a role for David Icke in there as well somewhere.

Actually, it’d be interesting to see what a Rasmus/Uri Geller brainstorming combination might come up with. Beyond Wilcox I always suspected Rasmus consulted with someone else re the appointment of Martin. Possibly Greta Thunberg. 

David Icke would get a thumbs up from Matt Le Tissier. They would find lots to talk about. 

[derry]

Until we ditch this slow, negative, mistake ridden micro passing playing out from the back it's impossible to judge how these players can perform under a pragmatic manager who plays to our strengths. Rather than a straitjacket that is slowly destroying any chance of a turnaround.

[Whitey Grandad]

4 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

So basically you’re counting the fact that he was here to get us promoted against him. Yes, Russ has short comings, as will absolutely any manager we have a realistic chance of getting, but to say that he only gets eight games after getting us promoted, whilst a complete stranger gets nineteen, makes no sense.

The “getting us promoted” bit is irrelevant to the argument.

We know Martin and his preferred style of football, we know (and knew) that it doesn’t work in the Premier League, we know that he’s not going to change. He’s had eight games and he’s lucky to have had those. Appointing someone new is not a gamble if that person is properly researched. And there’s the rub.

[Lighthouse]

31 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

You seem to be obsessed with the 19 game thing when really that is just a humorous reference to the various scenarios that can play out. 

One of the scenarios I outline involve us staying up with the new guy but you can only equate new manager with failure. 

Hey let's stick with the guy on one entire point.

 

It was your suggestion, it’s not my fault it won’t hold up in real life.

We have a Championship standard squad, none of our players have achieved any higher than they are now. Last time out in the PL Armstrong scored two goals, Archer scored four, BBD scored six. Maybe, they’ve all been held back by terrible managers consistently, throughout their careers or maybe, just maybe, they’re a bit sh*t and this kind of form is all they’re capable of.

[derry]

Martin isn't getting the best out of the players, on the contrary he is inhibiting their natural ability with his pass out 'no matter what' from the back. The playoffs were like chalk and cheese from the bulk of the season. We won through because of the change not from the 'process' which kept us out of the automatic promotion race despite the lapses on the part of the top three. The change wasn't planned, circumstances dictated it.

Anybody who thinks we can turn it around playing this way is living in cloud cuckoo land. There has to be a change and that can be in two ways, Martin changing it or the club changing the manager. It has to be a manager that doesn't have a cast in stone system but a clever football manager that can construct a framework that gets the best out of the players. It must also be a manager that believes in high tempo pressing and quick breaks as a team. I don't believe that Martin can change or is even willing. The longer we wait the worse it will get. Give Leicester, Everton and Wolves wins then we are done.

[The Kraken]

43 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

None of our players have achieved any higher than they are now.

🤣

Adam Lallana says hi.

So do all of the players in our squad who have in previous season(s) played significant amounts of games in the Premier League and actually stayed up, which is a significant level above where we are now.  There's quite a few of those players.

[Winnersaint]

1 hour ago, Sarnia Cherie said:

David Icke would get a thumbs up from Matt Le Tissier. They would find lots to talk about. 

And from SRL

[SambaMaverick]

I don't think Martin's player development fits in with what we're trying to do as a club.

Alcaraz was the saddest example of that. All the signs pointed to us having a £40m player on our hands, but Martin couldn't coach him and wouldn't coach him.

Sulemana is another, although I have slated him. You seriously expect me to believe Martin couldn't have got a tune out of him in the Championship ahead of someone like Mara, Fraser or Brooks? He just doesn't want to do it, presumably because he doesn't want to pass it around at 5mph.

Charles is another one who I didn't rate but Martin didn't really try. Chucked him in at the deep end at CB and he never really got going.

That is just one of the problems I have with RM. If we could have Sulemana and Alcaraz firing now we'd be a much more dangerous proposition.

[TheAlehouseBrawlers]

22 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

🤣

Adam Lallana says hi.

So do all of the players in our squad who have in previous season(s) played significant amounts of games in the Premier League and actually stayed up, which is a significant level above where we are now.  There's quite a few of those players.

….and Aaron Ramsdale also feels he’s very lucky playing at this level with Saints.

[Lighthouse]

18 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

🤣

Adam Lallana says hi.

So do all of the players in our squad who have in previous season(s) played significant amounts of games in the Premier League and actually stayed up, which is a significant level above where we are now.  There's quite a few of those players.

So Martin’s ineptitude is holding Lallana back now, not the fact that he’s 37 and has no legs?

Which players are you talking about specifically? Bednarek, Taylor, Stephens, AA, Archer and Diaz may have PL experience but all of it has been right down the bottom getting relegated. KWP and Ramsdale are two of our better players but that’s nowhere near enough quality to keep us up.

[The Kraken]

2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

So Martin’s ineptitude is holding Lallana back now, not the fact that he’s 37 and has no legs?

Which players are you talking about specifically? Bednarek, Taylor, Stephens, AA, Archer and Diaz may have PL experience but all of it has been right down the bottom getting relegated. KWP and Ramsdale are two of our better players but that’s nowhere near enough quality to keep us up.

I wasn't commenting on the quality of our squad, merely refuting the lunatic suggestion that none of our squad have been above where they are now.

[Lighthouse]

5 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

I wasn't commenting on the quality of our squad, merely refuting the lunatic suggestion that none of our squad have been above where they are now.

Which is a point so asinine that I didn’t think it actually worth mentioning, but for the sake of clarity; none of our players are playing at a worse level now than they have previously, with the exception of Adam Lallana who used to be better who used to be better when he was younger and his legs weren’t made of dust.

[Zorba]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

 

We have a Championship standard squad, none of our players have achieved any higher than they are now. Last time out in the PL Armstrong scored two goals, Archer scored four, BBD scored six. Maybe, they’ve all been held back by terrible managers consistently, throughout their careers or maybe, just maybe, they’re a bit sh*t and this kind of form is all they’re capable of.

RM has not achieved any higher than he is now. He is a mid-table championship manager at best that got lucky with promotion because ,despite his woeful philosophy on how the game should be played, the players in the teams around us were much worse than ours. 
The players you mention have all achieved more than RM to date.

[The Kraken]

3 minutes ago, Lighthouse said:

Which is a point so asinine that I didn’t think it actually worth mentioning, but for the sake of clarity; none of our players are playing at a worse level now than they have previously, with the exception of Adam Lallana who used to be better who used to be better when he was younger and his legs weren’t made of dust.

Well that's not true either 🤣

[Lighthouse]

3 minutes ago, The Kraken said:

Well that's not true either 🤣

KWP I would say hasn’t looked up to his best this season, although I suspect the contract issues may have some part to play in that. Beyond him I’m curious, who do you think has put in consistently better PL performances in previous seasons than they are now?

[CB Fry]

2 hours ago, Lighthouse said:

It was your suggestion, it’s not my fault it won’t hold up in real life.

We have a Championship standard squad, none of our players have achieved any higher than they are now. Last time out in the PL Armstrong scored two goals, Archer scored four, BBD scored six. Maybe, they’ve all been held back by terrible managers consistently, throughout their careers or maybe, just maybe, they’re a bit sh*t and this kind of form is all they’re capable of.

"Football club at foot of Premier League changes manager" doesn't "hold up in real life"? I think it has happened before once or twice.

All I am saying at the point of ten-games-to-go is we have a chance then to decide then what we might need for our Championship season then. I'd rather we got there having tried something rather than let this guy doom us before Christmas.

It's great you are happy trashing all the players but maybe, just maybe, Russell Martin is a bit sh*t as well?

[Midfield_General]

2 hours ago, SambaMaverick said:

I don't think Martin's player development fits in with what we're trying to do as a club.

Alcaraz was the saddest example of that. All the signs pointed to us having a £40m player on our hands, but Martin couldn't coach him and wouldn't coach him.

Sulemana is another, although I have slated him. You seriously expect me to believe Martin couldn't have got a tune out of him in the Championship ahead of someone like Mara, Fraser or Brooks? He just doesn't want to do it, presumably because he doesn't want to pass it around at 5mph.

Charles is another one who I didn't rate but Martin didn't really try. Chucked him in at the deep end at CB and he never really got going.

That is just one of the problems I have with RM. If we could have Sulemana and Alcaraz firing now we'd be a much more dangerous proposition.

Nah. There are plenty of criticisms that can justifiably be levelled at RM but not using Alcaraz or Sulemana aren’t among them. 

Alcaraz showed some flashes of promise but couldn’t keep hold of the ball, wasn’t a great passer, regularly played the team into trouble and had an extremely suspect temperament. He looked bang average even at Championship level when he did play and did nothing at Juventus. There’s a reason he’s gone back to South America - not one club in Europe wanted him, even at £18m let alone £40m. 

Sulemana is just shite. He’s had so many chances at both Premier League and Championship level and just has no end product or football brain. He was also given lots of game time pre-season and did absolutely nothing. 

I’m not a Martin defender by any means but neither of those players should be anywhere near a Premier League first team. 

 

[Lighthouse]

1 hour ago, CB Fry said:

"Football club at foot of Premier League changes manager" doesn't "hold up in real life"? I think it has happened before once or twice.

All I am saying at the point of ten-games-to-go is we have a chance then to decide then what we might need for our Championship season then. I'd rather we got there having tried something rather than let this guy doom us before Christmas.

It's great you are happy trashing all the players but maybe, just maybe, Russell Martin is a bit sh*t as well?

All the players I’ve mentioned have had at least a season in the PL upon which to make a judgement. I’m willing to give Martin longer for the same reason I’m willing to give Sugawara longer, in spite of his recent clangers; he’s had eight games.

[derry]

It won't be Thomas Tuchel. Just agreed a contract to be the new England manager, News conference tomorrow. According to Sky Sports

[S-Clarke]

11 minutes ago, derry said:

It won't be Thomas Tuchel. Just agreed a contract to be the new England manager, News conference tomorrow. According to Sky Sports

I wish we were England

[derry]

That frees up Potter. I'm not sure he'll get one of the top jobs. After Chelsea there must be questions about his ability to manage a top six club although Chelsea were a basket case.

[CB Fry]

1 hour ago, Lighthouse said:

All the players I’ve mentioned have had at least a season in the PL upon which to make a judgement. I’m willing to give Martin longer for the same reason I’m willing to give Sugawara longer, in spite of his recent clangers; he’s had eight games.

20 odd and 30 odd games in some cases. How generous of you.

Russell Martin's track record is dribbling Swansea into 15th and 10th before achieving promotion with us primarily because he had significantly better players than all the other teams, ie the reverse but really the same reason you're letting him off in this league.

I'm struggling to see anything to suggest that he is so much better as a manager than Cameron Archer is as an attacker.

Edited October 15 by CB Fry

[Badger]

26 minutes ago, derry said:

That frees up Potter. I'm not sure he'll get one of the top jobs. After Chelsea there must be questions about his ability to manage a top six club although Chelsea were a basket case.

Yes, Potter May now have to modify his expectations and ambitions. Possibly good news for Leicester or Everton, or even West Ham. Still don’t think he’d be interested in us. 

[Bobbyboy]

Russell Martin didn't get the England job? WHAT?!

[Badger]

13 minutes ago, Bobbyboy said:

Russell Martin didn't get the England job? WHAT?!

Tuchel is keeping the seat warm for him. FA couldn’t agree compensation for RM

[LeG]

I'm pretty sure the club have sounded out Potter over the international break. Leicester at home is RM's last chance IMO

 

 

[CB Fry]

4 minutes ago, LeG said:

I'm pretty sure the club have sounded out Potter over the international break. Leicester at home is RM's last chance IMO

 

 

Honestly I would be amazed. He turned down Ajax not long ago.

[SaintNewForest]

20 minutes ago, LeG said:

I'm pretty sure the club have sounded out Potter over the international break. Leicester at home is RM's last chance IMO

 

 

Fuck the Leicester game ... if Potters interested, get him in. 

 

What if we stuff Leicester 9-0? Do we stick with Martin? If the decisions made, get it done... particularly if the alternative is an upgrade.

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, Bobbyboy said:

Russell Martin didn't get the England job? WHAT?!

Calm down Lucy.

[danjosaint]

1 hour ago, CB Fry said:

Honestly I would be amazed. He turned down Ajax not long ago.

He only turned Ajax down as he was still on his massive chelsea salary which Ajax wouldn't match which by all accounts ended October 1st , hence why he's suddenly reappeared 

[Dark Munster]

2 hours ago, danjosaint said:

He only turned Ajax down as he was still on his massive chelsea salary which Ajax wouldn't match which by all accounts ended October 1st , hence why he's suddenly reappeared 

Exactly. His spousal maintenance from Chelsea has just ended and he's back in the market again. Probably won't choose us though even if RM finally does get axed.

[gurru991]

27 minutes ago, Dark Munster said:

Exactly. His spousal maintenance from Chelsea has just ended and he's back in the market again. Probably won't choose us though even if RM finally does get axed.

I get the feeling that that after Chelsea Potter has his sights set on the top half & isn't interested in a relegation battle.  Playing in Stoke on a cold January night may not be his cup of tea.

[ErwinK1961]

20 hours ago, S-Clarke said:

As I'm sat here today, I genuinely feel we were very, very fortunate to be promoted ahead of Leeds. We were the weakest of that 4 and just another also-ran in the playoffs. We did have a flirt with the autos, but if we're honest we always looked set for the playoffs.

So, I think we've somewhat surprisingly ended up in the PL without the quality or structure to really do anything here. We did have a splurge in the summer, but we didn't fix the key area which hasn't been addressed since 2021 - a PL goal scorer. Adam did great for us last year, but he thrives on space for his runs. If he doesn't get space then he's pointless.

We could change the manager, which feels somewhat inevitable, but my feeling is that very little will change as we have too many Championship players in key positions.

I don’t subscribe to that notion, we finished a whopping three points behind Leeds and beat them three times in the season. We fully deserved to go up.

I agree with the rest though.

[Charlie Wayman]

8 hours ago, gurru991 said:

I get the feeling that that after Chelsea Potter has his sights set on the top half & isn't interested in a relegation battle.  Playing in Stoke on a cold January night may not be his cup of tea.

 

Whatever his ambitions in the game, he also needs to temper them with a touch of realism and humility. Yesterday's announcement should help, not considered good enough for England!/ m

I doubt he feels he is too good for Saints and no doubt will have done many cold, wet & dark nights up North with Brighton. If we make him a good enough offer he'll come but it will need to be 'good enough' and it will have to be 'soon enough' to give him a fighting chance of turning things around.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

[richardc]

Potter still lives in Hove with his family - so could commute to us - Many of my Brighton mates thinks its nailed on he's coming to us. They dont rate him as they gave him a lot of leeway when he joined - they didnt score a home goal for half a season or at least not many - he then turned it round but buggered off to Chelsea straight away so they are very bitter against him

 

[SWLondon Saint]

Just on the whole 'No decent English coaches' thing, saw this article came up again - good read if you're at all interested in the technical and coaching side of the game.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/28/why-i-left-england-and-moved-to-spain-to-become-a-football-coach

I've heard the ex-pros get an easy ride through the system here as well. Not to mention as this guy found, if you're not an ex-pro you'll find it hard even to get on the UEFA B course ...

[Saint86]

3 hours ago, ErwinK1961 said:

I don’t subscribe to that notion, we finished a whopping three points behind Leeds and beat them three times in the season. We fully deserved to go up.

I agree with the rest though.

This 100%. Especially if you consider the complete turmoil that we had at the start of the season re player sales/arrivals and change of style, let alone the state of the dressing room morale and so many players not wanting to be here.

Some people may not want to hear it, but Martin did a good job with us last season 🤷‍♂️. It was an incredibly competitive league with that top 4 chasing 2 automatic spots, and at the end of the day we got promoted.

Within that, we beat Leeds 3 times over the season and justifiably so as were the better side on each occasion, the play off final was a very professional performance given the occasion as well.

As for the 5th best team in the league... We played West Brom 4 times in the league/play offs, winning 3, drawing 1, and ending with an aggregate score of 7-2.

We outplayed Ipswich both times we played them as well, those particular results were down to luck as much as anything else - not dissimilar to the draw against them this season.

In summation - For people to sit here and take away last season from Martin is extremely harsh imo. Although I don't think there are that many seriously doing this.

As for this season though, he's struggling (although perhaps justifiably so - given the damage PSR to the squads of relegated and promoted teams (i.e., our squads have been gutted by relegation and we're not even allowed to spend the same as the club that finished 17th last year).

If there are managers available that have clearly evidenced themselves as being of a higher ability (i.e., the Potter rumours), the club may well  pull the trigger and i doubt many would seriously argue 🤷‍♂️. However, if that doesn't happen, i take it to mean there;

• Ether isn't anyone better available,
• That the club think relegation is inevitable and there is an understanding in place that Martin will be our manager next season regardless of what league we are in,
• That the club think he's doing a reasonable job and has a chance of keeping us up...

Also, do we know what SR's season expectations formally are this season? Are we under an "attempt to avoid relegation" mandate, or "avoid relegation". If its the former then Martin won't be sacked unless we fall well adrift - and even then it might hinge on how the dressing room is.

[Football Special]

16 hours ago, CB Fry said:

Honestly I would be amazed. He turned down Ajax not long ago.

He's an ex saint who loves the club and the area obviously,  not sure what package we've offered him but apparently Pinder is part of the deal 

[tdmickey3]

On 16/10/2024 at 13:33, Saint86 said:

This 100%. Especially if you consider the complete turmoil that we had at the start of the season re player sales/arrivals and change of style, let alone the state of the dressing room morale and so many players not wanting to be here.

Some people may not want to hear it, but Martin did a good job with us last season 🤷‍♂️. It was an incredibly competitive league with that top 4 chasing 2 automatic spots, and at the end of the day we got promoted.

Within that, we beat Leeds 3 times over the season and justifiably so as were the better side on each occasion, the play off final was a very professional performance given the occasion as well.

As for the 5th best team in the league... We played West Brom 4 times in the league/play offs, winning 3, drawing 1, and ending with an aggregate score of 7-2.

We outplayed Ipswich both times we played them as well, those particular results were down to luck as much as anything else - not dissimilar to the draw against them this season.

In summation - For people to sit here and take away last season from Martin is extremely harsh imo. Although I don't think there are that many seriously doing this.

As for this season though, he's struggling (although perhaps justifiably so - given the damage PSR to the squads of relegated and promoted teams (i.e., our squads have been gutted by relegation and we're not even allowed to spend the same as the club that finished 17th last year).

If there are managers available that have clearly evidenced themselves as being of a higher ability (i.e., the Potter rumours), the club may well  pull the trigger and i doubt many would seriously argue 🤷‍♂️. However, if that doesn't happen, i take it to mean there;

• Ether isn't anyone better available,
• That the club think relegation is inevitable and there is an understanding in place that Martin will be our manager next season regardless of what league we are in,
• That the club think he's doing a reasonable job and has a chance of keeping us up...

Also, do we know what SR's season expectations formally are this season? Are we under an "attempt to avoid relegation" mandate, or "avoid relegation". If its the former then Martin won't be sacked unless we fall well adrift - and even then it might hinge on how the dressing room is.

Sorry but he did bare minimum with the strength of the squad for the division but the last few games were forced on him due to GB injury, meaning the over passing was severely cut back.

We are back to pre GB injury play now and it just doesn't work and if they are honest everyone can see it.

So either he changes (unlikely because of his stubbornness) or he has to go with immediate effect to give the new man time to adjust the team to get the best out of them and give us a chance because carrying on as we are is going to get embarrassing. 

Not sure why this needs repeating as it has been said so many times on here

 

 

Edited October 17 by tdmickey3

[Farmer Saint]

Apologies, phone went kaput on Monday morning and been waiting for my new one to be delivered - however it is quite liberating not having a phone. I would recommend it.

Spoke to my friend this morning - the one that told me that Martin was on his way out - reason is that SR have been putting out the feelers for a few Managers, including Potter. However, still a lot of skepticism from Potter on Monday (although that may have changed now with the England news). Sacking Martin will only take place if there is someone interested/ready to come in, apparently.

Edited October 16 by Farmer Saint