Russell Martin

[Midfield_General]

5 hours ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

I like it. Interested in the process working and the rising of Leichester City.

Leichampton, surely. 

Someone somewhere else pointed out that over time they've now recruited almost a quarter of the squad that they beat 9-0 (Bertrand, Vestergaard, Ings and McCarthy) plus the Head of Recruitment who helped build that squad (Glover), as well as the manager who they beat 9-1 on aggregate over the course of a season (Martin) and one of his players (Aribo). 

If you were a Leicester fan you would be within your rights to wonder quite what the appeal is. 

[AlexLaw76]

 

[coalman]

7 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

 

That's a relief. For a while I was worried that Martin was going to beat himself up over how he did at Saints.

[beatlesaint]

2 minutes ago, coalman said:

That's a relief. For a while I was worried that Martin was going to beat himself up over how he did at Saints.

No danger of that 🤣

[Farmer Saint]

2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

 

As I told you all this was our strategy 2 years ago - I'll await my apology from yourself and @CB Fry:

“We made the decision there and then to sign some young players who could develop and, if we got relegated, would really help us the following year. So it was similar to Ipswich in terms of sticking with it and having continuity. “In all the probabilities and data, the club was going to get relegated, but the club would have a right go.”

Edited Monday at 12:42 by Farmer Saint

[Challenger]

Can't be arsed to read what he said, it would probably bore me as much as his brand of football.

[Whitey Grandad]

2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

 

Me, me, me, I, I, I ...

[ChrisPY]

Would hate to have seen us not having ‘a right go’.

[Wade Garrett]

He'll turn out to be one of those useless twats who makes a living out of getting sacked.

[tdmickey3]

2 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

He'll turn out to be one of those useless twats who makes a living out of getting sacked.

He already is and does

[westmidlandsaint]

Yes Russ the likelihood was strong that we would go straight back down but it was the manner of it. You didn't/wouldn't adapt your suicidal way of playing and we were practically cannon fodder every week. If we'd gone down fighting and been in with a chance of staying up all season then he may have earned the right to give it another go but we were done for by December. Take some responsibility man!!

[Colinjb]

That was us giving it a right go?

What a delusional fuckwit. Totally incapable of reflection.

Edited Monday at 16:00 by Colinjb

[Toussaint]

3 hours ago, Challenger said:

Can't be arsed to read what he said, it would probably bore me as much as his brand of football.

It’s not boring, it’s nauseating. 

[Midfield_General]

Good to see that he still genuinely believes that nothing in that humiliation of a season was his fault  then 🤣

It was the club, it was the lack of DoF, it was the strategy, it was the signings… never his tactics or anything to do with him is it 

[HarvSFC]

He thought he was going to do a Vincent Kompany, get a move to an elite club despite relegation because of his possession football. Why he was happy to watch us lose every week and change nothing. Only, Russell Martin didn't have the playing career, nor reputation that Kompany has. Meaning two years later, he's managing in League One.

The Luton squad on paper was worse than ours, hence they got relegated again in the Championship, and they finished 18th. Martin started the season with 13 losses in 16, 1 win and a 5-0 down at half time final game. No manager survives that in the modern game. Not even a two time automatic promotion winning manager in Nigel Adkins could have had that record and not had fans calling for his sacking.

Also, if I recall, Martin had more of a say on who we signed that summer because we didn't have a director of football. He was part of a committee with Mowbray and Kraft/Ankersen? Of course, we didn't get Matt O'Riley, who has since proven to be a waste of money that we fortunately dodged anyway.

[franniesTache]

19 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Good to see that he still genuinely believes that nothing in that humiliation of a season was his fault  then 🤣

It was the club, it was the lack of DoF, it was the strategy, it was the signings… never his tactics or anything to do with him is it 

It was the fans fault for not believing enough, if we'd all just BELIEVED, and TRUSTED THE PROCESS we would've been celebrating with him by drinking the definitely not poisoned in anyway kool aid

[CB Fry]

4 hours ago, Farmer Saint said:

As I told you all this was our strategy 2 years ago - I'll await my apology from yourself and @CB Fry:

“We made the decision there and then to sign some young players who could develop and, if we got relegated, would really help us the following year. So it was similar to Ipswich in terms of sticking with it and having continuity. “In all the probabilities and data, the club was going to get relegated, but the club would have a right go.”

Of course "we were going to get relegated anyway, if anything we were planning for it" is absolutely no way post rationalising self justification, no siree.

[kitch]

I'm actually relieved, because for a minute I thought he might take some accountability and change his ways, and that Leicester would prove not to be the impending binfire we all want to laugh at.
He'll win L1, of course, but he'll get worse and worse the higher they get, and eventually it'll turn into a comedy show all over again, only without us as the butt of the joke.

Edited Monday at 17:08 by kitch

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Colinjb said:

Totally incapable of reflection.

Unless it’s his in a mirror. 

People wonder this thread keeps going = answer Russell Martin keeps stoking it (I said stoking…).

[AlexLaw76]

Guess the club let him down by not tapping up Rodri and Donnaruma

[Miltonaggro]

7 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

 

Leicester Lego getting his excuses in early in an attempt to see out the contract, pre-season early. Highly fucking impressive when you think about delusional consistency.

[Southner]

At least he had his way at Rangers.

[Farmer Saint]

1 hour ago, CB Fry said:

Of course "we were going to get relegated anyway, if anything we were planning for it" is absolutely no way post rationalising self justification, no siree.

Nope, this was the bit you criticised me for and you said we'd never do:

“We made the decision there and then to sign some young players who could develop and, if we got relegated, would really help us the following year."

There were many, many posts. 

Own it. You were wrong.

Edited Monday at 18:49 by Farmer Saint

[AlexLaw76]

1 hour ago, Southner said:

At least he had his way at Rangers.

🫠

[BarberSaint]

3 hours ago, HarvSFC said:

He thought he was going to do a Vincent Kompany, get a move to an elite club despite relegation because of his possession football. Why he was happy to watch us lose every week and change nothing. Only, Russell Martin didn't have the playing career, nor reputation that Kompany has. Meaning two years later, he's managing in League One.

The Luton squad on paper was worse than ours, hence they got relegated again in the Championship, and they finished 18th. Martin started the season with 13 losses in 16, 1 win and a 5-0 down at half time final game. No manager survives that in the modern game. Not even a two time automatic promotion winning manager in Nigel Adkins could have had that record and not had fans calling for his sacking.

Also, if I recall, Martin had more of a say on who we signed that summer because we didn't have a director of football. He was part of a committee with Mowbray and Kraft/Ankersen? Of course, we didn't get Matt O'Riley, who has since proven to be a waste of money that we fortunately dodged anyway.

But he did blag the Rangers gig, and for him that was the equivalent of a top top top top club.

[Midfield_General]

All these signed that summer, on his watch:

 

Adam Lallana (36)

Charlie Taylor (30)

Ryan Fraser (30)

Maxwel Cornet (27)

Aaron Ramsdale (26)

Flynn Downes (25)

Ben Brereton Diaz (25)

Yuki Sugawara (24)

 

Yeah, he really got stitched up with a team full of kids who were brought in for the future. 

The fact is that he signed off on poor quality players coming in because he totally underestimated the required level of the Premier League, then compounded it by sending them out to get slaughtered every week playing his suicidal tactics. 

Two of the young players he did have - Dibling and Fernandes - were two of our best players that season. They were let down by having to play in a team which was full of dross and poorly managed. 

He is just pathologically incapable of accepting he is ever at fault. 

 

Edited Monday at 21:30 by Midfield_General

[Saint Keef]

6 hours ago, BarberSaint said:

But he did blag the Rangers gig, and for him that was the equivalent of a top top top top club.

Yeah, I agree and that went well for him....NOT. When we got promoted I really think it was despite him, not because of him. Unfortunately for him he has over acheived in the buisness of bullshit and seriously under acheived in the business of football management.

[Miltonaggro]

3 hours ago, Saint Keef said:

Yeah, I agree and that went well for him....NOT. When we got promoted I really think it was despite him, not because of him. Unfortunately for him he has over acheived in the buisness of bullshit and seriously under acheived in the business of football management.

I said at the time that the highlight and peak of his managerial career would likely be the play off win with Saints. Stand by this. 

[CB Fry]

9 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

All these signed that summer, on his watch:

 

Adam Lallana (36)

Charlie Taylor (30)

Ryan Fraser (30)

Maxwel Cornet (27)

Aaron Ramsdale (26)

Flynn Downes (25)

Ben Brereton Diaz (25)

Yuki Sugawara (24)

 

Yeah, he really got stitched up with a team full of kids who were brought in for the future. 

The fact is that he signed off on poor quality players coming in because he totally underestimated the required level of the Premier League, then compounded it by sending them out to get slaughtered every week playing his suicidal tactics. 

Two of the young players he did have - Dibling and Fernandes - were two of our best players that season. They were let down by having to play in a team which was full of dross and poorly managed. 

He is just pathologically incapable of accepting he is ever at fault. 

 

A minute's silence for those poor saps still swallowing everything their beloved Wussell tells them.

Struggling along with those wide-eyed raw young prospects Ryan Fraser, Charlie Taylor and Maxwell Cornet. They'll all be be brilliant when they've matured.

Edited yesterday at 06:35 by CB Fry

[Midfield_General]

Meanwhile he really might have to play the kids this year because Leicester haven’t got a pot to piss in and are selling everyone that moves. 

If it doesn’t work out, let’s see how long it takes him to start throwing the young players under the bus or crying about how the club didn’t give him the right players for his unbeatable system. 

Edited yesterday at 08:48 by Midfield_General

[coalman]

44 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Meanwhile he really might have to play the kids this year because Leicester haven’t got a pot to piss in and are selling everyone that moves. 

If it doesn’t work out, let’s see how long it takes him to start throwing the young players under the bus or crying about how the club didn’t give him the right players for his unbeatable system. 

"no one could have succeeded with those players"

[Midfield_General]

More insights: 

“We were so close in so many games - Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Brighton away. We played some brilliant football. We were so close, and I felt like we were building. We got a really bad result, and I was gone. It was like, ‘OK’, because I was asked to play and develop young players. That’s football. I was angry and frustrated at that. Then Rangers, I’m angry at myself because of lots of things. It probably wasn’t the right fit for them or me.

That interview in full:

 

EXCLUSIVE: The big Russell Martin interview: The rebirth of Leicester City from 'game model' to building a new culture
An exclusive sit-down interview with Leicester City boss Russell Martin

By Josh Holland Leicester City correspondent
07:00, 27 Jul 2026

Russell Martin has been in charge of Leicester City for six weeks now, and the change in atmosphere around the club is impossible not to notice.
The former Southampton and Swansea City boss has spent the last four weeks with his new players, putting them through their paces with demanding workloads and implementing his “game model”.
Martin’s appointment was met with mixed reactions from those who fill the King Power Stadium, following his difficult and perhaps unfair ending at Southampton and his incredibly short spell at Rangers.
But Martin brings an abundance of qualities to Seagrave that have been lacking for some time. People who have spoken to LeicestershireLive, and who will remain anonymous, have all highlighted his desire to coach, his passion for the job, and his ability to build relationships with people around the football club.

But what was the thinking behind taking the job? What did he learn from his previous roles? What did he make of Leicester upon his arrival? What is the culture he is trying to build? And what is his view of his players ahead of the League One season?
For the first time since joining the club, Martin sat down with the Leicester Mercury's Josh Holland for an in-depth interview at Leicester's training base in southern Spain to answer all of those questions.
Martin was a name on Leicester's radar when the club explored its options following relegation from the Premier League. Ruud van Nistelrooy's exit at the end of June left City behind their rivals in the race to appoint a new manager, with Martin ultimately joining Rangers.
‌
Once relegation to League One was confirmed, it became clear that Gary Rowett would not be given the keys to the desperately needed rebuild at Seagrave. After Darren Ferguson, Dave Challinor and Richie Wellens were all mentioned as ‘hard heads’ who could steady the ship, Martin's name returned to the conversation - and the club got their man.

“I could have gone back in earlier. I had job offers from abroad and this country throughout my time off,” he said when asked why the Leicester job was the right one for him. “Then this summer, I was very close to going abroad and then this club came in.
“I spoke to James [McCarron] and Jon [Rudkin], and then the ownership, and it became really clear that it was the one I was most excited about and where I wanted to be.
‌
“One, because of the honesty over the past couple of years and where they felt it went wrong. There was real accountability in terms of: ‘This has been the problem, and this is why we’re interested in having you as our manager and what you can bring us.’ The conversations were really good.
“And just the size and stature of this club. It’s won the Premier League, has a huge fanbase, amazing facilities and brilliant young players. I was convinced that we were going to be able to do what we wanted to do in terms of the process and the work.
“For all those reasons, it ticked every box, and I feel like I’ve made the right choice. It really feels like that.”
The City boss has often been spotted in conversation with sporting director McCarron or chief football officer Rudkin, or both, before or after friendlies this summer. He has also made a point of getting to know the support staff away from the public eye - people who have helped make his transition into the club easier.
‌
“The people have been great, really good people and have really brilliant knowledge and expertise in their areas,” he said. “I’m talking about the support staff. I’ve been so impressed with them.
“A lot of them have been here through some really successful periods, and it’s obviously been a difficult couple of years. It would be easier to walk into something and think there will be a problem there, but they’ve been brilliant.

“Everyone at the training ground has been really open and willing to take on board what we’re asking them in terms of behaviour and the process that we’re embarking on. I’ve been really impressed by that and pleased with that.”
‌
There have been changes on the training ground, too. Harry Winks and Victor Kristiansen started pre-season with Leicester before being allowed to leave the club, while a large portion of the group featuring in pre-season has come from the academy.
The presence of Will Alves, Bade Aluko, Riley Carr, Tommy Neale and Jayden Joseph has been a breath of fresh air for supporters. A clip posted on social media by the club on Friday night showed Aluko, Carr and Neale playing darts, with fans raving about the youngsters being front and centre.
For Martin, the squad has been spot-on.
“On the playing front, it’s the same really for the players,” he said. “It’s easy to assume after two years that maybe the players are not fully invested, but I have to say, they’ve been really good.
‌
“I know a lot of players have left already and I don’t judge what’s gone on previously, but from me coming in and giving people the clean slate, as much as possible, they’ve been fantastic to work with.
“They’ve worked so hard. Their willingness and what they’ve put on the pitch after three weeks in terms of their learning and understanding, I’ve been really impressed with. Now we have to keep pushing them and be really relentless with that. It’s exciting.”

One word Martin is not particularly fond of is ‘philosophy’, especially in football. The term ‘game model’ is increasingly used, but there is no single way of playing that can define every team.
‌
Asked how supporters will be able to identify his Leicester side this season, Martin said: “The players will run really hard for each other, and we’ll play with a level of intensity and aggression, with and without the ball.
“We’ll try to be as dominant as we possibly can. They will be a team that fights and runs together and is together. That will be the most important thing.
“Regardless of all the tactics, we have to change things in some games. The philosophy in terms of behaviours will remain the same, but the game model might look different from one week to the next because of the problems we will face and the different solutions we will need.
“First and foremost, to fight, run, work, and be aggressive.”
‌
He added: “After three and a half weeks, they’ve taken it on so quickly. They’ve been brilliant.

“There are moments in the games where it’s like, ‘OK, that looks exactly how we want it to look’, and there are some sticky moments because we’re learning and developing. I’ve been so impressed by their willingness and courage to do it. If they maintain that, it’ll be a really exciting season.”
Martin left Rangers in October after just 17 games, almost one year after being dismissed by Southampton. Both roles brought different lessons, on and off the pitch, and the City boss has reflected on the process during his time away from the dugout in the hope it will help make him a better manager.
‌
“To be honest, Southampton frustrated me because I stuck to my side of the bargain,” he said. “We got them promoted after year one, we lost a really important person in the director of football [Jason Wilcox], who brought me to the club, and we didn’t replace him.

“Then in the Premier League, we looked at the squad, and we were weaker than we were in the Championship. We lost some big players like Che Adams, Stuart Armstrong and David Brooks, who was on loan.
“We made the decision there and then to sign some young players who could develop and, if we got relegated, would really help us the following year. So it was similar to Ipswich in terms of sticking with it and having continuity.
‌
“In all the probabilities and data, the club was going to get relegated, but the club would have a right go. Actually, some of the things the boys were doing after the first few weeks, when there was a bit of anxiety and nerves about being in the Premier League, were great.
“We were so close in so many games - Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Brighton away. We played some brilliant football. We were so close, and I felt like we were building. We got a really bad result, and I was gone.
“It was like, ‘OK’, because I was asked to play and develop young players. That’s football. I was angry and frustrated at that.
“Then Rangers, I’m angry at myself because of lots of things. It probably wasn’t the right fit for them or me.
‌
“It is what it is, but I learned so much from both of them. I love football, coaching, and managing, so I’ve been around and had the fortune, which you don’t often get, to watch so many clubs train in this country, Italy, Spain, and Germany.
“I was able to pick up things from different coaches and top coaches who have won many things, and build relationships. It’s been fascinating and really interesting. I’ve taken a lot from it.
“That’s why I was so excited to make sure the next one was right for me. Hopefully, I think I’m a better manager now than I was definitely two years ago, or a year ago, so hopefully we’ll benefit from that.”
The objective at Leicester is clear: promotion to the Championship. Martin knows what his team will have to do across the next 10 months to achieve it.
‌
“We’re going to have to be willing to fight all the time,” he said. “To win duels, win battles and take the football. If we bring that all the time, hopefully, with the quality of players we have and the game model we have, it gives us a chance to be successful.
“Success means that we’re in the Championship next summer. That’s it. Then we can talk about anything else after that.”
Is he confident?
‌
“We’ve not played one league game yet, but I’m confident that we’ll have a process, a game model and a squad capability that means we can achieve that,” he said. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here. If I didn’t think we could achieve that, I wouldn’t be here.
“So I’m really excited about it. I’m really hopeful. We’re going to have to have real humility because it’s going to be really tough. It’s not going to be easy. It’s never going to be easy.
“It’s an exciting challenge.”

[Badger]

24 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

“To be honest, Southampton ….

. “We got them promoted after year one, 
“We were so close in so many games - Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Brighton away. We played some brilliant football. We were so close, and I felt like we were building. We got a really bad result, and I was gone.

 

“We got a really bad result….. “

Yes Russ, just the one bad result. It was so unfair.

And he speaks of humility at the end of the interview. 

[Saint Paul C]

Russell Martin's First Leicester Interview (As Interpreted by Reality)

Josh Holland: Russell, you've been at Leicester for six weeks now. The atmosphere around the club feels completely different. What have you changed?

Russell Martin: Well, obviously the atmosphere was always going to improve once I arrived. That's just basic science. If it hadn't improved, I'd have assumed the weather was against us, or someone had left the windows open. Either way, not really my fault.

Josh: A lot of fans were sceptical about your appointment after Southampton and Rangers. Did that bother you?

Russell: Not at all. Fans are often sceptical until they realise I'm right. Southampton misunderstood me, Rangers misunderstood me, and some Leicester fans briefly misunderstood me. There's quite a pattern there, actually. Statistically it's impossible for me to be the common denominator.

Josh: Why Leicester?

Russell: The owners were refreshingly honest. They admitted everything that had gone wrong over the last few years was somebody else's fault before I even had to point it out. It was a very productive meeting.

Josh: You've spoken highly about the support staff.

Russell: Outstanding people. Very capable.

If anything goes well this season, it'll be because they've embraced my methods.

If anything goes badly... well... hopefully they'll embrace my methods a bit more.

Josh: You've promoted a lot of academy players.

Russell: Young players are fantastic because they haven't yet learned bad habits from previous managers.

Older players sometimes need reminding that football should be played exactly as I explain it.

If they don't quite manage that... well, that's a coaching opportunity for them.

Josh: How would you describe your football philosophy?

Russell: I don't like the word philosophy.

People use it to imply there's only one way to play.

There isn't.

There are many ways to play...

...provided they all involve doing exactly what I tell you.

Josh: What should Leicester fans expect this season?

Russell: Intensity. Aggression. Dominance.

If we're dominating, you'll know the players have executed the game model perfectly.

If we're not dominating...

...it's probably because the opposition refused to cooperate with the game model.

Very inconsiderate of them.

Josh: Let's talk about Southampton. Any regrets?

Russell: Regrets? No.

We got promoted.

Then we sold good players.

Didn't replace key staff.

Had a weaker squad.

Played teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United...

Honestly, if those clubs had shown a bit more respect and stopped scoring slightly more goals than us, we'd probably still be there.

Josh: You were relegated though.

Russell: Technically.

But only because the table was based on points instead of expected appreciation of positional build-up.

Josh: Some critics said you refused to adapt.

Russell: I adapted constantly.

Sometimes we lost while dominating possession.

Other times we lost while developing young players.

Completely different.

Josh: Rangers only lasted 17 games.

Russell: That's football.

Wrong fit.

Wrong timing.

Wrong expectations.

Wrong league.

Wrong weather.

Wrong stars aligning.

Lots of things.

People keep asking if I made mistakes.

Well... I made the mistake of assuming everyone else knew what I was trying to do.

Josh: You did say you were angry at yourself.

Russell: Yes.

I'm angry I didn't realise sooner how many external factors were conspiring against me.

Self-awareness is important.

Josh: What lessons did you learn?

Russell: Never underestimate how creative football clubs can be at preventing your ideas from succeeding.

I've become much better at identifying obstacles.

Referees.

Recruitment.

Fixture congestion.

Grass length.

Wind direction.

VAR.

Player decision-making.

Gravity.

There's always something.

Josh: What defines success this season?

Russell: Promotion.

If we get promoted, it'll validate everything I've ever believed.

If we don't...

...we'll need a very thorough investigation into scheduling, injuries, officiating, squad turnover, financial restrictions, transfer timing, atmospheric pressure and perhaps lunar cycles.

Because I refuse to believe the game model was the issue.

Josh: Are you confident?

Russell: Completely.

I've never doubted myself.

I've occasionally doubted reality.

Reality has been wrong surprisingly often.

Josh: Final message for Leicester supporters?

Russell: Trust the process.

If we're winning, you'll understand the process.

If we're losing, you simply haven't seen enough of the process yet.

Eventually everything will click.

And if it doesn't...

...someone clearly interrupted the process.

Again.

Not me.

[LiberalCommunist]

The best thing Russel Martin can do now for his career, is succeed at Leicester. These woe me interviews repainting the passage of time are fooling nobody. He isn't solely to blame for what happened, after all someone should have spotted his dogmatic, rigid approach and given him an ultimatum far earlier than his too late into the season sacking. But he seemingly cannot take any accountability for any of his failures, and that is rather dangerous in the world of football. He better hope they have fully extinguished all the rot from Leicester's dressing room, or this little experiment will eat him up. 

League one is a battle ground where ego's go to die. Time to walk the walk. 

Edited 13 hours ago by LiberalCommunist

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

7 hours ago, Saint Paul C said:

Russell Martin's First Leicester Interview (As Interpreted by Reality)

 

Josh Holland: Russell, you've been at Leicester for six weeks now. The atmosphere around the club feels completely different. What have you changed?

 

Russell Martin: Well, obviously the atmosphere was always going to improve once I arrived. That's just basic science. If it hadn't improved, I'd have assumed the weather was against us, or someone had left the windows open. Either way, not really my fault.

 

Josh: A lot of fans were sceptical about your appointment after Southampton and Rangers. Did that bother you?

 

Russell: Not at all. Fans are often sceptical until they realise I'm right. Southampton misunderstood me, Rangers misunderstood me, and some Leicester fans briefly misunderstood me. There's quite a pattern there, actually. Statistically it's impossible for me to be the common denominator.

 

Josh: Why Leicester?

 

Russell: The owners were refreshingly honest. They admitted everything that had gone wrong over the last few years was somebody else's fault before I even had to point it out. It was a very productive meeting.

 

Josh: You've spoken highly about the support staff.

 

Russell: Outstanding people. Very capable.

 

If anything goes well this season, it'll be because they've embraced my methods.

 

If anything goes badly... well... hopefully they'll embrace my methods a bit more.

 

Josh: You've promoted a lot of academy players.

 

Russell: Young players are fantastic because they haven't yet learned bad habits from previous managers.

 

Older players sometimes need reminding that football should be played exactly as I explain it.

 

If they don't quite manage that... well, that's a coaching opportunity for them.

 

Josh: How would you describe your football philosophy?

 

Russell: I don't like the word philosophy.

 

People use it to imply there's only one way to play.

 

There isn't.

 

There are many ways to play...

 

...provided they all involve doing exactly what I tell you.

 

Josh: What should Leicester fans expect this season?

 

Russell: Intensity. Aggression. Dominance.

 

If we're dominating, you'll know the players have executed the game model perfectly.

 

If we're not dominating...

 

...it's probably because the opposition refused to cooperate with the game model.

 

Very inconsiderate of them.

 

Josh: Let's talk about Southampton. Any regrets?

 

Russell: Regrets? No.

 

We got promoted.

 

Then we sold good players.

 

Didn't replace key staff.

 

Had a weaker squad.

 

Played teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United...

 

Honestly, if those clubs had shown a bit more respect and stopped scoring slightly more goals than us, we'd probably still be there.

 

Josh: You were relegated though.

 

Russell: Technically.

 

But only because the table was based on points instead of expected appreciation of positional build-up.

 

Josh: Some critics said you refused to adapt.

 

Russell: I adapted constantly.

 

Sometimes we lost while dominating possession.

 

Other times we lost while developing young players.

 

Completely different.

 

Josh: Rangers only lasted 17 games.

 

Russell: That's football.

 

Wrong fit.

 

Wrong timing.

 

Wrong expectations.

 

Wrong league.

 

Wrong weather.

 

Wrong stars aligning.

 

Lots of things.

 

People keep asking if I made mistakes.

 

Well... I made the mistake of assuming everyone else knew what I was trying to do.

 

Josh: You did say you were angry at yourself.

 

Russell: Yes.

 

I'm angry I didn't realise sooner how many external factors were conspiring against me.

 

Self-awareness is important.

 

Josh: What lessons did you learn?

 

Russell: Never underestimate how creative football clubs can be at preventing your ideas from succeeding.

 

I've become much better at identifying obstacles.

 

Referees.

 

Recruitment.

 

Fixture congestion.

 

Grass length.

 

Wind direction.

 

VAR.

 

Player decision-making.

 

Gravity.

 

There's always something.

 

Josh: What defines success this season?

 

Russell: Promotion.

 

If we get promoted, it'll validate everything I've ever believed.

 

If we don't...

 

...we'll need a very thorough investigation into scheduling, injuries, officiating, squad turnover, financial restrictions, transfer timing, atmospheric pressure and perhaps lunar cycles.

 

Because I refuse to believe the game model was the issue.

 

Josh: Are you confident?

 

Russell: Completely.

 

I've never doubted myself.

 

I've occasionally doubted reality.

 

Reality has been wrong surprisingly often.

 

Josh: Final message for Leicester supporters?

 

Russell: Trust the process.

 

If we're winning, you'll understand the process.

 

If we're losing, you simply haven't seen enough of the process yet.

 

Eventually everything will click.

 

And if it doesn't...

 

...someone clearly interrupted the process.

 

Again.

 

Not me.

 

Some of it is frighteningly true though!