Russell Martin

[Sheaf Saint]

16 minutes ago, OldNick said:

I thinkwe paid him out for the length of contract left and so itwouldnt matter if he had gone elsewhere

Well none of us know the exact details because they will differ from contract to contract. But we won't have paid him a lump sum upon sacking him, and it's very likely that there was a clause that reduced the club's liability once he took alternative employment because that's pretty standard these days.

If SR gave him that contract extension in the summer of 2024 without including such a clause, then they are even bigger mugs than I had ever previously considered possible.

[Patches O Houlihan]

3 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

Which is fine but that is a very different brief to helping select the new manager. The point is that Alfie was saying that ‘the board’ don’t like Martin and wouldn’t  reappoint him, but if that’s not Dragan (who said he wanted to keep him), not Spors (who wasn’t there), not Parsons (who is focused on commercials) and not Rasmus (who is focused on Goztepe), then who is left that Alfie is suggesting would block an RM return? 

Is it the same mysterious board member hidden in the shadows that was pressuring Nathan Jones into not doing things his way in Feb 2023??

“I have compromised. I’ve compromised in terms of certain principles because of one, personnel, but two, the way that people want to play and so on. I’ve allowed certain things to happen and gone away from what’s made me successful in the past. … What I said was I have compromised things I do on a day-to-day basis, which are my decisions. I don’t get pressure from anyone. I listen to people, like I do at every other club. But I live and die by my decisions. That’s not shifting the blame.” 

[StrangelyBrown]

4 hours ago, saintant said:

Anyone know what time Russboy's presser for the QPR game is?

I can't wait for more tales of scar tissue, bravery, trusting the process and it all being everybody else's fault.

[notnowcato]

21 minutes ago, StrangelyBrown said:

I can't wait for more tales of scar tissue, bravery, trusting the process and it all being everybody else's fault.

Winning games of football will do, he did alright last time in the Championship. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 hours ago, Patches O Houlihan said:

Is it the same mysterious board member hidden in the shadows that was pressuring Nathan Jones into not doing things his way in Feb 2023??

“I have compromised. I’ve compromised in terms of certain principles because of one, personnel, but two, the way that people want to play and so on. I’ve allowed certain things to happen and gone away from what’s made me successful in the past. … What I said was I have compromised things I do on a day-to-day basis, which are my decisions. I don’t get pressure from anyone. I listen to people, like I do at every other club. But I live and die by my decisions. That’s not shifting the blame.” 

And Nathan, back into his comfort zone of not being intimidated by PL players, is once again able to build a team up.

When I say comfort zone, he is the least comfortable person in his comfort zone.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

6 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

Which is fine but that is a very different brief to helping select the new manager. The point is that Alfie was saying that ‘the board’ don’t like Martin and wouldn’t  reappoint him, but if that’s not Dragan (who said he wanted to keep him), not Spors (who wasn’t there), not Parsons (who is focused on commercials) and not Rasmus (who is focused on Goztepe), then who is left that Alfie is suggesting would block an RM return? 

It's a misspelling.

It's not the board that don't want him back. It's the bored. 🙂

[Holmes_and_Watson]

8 hours ago, jasonbenali said:

The cynic in me thinks you drop Martin's name into the frame through 'insiders', mention that Eckert also an option and then when you appoint someone that you've never heard of but you believe will be yet another coaching masterstroke the fans will go, well, at least it's not one of them...

(edit - couldn't remember how to spell Eckert as had never heard of him...)

Yup. Basic politics 101.

Set up a "Sure, we've a foetus who went through the Leipzig Coaching Farm. But it could have been Russ, so it's really okay." scenario.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

55 minutes ago, notnowcato said:

Winning games of football will do, he did alright last time in the Championship. 

Record unbeaten run.

Got us promoted.

Despite the clear out, lots of his preferred players still here.

Players will already be used to his system.

Will surely get Smallbone back to play as much as possible.

With a weaker squad than last time, all the more chance for a better than the sum of it's parts system to pay off.

Controlled possession, risk based system.

No bedding in period for him or his team.

If Romeu is half as good as he was, that's a big plus.

Good communicator

Is presumably learning and adapting to his recent appointments.

[beatlesaint]

6 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

 

Will surely get Smallbone back to play as much as possible.

 

Think he’s out for about 4 months with a torn hamstring so that bit won’t be happening 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 minutes ago, beatlesaint said:

Think he’s out for about 4 months with a torn hamstring so that bit won’t be happening 

Awww. I'd not seen that. Last I heard was that he was doing well. Hope he gets back to full recovery and has a good end of his season.

[trousers]

1 hour ago, notnowcato said:

Winning games of football will do, he did alright last time in the Championship. 

Agreed. Get him back on a 6 month contract and then get a premier league level manager in for next season (preferably Koeman after he's won the world cup with the Netherlands)

Edited 5 hours ago by trousers

[O_Lord_Marian]

5 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Record unbeaten run. 

Got us promoted. 

Despite the clear out, lots of his preferred players still here.

Players will already be used to his system.

Will surely get Smallbone back to play as much as possible.

With a weaker squad than last time, all the more chance for a better than the sum of it's parts system to pay off.

Controlled possession, risk based system.

No bedding in period for him or his team.

If Romeu is half as good as he was, that's a big plus.

Good communicator

Is presumably learning and adapting to his recent appointments.

First two points factual.

Next couple of points is why we are where we are. Soft players that need daddy.

Smallbone meh.

Next three points pretty much as per the second point addressed above.

Re Romeu, special player and would fit into most systems, no matter how shite they are.

Last two points, kin ell man, he is an arrogant prick and openly admitted in numerous interviews, that he will not adapt to his core principles. Which is kamikaze football at the back, passing backwards or sideways, with the odd shot on goal up front.

RM is not the one.

[sledger]

lets look at the facts,plenty would say that with the squad he had a fourth place finish was actually an under achievement.Other fact is if he hadnt been forced to use McCarthy we wouldnt have got promotion in my opinion.So for me Martin back no thank you.

[Midfield_General]

3 hours ago, Dark Munster said:

Could you give a link to that interview? Maybe he was diplomatically saying he didn’t want him sacked in the sense he didn’t want the club to be in such shit. I remember just before the sacking him being furious and kicking chairs over. 5-0 at half time against Spurs with the players completely giving up was the final straw. Then of course ending up with the humiliating 12 points. I find it hard to believe Dragan wants that wanker back. Rasmus yes, Dragan no. 

Don’t have the link unfortunately as I don’t subscribe to the Echo, but it was the interview Alfie House did with Dragan for the Echo in the summer if you want to google it. It was around late June I think, and Dragan talked about the rumours the club was up for sale, as well as saying that he would have given Martin more time but felt his hand was forced by the negative sentiment against him (or words to that effect) 

[notnowcato]

34 minutes ago, sledger said:

lets look at the facts,plenty would say that with the squad he had a fourth place finish was actually an under achievement.Other fact is if he hadnt been forced to use McCarthy we wouldnt have got promotion in my opinion.So for me Martin back no thank you.

Let’s hear the facts then 🤦‍♂️

[Lord Duckhunter]

Why on earth would the cock womble want to come back anyway? Unless he’s a complete narcissist with an arrogance unmatched by many, the Rangers experience will have knocked him badly and he’d need time to get over it. 

Edited 3 hours ago by Lord Duckhunter

[Sheaf Saint]

5 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Why on earth would the cock womble want to come back anyway? Unless he’s a complete narcissist with an arrogance unmatched by many, the Rangers experience will have knocked him badly and he’d need time to get over it. 

Erm....

[Lord Duckhunter]

I was being sarcastic….

[Sheaf Saint]

2 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

I was being sarcastic….

And my post was tongue in cheek too 😘

[Oh no Mick Mills]

2 hours ago, O_Lord_Marian said:

First two points factual.

Next couple of points is why we are where we are. Soft players that need daddy.

Smallbone meh.

Next three points pretty much as per the second point addressed above.

Re Romeu, special player and would fit into most systems, no matter how shite they are.

Last two points, kin ell man, he is an arrogant prick and openly admitted in numerous interviews, that he will not adapt to his core principles. Which is kamikaze football at the back, passing backwards or sideways, with the odd shot on goal up front.

RM is not the one.

Tbf , fans say we were boring under Martin and you say we'd have the odd shot on goal up front.

23/24 Season we scored 87 goals. 

Only bettered by Ipswich on 89 and Leicester 92. 

We let loads in too. 

Lots of the games were goal fests . 

Please dont beat me up and say I'm a Martin fan boy,  I'm just pointing out a fact. 

 

[notnowcato]

31 minutes ago, Oh no Mick Mills said:

Tbf , fans say we were boring under Martin and you say we'd have the odd shot on goal up front.

23/24 Season we scored 87 goals. 

Only bettered by Ipswich on 89 and Leicester 92. 

We let loads in too. 

Lots of the games were goal fests . 

Please dont beat me up and say I'm a Martin fan boy,  I'm just pointing out a fact. 

 

Fact

[SaintsBarry74]

2 hours ago, sledger said:

lets look at the facts,plenty would say that with the squad he had a fourth place finish was actually an under achievement.Other fact is if he hadnt been forced to use McCarthy we wouldnt have got promotion in my opinion.So for me Martin back no thank you.

Fact, his stubborness in keeping Baz in nearly cost us promotion - which in hindsight probably would have been a good thing considering the horror show that followed.

That season Saints and Leicester had a massive edge in terms of squad value and wages.

[DrSuess1979]

His stubbornness not to change to a plan b when you could clearly see teams swarming us.

You could feel a cock up coming and inevitably it did. 
But that said our attacking play, I thought was up there with some of our best.

What was our conversation rate in the championship that year.

it felt like we had 10-15 plus shots every game 

[Deanovski]

I never want that c**t anywhere near our club. Take downes and thb with you.

[Oh no Mick Mills]

11 minutes ago, DrSuess1979 said:

His stubbornness not to change to a plan b when you could clearly see teams swarming us.

You could feel a cock up coming and inevitably it did. 
But that said our attacking play, I thought was up there with some of our best.

What was our conversation rate in the championship that year.

it felt like we had 10-15 plus shots every game 

For me , we simply have a much weaker squad/team now compared to 23/24. 

When you consider that the two worst "regulars" imo were Manning and Bazunu and they are still here and likely be regular starters this season. 

Appreciate McCarthy may hold onto his spot but he's hardly a big upgrade. 

None of our fullbacks are a patch on KWP . He opened teams up and created so much space with his ability to beat a man. 

Bednarek was easily better than the current crop of CBs. 

Downes , Aribo and Smallbone and Stuey Armstrong  complemented each other and covered up their flaws. 

Adam Armstrong had Che Adams to share the goals and handle the opposite CBs. 

Edozie, Fraser and Brooks were all great for certain periods and which meant their was always a threat down the wing. 

We've got such a poor side compared to this now. 

I'm really hoping and will be pleasantly shocked if the new manager can get a tune out of the current lot. 

[benjii]

Guess who back, muthafuckaaas!!!

 

 

 

[HKsaint]

Confirmed?