Russell Martin

[Dark Munster]

1 hour ago, West end Saints said:

Maybe it was less that he addressed it, more that he was right, that if the players trusted him and his methods they would learn, improve and it would work. 

Of course there have been changes, but rather than a negative that he was wrong, it shows him making his principals  work - the possession based football. 

It was fair, and reasonable for people to have doubts, or to still have doubts, but those writing him off, or saying he is crap, put of his depth etc, were perhaps being blinkered and not accepting that he knows a fair bit more than they do! 

I would be very surprised if we don't make top 6.

The top two will, of course be hard, but we are performing well enough and are improving (as shown as being ahead of where Burnley were at this stage plus our last 7 game form). It will also depend on whether those around us keep up their form. 

There is no arguing that it is a good start, perhaps overshadowed by two teams have amazing starts. 

Let's not get carried away. With our squad we should be where Ipswich are. Hats off to their manager for doing a great job with a squad that cost a fraction of ours.

We have an expensive top two squad, with only Leicester arguably better, and there is no excuse for us not being in contention for automatic promotion. His tactics earlier were appalling, I don't buy the excuse that the players were having a hard time learning a great new system.

Having said that, he does seem to be learning from his mistakes, midfield is much more solid, and defensively it's night and day, with THB and Janny B. forming a very good partnership in the centre, with KWP being brilliant all season. Credit RM also for sticking with Bree after he came in and did a good job, and leaving his bff Manning where he belongs on the bench.

[Saint_clark]

6 hours ago, trousers said:

This is where I am. He seems to be capable of learning from his mistakes, which is obviously a good sign.

Yep, my biggest concern was how stubbornly he seemed to stick to certain aspects of the team/playing style but we've been more adaptable recently. There isn't a refusal to play longer passes anymore.

[Nolan]

On 04/09/2023 at 23:21, Dark Munster said:

I'm not whinging about his appointment, nor dismissing him. See the quote I was replying to. 

Some people think he is a great appointment. And indeed he may well turn out to be, let's hope so. But the jury's still out for me, he has brought in some good players and got a good price on Lavia, but there are worrying signs: no decent GK appointment ("a strong stable of goalkeepers here" lol!), Holgate, and choosing* RM despite his mediocre track record and well-known inability to get teams to defend well.

* If indeed he did, as the club have been implying. Possibly that's plausible deniability on Rasmus W. Ankersen's part after his Jones disaster.

 

7 hours ago, Dark Munster said:

Let's not get carried away. With our squad we should be where Ipswich are. Hats off to their manager for doing a great job with a squad that cost a fraction of ours.

We have an expensive top two squad, with only Leicester arguably better, and there is no excuse for us not being in contention for automatic promotion. His tactics earlier were appalling, I don't buy the excuse that the players were having a hard time learning a great new system.

Having said that, he does seem to be learning from his mistakes, midfield is much more solid, and defensively it's night and day, with THB and Janny B. forming a very good partnership in the centre, with KWP being brilliant all season. Credit RM also for sticking with Bree after he came in and did a good job, and leaving his bff Manning where he belongs on the bench.

We're going from a hung jury, to a majority decision.

Apologies for using you as an example @Dark Munster but if we emulate even the smallest change of perception in the terraces and drive out the nervousness of fans that could add impetus to our run.

[CSA96]

https://twitter.com/martynziegler/status/1721088986054021378?s=46&t=f0hgNyKSvvOD5qjGLJhsXQ

[Saint_clark]

22 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

https://twitter.com/martynziegler/status/1721088986054021378?s=46&t=f0hgNyKSvvOD5qjGLJhsXQ

Haven't read the interview yet but i'm going to go out on a limb and say he's gone OTT with his description of it. 

 

EDIT: I was wrong. Blimey. 

Edited 5 November, 2023 by Saint_clark

[trousers]

11 hours ago, West end Saints said:

Maybe it was less that he addressed it, more that he was right, that if the players trusted him and his methods they would learn, improve and it would work. 

 

 

6 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

Yep, my biggest concern was how stubbornly he seemed to stick to certain aspects of the team/playing style but we've been more adaptable recently. There isn't a refusal to play longer passes anymore.

I think it's probably a combination of the two...

I.e. yes, there's an element of the players getting more and more used to "Russ-ball" at play in recent game, but I'm also seeing an element of pragmatism in his approach that wasn't there a month or so ago. 

 

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, trousers said:

 

I think it's probably a combination of the two...

I.e. yes, there's an element of the players getting more and more used to "Russ-ball" at play in recent game, but I'm also seeing an element of pragmatism in his approach that wasn't there a month or so ago. 

 

 

The biggest change is KwP no longer required to tuck into CM

Edited 5 November, 2023 by AlexLaw76

[saintant]

47 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

https://twitter.com/martynziegler/status/1721088986054021378?s=46&t=f0hgNyKSvvOD5qjGLJhsXQ

It's a very frank interview and has perhaps changed my perception of him. In terms of the team he has shown that he is willing to be flexible and seems to have adapted aspects of how we play which has improved performances. Nobody can argue with the results since that bad spell which is what set alarm bells ringing for many of us. I've doubted RM but I genuinely like how the guy comes across and hope he succeeds. He now has us headed in the right direction and the next few months will be interesting. If we continue on the current trajectory he'll win over most of his doubters.  

[Dusic]

Easy to see why players seem to want to play for him and that is half the battle.

Must be so draining being a manager with the pressure and scrutiny, so being clear on what you want and sticking by that when the inevitable bad runs happen is a good thing IMO.

Pretty much all our best managers have been seemingly decent people.

[RedArmy]

Can’t say I’m a massive fan of some of his approaches, particularly the way he seems happy to sit on a small lead instead of killing the game off. 
 

But he has to take full credit for the way he’s change the culture so quickly. We had a squad for a few years that pretty much accepted defeat and only turned up when they could put themselves in the shop window.
This team never gives up, never stops running and never stops believing that they can win. The team spirit is the best I’ve seen it possibly since the Adkins days. 

[Fabrice29]

1 minute ago, RedArmy said:

Can’t say I’m a massive fan of some of his approaches, particularly the way he seems happy to sit on a small lead instead of killing the game off. 
 

But he has to take full credit for the way he’s change the culture so quickly. We had a squad for a few years that pretty much accepted defeat and only turned up when they could put themselves in the shop window.
This team never gives up, never stops running and never stops believing that they can win. The team spirit is the best I’ve seen it possibly since the Adkins days. 

Except all the times he's said he's not happy about it of course.

[Dellyears]

2 hours ago, Dusic said:

Easy to see why players seem to want to play for him and that is half the battle.

Must be so draining being a manager with the pressure and scrutiny, so being clear on what you want and sticking by that when the inevitable bad runs happen is a good thing IMO.

Pretty much all our best managers have been seemingly decent people.

Fergie?

[Ken Tone]

Long interview with Martin in the Sunday Times sports section today.  Mostly about his background and (not very happy) childhood though, rather than football.

He comes across well.

[jasonb]

I can relate to a lot of that Times article. I too had an abusive dad who battered my mum, drink being his excuse rather than the gambling habit RM talks about.

My mum left him when I was 7 and became a single mum of two boys. I like to think I've turned out ok but it shapes you in ways that are not fully appreciated until much later in life.

I don't go to therapy but just talking about these things massively helps clear out the crap.

I too have a deeper sense of appreciation for the work RM is doing. His honesty and openness is refreshing in the football world. Excellent article.

Edited 5 November, 2023 by jasonb

[Bad Wolf]

1 hour ago, Fabrice29 said:

Except all the times he's said he's not happy about it of course.

Bizarre. Probably one of the people who thinks we "only pass backwards" and "never attack with intent" or something.

[Patches O Houlihan]

Here's the link to the article in The Times

It's an excellent read, and I would recommend every fan reads it. Apparently his grandmother, who he was very close to, died during the last month of the transfer window. Must have been a very difficult period for him.

As I've said previously my best man's son was in the same class as his son in Swansea, and they chatted a bit. So right from when we looked like bringing him in I asked for his thoughts. My impression is the same. I think he is just what we need as a manager right now.

One thing I was concerned about was a lack of experience in the management team - but that would seem to be fixed by the appointment of Colin Calderwood last week. RM was Captain of Norwich when CC was the assistant manager there I think.  

I'm a geography geek so I looked up the house his dad lost through gambling

 

[Patches O Houlihan]

Also this:

https://twitter.com/saints_analysis/status/1720848121997980019?s=20

 

Southampton have now gained 10 points from goals in the 87th+ minute this season.

87th minute winner vs Sheff Wed

97th minute equaliser vs Norwich

94th minute winner vs Plymouth

95th minute winner vs Hull

96th minute equaliser vs Preston

93rd minute winner vs Millwall

We have a confident team who believe in themselves again 
 

[jasonb]

1 hour ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Here's the link to the article in The Times

It's an excellent read, and I would recommend every fan reads it. Apparently his grandmother, who he was very close to, died during the last month of the transfer window. Must have been a very difficult period for him.

As I've said previously my best man's son was in the same class as his son in Swansea, and they chatted a bit. So right from when we looked like bringing him in I asked for his thoughts. My impression is the same. I think he is just what we need as a manager right now.

One thing I was concerned about was a lack of experience in the management team - but that would seem to be fixed by the appointment of Colin Calderwood last week. RM was Captain of Norwich when CC was the assistant manager there I think.  

I'm a geography geek so I looked up the house his dad lost through gambling

 

Link to the archived webpage to get around the Times paywall:

https://archive.ph/FDCbK

[Bad Wolf]

1 hour ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Also this:

https://twitter.com/saints_analysis/status/1720848121997980019?s=20

 

Southampton have now gained 10 points from goals in the 87th+ minute this season.

87th minute winner vs Sheff Wed

97th minute equaliser vs Norwich

94th minute winner vs Plymouth

95th minute winner vs Hull

96th minute equaliser vs Preston

93rd minute winner vs Millwall

We have a confident team who believe in themselves again 
 

For the last few years, people have whinged that we DIDN'T score late goals. Now we're doing it, it's "papering over the cracks"

[Farmer Saint]

10 hours ago, Saint_clark said:

Haven't read the interview yet but i'm going to go out on a limb and say he's gone OTT with his description of it. 

 

EDIT: I was wrong. Blimey. 

I have to say, he seems a really good, genuine person.

I know the relentless positivity and motivational shit can get very grating, but he seems to have a really impressive outlook on life. For those with mental health issues, it's good to see people who have been through some dark stuff and come through the other side with a positive attitude. 

[CB Fry]

I read the interview in The Sunday Times earlier - interesting read, and he came across very well. 

Despite the management speak he is pretty grounded. 

[notnowcato]

He’s a decent bloke, a strong philosophy and principles of the way the game can be played. Any success with a manager like Russell guiding us will be all the sweeter. 
 

[Osvaldorama]

1 hour ago, notnowcato said:

He’s a decent bloke, a strong philosophy and principles of the way the game can be played. Any success with a manager like Russell guiding us will be all the sweeter. 
 

Massively agree, much easier to support a fantastic bloke than a helmet like Nathan Jones. 
 

The fact we are starting to see results from his management is all the sweeter after reading that. 
 

[Patrick Bateman]

6 hours ago, jasonb said:

Link to the archived webpage to get around the Times paywall:

https://archive.ph/FDCbK

Thank you

[Maggie May]

The four-game losing streak has already put a big dent in our automatic promotion hopes with Leicester and Ipswich’s great form so far.

As we know from 2007, playoffs are a lottery. 

1. if we don’t go up this season, will the board still back RM?

2. If we are still a championship side next season, are you confident we will mount a promotion push?

3. How long do you think Sports Republic will realistically tolerate us being a second tier team? 

[DT]

Personally think we'll scrape a place in the play-offs but lose in the final (an upgrade on my previous mid-table prediction in the haze of some lucky late wins recently).

And am fine with that. Feel we need one more season in the Champ, and that yes, RM will be backed.

[goodymatt]

Nominated for manager of the month: https://x.com/southamptonfc/status/1722494728221208632?s=46&t=7raSKCMt6LV8RJ1C2d39WQ

[DT]

Russell Martin came to my daughter’s school this morning. Signed her shirt. Daughter asked why he took the Southampton job. He said he liked the atmosphere. Said no to a few jobs up north. Had been on saints’ radar for a while. That is all!

[Wade Garrett]

On 07/11/2023 at 09:47, Maggie May said:

The four-game losing streak has already put a big dent in our automatic promotion hopes with Leicester and Ipswich’s great form so far.

As we know from 2007, playoffs are a lottery. 

1. if we don’t go up this season, will the board still back RM?

2. If we are still a championship side next season, are you confident we will mount a promotion push?

3. How long do you think Sports Republic will realistically tolerate us being a second tier team? 

No team gets promoted in November.  We are going to fucking smash this league.

[Weston Super Saint]

10 hours ago, DT said:

Russell Martin came to my daughter’s school this morning. Signed her shirt. Daughter asked why he took the Southampton job. He said he liked the atmosphere. Said no to a few jobs up north. Had been on saints’ radar for a while. That is all!

Can you clarify if he was invited, or just sort of showed up?

[DT]

2 hours ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Can you clarify if he was invited, or just sort of showed up?

It was his old school. They asked him. Thanks for your inquiry. I hope that helps. 

[Weston Super Saint]

30 minutes ago, DT said:

It was his old school. They asked him. Thanks for your inquiry. I hope that helps. 

Phew! Potential future furore avoided.

[West end Saints]

On 04/11/2023 at 23:56, Dark Munster said:

Let's not get carried away. With our squad we should be where Ipswich are. Hats off to their manager for doing a great job with a squad that cost a fraction of ours.

We have an expensive top two squad, with only Leicester arguably better, and there is no excuse for us not being in contention for automatic promotion. His tactics earlier were appalling, I don't buy the excuse that the players were having a hard time learning a great new system.

Having said that, he does seem to be learning from his mistakes, midfield is much more solid, and defensively it's night and day, with THB and Janny B. forming a very good partnership in the centre, with KWP being brilliant all season. Credit RM also for sticking with Bree after he came in and did a good job, and leaving his bff Manning where he belongs on the bench.

Where I personally disagree with your assessment is over what the expectations were for the first third of the season. 

Without going over old points in detail, we were awful for a long time before relegation and showed a total lack of character and spirit during the last three managers, we then had disruptive departures and for whatever reason signed players late who were unfit or unwell. 

So with that knowledge what would be a reasonable aim? 

After 15 games last season:

Burnley 26 points 

Sheff U  25

Luton 24

Middlesborough 16

Coventry 17

Sunderland 20

 

So if you set a target at the beginning of the season then 26 points would have been seen as very ambitious. 

We have 27.

I fully appreciate we have to better this seasons competitors but it is ridiculous to suggest that 27 points from 15, with the mess he inherited, with increasing good form is anything other than an excellent start. 

Find it bizarre reading people on this thread writing him off as a crap manager and out of his depth. 

A personal subjective view is that I also love the style, the one touch passing into tight gaps etc is the pure football I enjoy. 

 

[Tom & Gerry]

Do people still not realise that football is a team game? You can have the best players in the league but unless they compliment each other and learn to play together they won't win anything. That's why managers don't always pick what fans consider to be the best 11 players. How are you expected to win football matches when  you lose your captain, the replacement captain and a goal scoring winger and you have to bring in new players and you have no time to coach them  because there are three games a week. You might expect in these circumstances that the players would revert to the failed methods they had been taught in  the past when things got tough and that's what happened. Since the manager had a clear week to coach the players they have not lost. It's not only the manager that has learnt from mistakes, its the players.

 

[notnowcato]

1 hour ago, West end Saints said:

A personal subjective view is that I also love the style, the one touch passing into tight gaps etc is the pure football I enjoy. 

 

With you on this but I get it’s not for everyone. 

[goodymatt]

I really like the bloke and do want him to succeed. I’d say both Saints and Leeds are slightly underperforming against expectation so far (2 points per game is the auto promotion magic number usually, might be even higher this time) but have both turned a corner and look capable of chasing down Ipswich, should they slip up.

It is incredibly frustrating to see how weak the bottom of the PL is this time and how strong the top of the Championship is. We could have a great season accumulating normally top 2 points and still have to rely on the playoff lottery. I’m pretty confident we would have survived with our squad last season ahead of the newly promoted sides too. Especially with the right manager in place!

One year on from appointing Nathan Jones and it’s nice to have a manager I like, playing decent football. That 4 game losing streak seems a long time ago, I’m actually most annoyed by the Rotherham result, which was unjust.

[Dark Munster]

17 hours ago, DT said:

Russell Martin came to my daughter’s school this morning. Signed her shirt. Daughter asked why he took the Southampton job. He said he liked the atmosphere. Said no to a few jobs up north. Had been on saints’ radar for a while. That is all!

Did he give a PowerPoint presentation to the kids?

[DT]

22 hours ago, Dark Munster said:

Did he give a PowerPoint presentation to the kids?

No, but that’s a hilarious thought

[Saint_clark]

Yeah ok I may have been wrong. Turned around on him now, although still not convinced his style of play will get us results in the Prem. Think it's too open.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

On 09/11/2023 at 21:32, DT said:

Russell Martin came to my daughter’s school this morning. Signed her shirt. Daughter asked why he took the Southampton job. He said he liked the atmosphere. Said no to a few jobs up north. Had been on saints’ radar for a while. That is all!

"Although pleased overall with his visit to the school, Martin did hint at some regret saying, 'I seem to be a divisive figure among school ages. Some still cling onto direct application of glitter on their projects, while I prefer a wider, patient distribution of glitter around the paper."  🙂

[Harry_SFC]

8 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Yeah ok I may have been wrong. Turned around on him now, although still not convinced his style of play will get us results in the Prem. Think it's too open.

Good job we're not in the prem then.

[maysie]

Touch line ban for Huddersfield after picking up 3 bookings

[West end Saints]

On 10/11/2023 at 11:24, West end Saints said:

Where I personally disagree with your assessment is over what the expectations were for the first third of the season. 

Without going over old points in detail, we were awful for a long time before relegation and showed a total lack of character and spirit during the last three managers, we then had disruptive departures and for whatever reason signed players late who were unfit or unwell. 

So with that knowledge what would be a reasonable aim? 

After 15 games last season:

Burnley 26 points 

Sheff U  25

Luton 24

Middlesborough 16

Coventry 17

Sunderland 20

 

So if you set a target at the beginning of the season then 26 points would have been seen as very ambitious. 

We have 27.

I fully appreciate we have to better this seasons competitors but it is ridiculous to suggest that 27 points from 15, with the mess he inherited, with increasing good form is anything other than an excellent start. 

Find it bizarre reading people on this thread writing him off as a crap manager and out of his depth. 

A personal subjective view is that I also love the style, the one touch passing into tight gaps etc is the pure football I enjoy. 

 

After 16 games last season:

Burnley 29 points 

Sheff U  26

Luton 24

Middlesborough 17

Coventry 20

Sunderland 20

 

Us this season 30 points after 16.

8 games unbeaten, best for 10 years. 

Top of current form. 

 

Going to be a long season, but looks great appointment and nice guy. 

(and if you want to have a laugh read the assessments of him on this thread) 

 

[Sheaf Saint]

Good on him. I started to have some doubts when we were playing so badly during that 4 game run. His insistence that the players just needed to adapt to his system came across as a hollow excuse when he seemingly wasn't learning some obvious lessons.

But his perseverance has paid off and there is really something about this team now. There's a real togetherness, confidence in each other and the system, and a "never give up" attitude which was so sorely lacking for the last couple of seasons. 

Most importantly of all, he's brought some smiles, belief and atmosphere back to SMS after years and years of dross and negativity (although I haven't actually been to a home game yet this season but it comes across very clearly on streams).

Keep it up Russ. Sorry I doubted you.

[SaintNewForest]

Serious man crush.

[stknowle]

8 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Good on him. I started to have some doubts when we were playing so badly during that 4 game run. His insistence that the players just needed to adapt to his system came across as a hollow excuse when he seemingly wasn't learning some obvious lessons.

But his perseverance has paid off and there is really something about this team now. There's a real togetherness, confidence in each other and the system, and a "never give up" attitude which was so sorely lacking for the last couple of seasons. 

Most importantly of all, he's brought some smiles, belief and atmosphere back to SMS after years and years of dross and negativity (although I haven't actually been to a home game yet this season but it comes across very clearly on streams).

Keep it up Russ. Sorry I doubted you.

This basically. Want to see us properly put some teams to the sword now as the next step.

[trousers]

14 minutes ago, Sheaf Saint said:

Keep it up Russ. Sorry I doubted you

I don't think you need to apologise for doubting him. There was every reason for doubt during that dire run in September. A combination of Martin learning lessons, leading to some tactical adjustments / fine-tuning, and the players starting to "get it" has stabilised the ship. Long may it continue.

Edited 11 November, 2023 by trousers

[RedArmy]

Have to say he’s won me over. 
 

It’s starting to feel like the Adkins era again (who also had a bit of a shaky, slow start before being unstoppable) with a group of players to be proud of. 

[Sheaf Saint]

6 minutes ago, stknowle said:

This basically. Want to see us properly put some teams to the sword now as the next step.

Me too. Hopefully Stewart will give us the firepower to do that. Great to see him finally get some game time today.

[FarehamSaintJames]

1 hour ago, Saint_clark said:

Yeah ok I may have been wrong. Turned around on him now, although still not convinced his style of play will get us results in the Prem. Think it's too open.

I’m not convinced it’ll be enough to get us to the Prem

We need to start annihilating teams a bit. Not pissing around trying to score the perfect goal.
Too many close shaves, dropped points against Rotherham in a game where we should’ve been five up by HT.

Nice football at the moment, but nice football won’t always win you matches, and therefore promotion.

These last eight games have been rather nice, just hoping after the international break it continues.

Edited 11 November, 2023 by FarehamSaintJames