Unfortunately, we find ourselves in a state of deja vu. It was around this time Southampton FC sacked Ralph (who I believed 100% had to go) and here we are again with Russell Martin. To start with, the guy got us back to the promised land and at times we have played some good stuff both last year and this.
However, as with all sport and life, there are LEVELS! This is where Martin and Jones before him fall down. They are Championship managers and no matter how much backing they receive always will be, no different to the players such as Stephens and Smallbone who are and always will be Championship standard.
The problem with Martin is it’s ok to have a philosophy, but it is a manager’s job to also put those under him in the best position to succeed, which is a million miles away from what he is doing. If it was easy and every player was capable of it, every team in the Premier League would play like City but it is not!
Probably 10-20% of players are capable of playing this way in the entire league to that standard, so Martin by asking the likes of Stephens, Bednarek, Armstrong, Smallbone etc. to do it, he is literally setting up to fail. Sometimes you have to realise that as principled as you may be admitting you are wrong is the way to move forward.
Unfortunately, he has already admitted he won’t and in my opinion it will only get worse. The Bournemouth performance was devoid of anything and was compounded by Martins ridiculous after game thoughts and statements a couple of days later about “needing an aggressive bench to score goals as we haven’t scored enough” but not starting the game with a striker, Nathan jones levels of incompetence I’m afraid.
However, the board also need to shoulder the blame. Our transfer policy has been quantity over quality and appointments of martin and Jones have not worked for the Premier League, so if Martin was to go, they must get the next appointment correct! Not Eustace or Corberon etc. because the risk of appointing another Championship manager to get burned a 3rd time is far too great and the board would reap what they sow.
Who the next man should be I honestly don’t know, but I do believe a change may be needed now before Martin takes us back to the Championship on a whimper through his naivety and inability to adapt and put his players in a position to succeed.
Written by Murph st raven October 05 2024 22:05:27
