Russell Martin

[Pamplemousse]

He'll be at Norwich by the time we play them in December.

[Cuddles]

Two words: Scar tissue.

Hope Lucy has a nurse outfit.

[Badger]

31 minutes ago, egg said:

It's hard to see where his career goes from here. Whether he'd be willing to drop back to the championship, or even league 1, I'd be surprised. Even then, his commitment to a process which plainly doesn't work, and his comments about his players, are hardly going to appeal to many chairman.

He’ll end up talking the game on Sky or somewhere. Along with the other ‘expert’ managerial failure Rooney, although he at least has a successful playing career on his CV. 

But credit to them for at least giving it a go in the manager’s chair unlike pricks like Carragher. 

[CB Fry]

He's got another job in him for sure, probably the Championship again unless he wants to disappear to Belgium, Holland or Sweden or somewhere like Pardew/Cooper/McClaren/Parker did.

Norwich is the obvious one but might become available too early.

 

Anyway at least we can see he's not the forward thinking football revolutionary genius that the Martin disciples on here were making him out to be.

Sorry lads, we're all thinking of you in this difficult time ❤️ 🫶 🙏

[Holmes_and_Watson]

It was a massive opportunity. But also a massive challenge.

Rangers' financial and recruitment issues had seen them look at a gap to Celtic that had been become a chasm, and was getting wider.

Both massive clubs in Scotland. But falling behind any club with a half decent TV deal, and some decent European results.

Rangers needed an absolute clear out. But one that had to hit the ground running to compete in Europe, against Celtic and be strong enough to dominate the rest of Scottish clubs. The quality might not be great, but these clubs work as hard and as best they can within their restraints.

All while the transfer window was ongoing. And while the domestic and European games were underway. And all happening in a disjointed way on a shoestring budget.

Then you bring in a possession system for a team that already receives 65% and dominates games. That was the opportunity for Martin to have a better domestic version of his system. How to have much higher lines of transition to move apart opponents. How to reset but dominate. 

The players that were brought in in bulk didn't help Russ' core system much. He didn't get a Downes figure. Or an Adams. Or a Smallbone. He didn't have defenders comfortable in passing it out.

Just watching window unfold from the new owners thinking £20 million was going to solve everything, to the Raskin fall out, to a player refusing to come on, to the lack of physical and mental strength in the side.

The club, the resources, the recruitment and Martin's system all came together as it did for his PL season here. He apparently interviewed very well. But there was a massive gulf between that and the implementation from all parties.

He's got 2 CL qualification wins out of his time there. He's got a Championship promotion from his time with us. It will be interesting to see where he ends up. He'll presumably want to equal where he's reached. But he needs a club, looking to step up by doing something different who can fund it, and who also have a core group already good enough to cover the gaps. Quite an ask, and he could just end up on Sky, finding fault in every move, without seeing the broader pattern.

[Willo of Whiteley]

I’ve already seen a couple of fans saying “BrInG hIm HoMe” 🤣

[Badger]

4 minutes ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I’ve already seen a couple of fans saying “BrInG hIm HoMe” 🤣

What’s the name or collective noun for that strata of our support below being “nods” ? 

[Saint NL]

[Verbal]

26 minutes ago, Turkish said:

So you made it all up then 😂😂

For you and for all self-loathing online stalkers everywhere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk

[die Mannyschaft]

31 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Not really. He'll get a decent Championship job because the last time he managed in the Championship he pushed 90pts and won the playoffs. That's enough to get you a crack with an underperforming Champ side with top six ambitions

He was willing to take a Championship job before Rangers (he got offered the Leicester job and had meetings with WBA) so I'm sure he'd still be willing to take one next time around. He'd probably benefit from a bit of time out of the game because the Rangers experience has been a bit of an ordeal for him really

And as much as Rangers was a total shitshow, there are also quite a few other contributing factors at that club (not that I am trying to find excuses for Dear Old Russ...) and a Champ side will look at Saints and Swansea as more relevant experience

I'll be surprised if we get 90 points and win play offs this season and that's with playing a similar style of football for 1st half at least. RM will get another championship team, Sheff Wed, Watford,  Derby..

[Turkish]

11 minutes ago, Verbal said:

For you and for all self-loathing online stalkers everywhere

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkzRNyygfk

Do you need me to remind you why your wife made you promise you never post on here again and why in the years since you’ve spun a web of deceit carrying on, putting posting on the internet ahead of your marriage?

[BarberSaint]

43 minutes ago, CSA96 said:

Not really. He'll get a decent Championship job because the last time he managed in the Championship he pushed 90pts and won the playoffs. That's enough to get you a crack with an underperforming Champ side with top six ambitions

He was willing to take a Championship job before Rangers (he got offered the Leicester job and had meetings with WBA) so I'm sure he'd still be willing to take one next time around. He'd probably benefit from a bit of time out of the game because the Rangers experience has been a bit of an ordeal for him really

And as much as Rangers was a total shitshow, there are also quite a few other contributing factors at that club (not that I am trying to find excuses for Dear Old Russ...) and a Champ side will look at Saints and Swansea as more relevant experience

 

 

So you're saying people who hire managers/head coaches don't really have a clue.

 

I think he should hold out for the Coventry job when Rangers steal Lampard then.

[Verbal]

20 minutes ago, Turkish said:

Do you need me to remind you why your wife made you promise you never post on here again and why in the years since you’ve spun a web of deceit carrying on, putting posting on the internet ahead of your marriage?

All untrue. But I've let this go in the past because it just reminds me what a sad state you're in. Poor you. And well done on derailing the thread with frequent reminders of your prurience.

Edited Sunday at 22:37 by Verbal

[Willo of Whiteley]

I admire how brave he was walking across the pitch to a back entrance to get in a car to avoid Rangers fans…. To run away!

[Turkish]

4 minutes ago, Verbal said:

All untrue. But I've let this go in the past because it just reminds me what a sad state you're in. Poor you. And well done on derailing the thread with frequent reminders of your prurience.

Which bits are untrue?

[Verbal]

Just now, Turkish said:

Which bits are untrue?

I saw you do something similar to Sue the other day. It was the display of a sickened mind if I'm honest - aggressively sexist, ugly and stalker-like. If there's a woman you can try to humiliate, you're right on it. I'm amazed the mods on here tolerate it. 

[Saint86]

3 hours ago, skintsaint said:

In fairness to him, we were 1 - 4 - 2 in the champ after 7 games, so his Rangers side had more points that we did at that stage - i think thats fairly comparable (given we're a newly relegated side spending tens of millions on our pick of players)....

[Dark Munster]

4 hours ago, Verbal said:

Shame. 

What on earth shall we do now?

Focus our attention on Still, Spors and Ankersen?

[AlexLaw76]

6 hours ago, LaptopSaint said:

W1D5L1 v W2D5L2

Pass the popcorn 

Now compare the mood of each set of fans!

Even the TSP last night was very placid about it all, with only the slightest bubble of annoyance from Martin Sanders.

[rooney]

At last so perhaps the Mods will now close this thread.

[Suhari]

Interesting to see whether he gets another job, and at what level.

[coalman]

The Rangers hierarchy need to take a good look at themselves over this. They took their sweet time appointing their outstanding candidate snatching him away from Leicester in the process. They showed the vision to appoint a manager for the long term and bravery to appoint someone who'd failed there as a player. Yet only three months on they've bottled it and abandoned him to the baying mob. Martin was right - Rangers have a mentality problem. 

Now us poor Saints fans are left without Martin managing a rival team in the Championship and with little joy on match weekends until United sack Amorim so Wilcox can reunite with Martin.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

3 minutes ago, Suhari said:

Interesting to see whether he gets another job, and at what level.

Also interesting to listen to where he thinks it went wrong. He won't be the only manager to be moved on in this break. Is it too soon to make some media appearances, and be ready to jump back in?

Listening to his final interview, you could see he knew there was every chance he'd be gone. So, it's still very raw.

He could point to needing more time. The board said that transition needed time, but they still expected better results. The fans were just horrified at the style of play.

To that Martin could look at the massive player turnover. And he still didn't end up with a spine to play his system. And the board knew exactly what system that would be.

They did spend a lot by Scottish standards. But it was spread thinly across a lot of players. 

He has taken a team into the PL. Admittedly, a very well resources championship club. So, clubs might look at that. Hopefully all concerned will look to make sure they have a first eleven capable of playing it next time.

 

[benjii]

6 hours ago, Turkish said:

Do you need me to remind you why your wife made you promise you never post on here again and why in the years since you’ve spun a web of deceit carrying on, putting posting on the internet ahead of your marriage?

Well, personally, I couldn't give a shit about his relationship with his wife and I'm not sure why you keep bringing it up. 

[coalman]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Also interesting to listen to where he thinks it went wrong. He won't be the only manager to be moved on in this break. Is it too soon to make some media appearances, and be ready to jump back in?

To that Martin could look at the massive player turnover. And he still didn't end up with a spine to play his system. And the board knew exactly what system that would be.

 

I think he'll look back and get some good learnings about how he should have recruited players differently because he wasn't prepared for the physicality of the league. His fundamental problem is he "learns" it's not his fault. He talks a good game about learning and he's world class at  platitudes but that's it.

The trouble Martin now has is any future employers know what his system is but also know future opponents know what his system is. Against a Martin coached side you're only 1-2 passes away from being through on goal and any cross into the box is likely to result in a shot. Plus you're always getting plenty of time to get back into defensive shape.

Edited 20 hours ago by coalman

[East Kent Saint]

Too true , why would any club in the Prem or Championship consider him as manager ? His system has been proven not to work but he keeps repeating it at each club plus he has never taken reponsibility for it's failure .

[saintstowin]

'Martin's excruciating Rangers era finally at a chaotic conclusion' - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c93053rr56wo

A very good write up and video. Fans found him superior - that's a nutshell. And I'm not surprised he got the job based on a presentation. 

I honestly think he'll feel it wasn't down to him.

[AlexLaw76]

19 minutes ago, East Kent Saint said:

Too true , why would any club in the Prem or Championship consider him as manager ? His system has been proven not to work but he keeps repeating it at each club plus he has never taken reponsibility for it's failure .

Last time he was in the championship he got promoted. Even Will Still would need to radically improve to achieve at least that

[Crab Lungs]

Well, the first thing I did when I saw this was have a giggle. He absolutely reaped what he sowed there, especially with all the excuses he used.

He looked very much like a guy who let the ferocity of managing Rangers and the spotlight of being with one of Glasgow’s big two get to him. Whilst egomaniacs like Rodgers can absorb the attention into their ego, Martin was fundamentally affected by it.

When he talked about anxiety in the players, that was projection. The anxiety was in himself.

Now the dust has settled somewhat, I am left with a truly baffling question. Did he underachieve with us? 

Actually, I genuinely think he did very well for us, in fact, probably gave us some of our best memories as fans. 

And despite his obsession with his vanity tactics, he did show that he can adapt when required in the Championship. The hybrid 3 at the back system he rolled out vs WBA and Leeds twice in particular does point to a manager who can organise his side.

its the fragility of his ego that is stopping him becoming a genuinely good manager IMO. If only he were to realise that having that flexibility to change things is tactical nous and not a weakness.

Popcorn at the ready for the next job…

[Saint_clark]

19 minutes ago, saintstowin said:

'Martin's excruciating Rangers era finally at a chaotic conclusion' - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c93053rr56wo

A very good write up and video. Fans found him superior - that's a nutshell. And I'm not surprised he got the job based on a presentation. 

I honestly think he'll feel it wasn't down to him.

He's been an arrogant tosser everywhere he's been and always blamed everything except himself. I can't believe some in the media were defending him when we sacked him, it's taken this Rangers debacle for them to realise what a fraud he is.

[coalman]

4 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Last time he was in the championship he got promoted. Even Will Still would need to radically improve to achieve at least that

True but given the unchanging nature of his system the tactics to beat a team he manages are.

1. Press defence and keeper for easy chances.

2. Then sit back and defend deep. Watch aimless passes as his attackers become static waiting for a through ball that's not coming.

3. Break into the acres of space down the wings when his team turns over the ball.

I doubt he's repeating the feat ever again.

[AlexLaw76]

1 minute ago, coalman said:

True but given the unchanging nature of his system the tactics to beat a team he manages are.

1. Press defence and keeper for easy chances.

2. Then sit back and defend deep. Watch aimless passes as his attackers become static waiting for a through ball that's not coming.

3. Break into the acres of space down the wings when his team turns over the ball.

I doubt he's repeating the feat ever again.

Oh I agree, and I could see right through him during the unbeaten run.

but it would be a damning indictment on Still if he falls short of the points/final position of what Martin achieved a few years back.

He should have been relieved of his duties a week after the playoff final. I guess the new contract he got instead was part of his deal when he originally signed. Then it became criminal holding onto him for as long as we did, then to admit he was moved on for reasons other than football!

[coalman]

14 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Oh I agree, and I could see right through him during the unbeaten run.

but it would be a damning indictment on Still if he falls short of the points/final position of what Martin achieved a few years back.

He should have been relieved of his duties a week after the playoff final. I guess the new contract he got instead was part of his deal when he originally signed. Then it became criminal holding onto him for as long as we did, then to admit he was moved on for reasons other than football!

I'm still hopeful that things will click for Still. The Liverpool performance gave me a lot of hope. Even if we've regressed since then in places.

[Miltonaggro]

9 hours ago, Cuddles said:

Two words: Scar tissue.

Hope Lucy has a nurse outfit.

And an enema kit for the impacted bullshit! 

Edited 20 hours ago by Miltonaggro

[ant]

8 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I’ve already seen a couple of fans saying “BrInG hIm HoMe” 🤣

Even better - Selles has been freed from employment just in time to return as his assistant.

Perhaps we can coax Rusk back to work in a supporting role? Or maybe it's time to tempt Eric Black out of retirement.

Christ, Redknapp as director of football?

Redemption arcs for all!

[Osvaldorama]

He’s a very bad manager.

 

We should have been challenging for Autos with our previous squad. 

[Turkish]

8 hours ago, Verbal said:

I saw you do something similar to Sue the other day. It was the display of a sickened mind if I'm honest - aggressively sexist, ugly and stalker-like. If there's a woman you can try to humiliate, you're right on it. I'm amazed the mods on here tolerate it. 

The same women who has repeatedly called me a wanker, tosser and all sorts of others names, often completely unprovoked over the years. Same with you, you’ve had a couple of pops recently, same with a couple of others. If you notice the only ones I give any hassle to are the ones who give it to me. As the saying goes if you can’t take it don’t dish it out. Funny how these people with the big mouths are the first to play the victim whenever it goes against them. 

Edited 19 hours ago by Turkish

[Fabrice29]

10 hours ago, trousers said:

Thoughts at this time very much with @Fabrice29, @notnowcato, @Lighthouse, @Farmer Saint and @gio1saints

Always here to talk if you ever need a shoulder ♥️

I’m always happy to talk if you need it too? At least until we start winning some games so you can stop talking about the last manager that did here?

Edited 19 hours ago by Fabrice29

[Saint_clark]

4 minutes ago, Fabrice29 said:

I’m always happy to talk if you need it too? At least until we start winning some games so you can stop talking about the last manager that did here?

We've won games under Still. 

[Fabrice29]

9 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

We've won games under Still. 

Suspect the chatter around him on here will be perfectly normal and level headed by certain posters too then.

[benjii]

38 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

He’s a very bad manager.

 

We should have been challenging for Autos with our previous squad. 

We were until match 41 of 46. If we'd beaten Ipswich at Portman Road we'd have had a pretty decent chance of second, but that night fecked it.

[benjii]

18 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

We've won games under Still. 

Lol.

Only just. He's been garbage.

[Sarnia Cherie]

1 hour ago, East Kent Saint said:

Too true , why would any club in the Prem or Championship consider him as manager ? His system has been proven not to work but he keeps repeating it at each club plus he has never taken reponsibility for it's failure .

That's because it is never his fault. It's always someone else's neck on the line but never his. However, he isn't as daft as he looks. He's making a nice bit out of being sacked on a regular basis. 

[BARCELONASAINT]

2 hours ago, saintstowin said:

'Martin's excruciating Rangers era finally at a chaotic conclusion' - https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c93053rr56wo

A very good write up and video. Fans found him superior - that's a nutshell. And I'm not surprised he got the job based on a presentation. 

I honestly think he'll feel it wasn't down to him.

How many of us on here know work colleges that have got promotions based on the fact they interview very well because they know all the corporate buzz words and use examples of work they have done that is usually complete lies and never checked by their employer. These people often turn out to be absolute shit at their promoted roles because they lack any common sense and get found out very quickly!!!

[Badger]

3 minutes ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

How many of us on here know work colleges that have got promotions based on the fact they interview very well because they know all the corporate buzz words and use examples of work they have done that is usually complete lies and never checked by their employer. These people often turn out to be absolute shit at their promoted roles because they lack any common sense and get found out very quickly!!!

And sometimes they’re so fucking useless they’re promoted to another role where they can be less damaging to the business. Easier to promote than get rid (and less embarrassing than admitting the mistake !). 

[Badger]

8 minutes ago, BARCELONASAINT said:

How many of us on here know work colleges that have got promotions based on the fact they interview very well because they know all the corporate buzz words and use examples of work they have done that is usually complete lies and never checked by their employer. These people often turn out to be absolute shit at their promoted roles because they lack any common sense and get found out very quickly!!!

Agree that he’d smarm his way in an interview. But a bit difficult for Lego to conceal his previous problems to a potential employer though when it’s highlighted in the media.. 

[saintant]

10 hours ago, Willo of Whiteley said:

I’ve already seen a couple of fans saying “BrInG hIm HoMe” 🤣

Get tae fuck!

[saintant]

2 hours ago, coalman said:

True but given the unchanging nature of his system the tactics to beat a team he manages are.

1. Press defence and keeper for easy chances.

2. Then sit back and defend deep. Watch aimless passes as his attackers become static waiting for a through ball that's not coming.

3. Break into the acres of space down the wings when his team turns over the ball.

I doubt he's repeating the feat ever again.

Oh he will.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, ant said:

Even better - Selles has been freed from employment just in time to return as his assistant.

Perhaps we can coax Rusk back to work in a supporting role? Or maybe it's time to tempt Eric Black out of retirement.

Christ, Redknapp as director of football?

Redemption arcs for all!

Except us.

I guess Hoddle will pop up, telling us we deserve it for things we did in a previous life.🙂

[beatlesaint]

If he doesnt end up on Sky as a pundit I would be surprised if he got another job in England very quickly. He may well rock up in France or Belgium to work his magic next.