Russell Martin

[kitch]

21 hours ago, Saint Paul C said:

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

Josh Holland: Russell, five league games in. One win. Seventeenth in the table. And obviously the 4–0 defeat at home to Oxford hasn't helped.

Russell Martin: No, it hasn't. but I actually think people are being quite simplistic about it.

There were some really positive signs.

Josh: You lost 4–0.

Russell: I know. I'm not denying the scoreline, Josh.

I'm just saying there's more to football than the scoreline.

Josh: What, specifically?

Russell: The way we built up. The structure. The positioning. The courage to receive the ball.

There were periods where we looked exactly like the team I want us to become.

Josh: Unfortunately, those periods didn't seem to include scoring.

Russell: That's something we're working on. But you can't just jump straight to scoring goals.

There's a process.

Josh: Surely scoring goals is quite an important part of that process?

Russell: Of course. But if you try to score before the foundations are right, you end up becoming obsessed with results. And that's how clubs get themselves into trouble.

Josh: Leicester fans might argue that being obsessed with results is fairly reasonable when you're expected to get promoted.

Russell: That's the difference between supporters and coaches. Supporters see the table.

We see the bigger picture.

Josh: And what does the bigger picture look like?

Russell: Very promising.

Josh: Despite one win?

Russell: Because of the one win.

Josh: I'm not sure I follow.

Russell: If we'd won five out of five, people would think everything was working. Now we've got a much clearer understanding of what still needs to improve. That's valuable.

Josh: So the 4–0 defeat was useful?

Russell: Very. Obviously I'd rather we'd won. But from a coaching perspective, four goals conceded gives you a lot of information.

Josh: Presumably three or four of those bits of information were "don't concede goals."

Russell: That's a very basic interpretation. There are layers to it.

Josh: The fans are becoming increasingly frustrated.

Russell: I understand that. They're emotional.

That's what supporters are.

They've paid money, they've got expectations, they want to see their team win. But they also need to understand that we're building something.

Josh: Some of them don't seem particularly interested in what you're building.

Russell: That's fine.

They don't have to understand it yet.

Josh: Yet?

Russell: Eventually they will.

That's normally how these things work.

Josh: And what about those saying you're too stubborn? That you won't change your approach?

Russell: I think that's a misunderstanding. I'm not stubborn. I'm incredibly consistent.

There's a difference.

Josh: But if something isn't working, shouldn't you change it?

Russell: Absolutely. And we have.

Josh: What have you changed?

Russell: We've changed the way we don't change.

Josh: I'm sorry?

Russell: We've become much more flexible within the principles. The principles themselves aren't negotiable.

Josh: Why?

Russell: Because they're my principles.

Josh: And what if the players don't naturally fit those principles?

Russell: Then they have an opportunity to develop.

Josh: What if they can't?

Russell: Then someone else can.

Josh: That sounds like quite a ruthless approach.

Russell: It's professional football. I'm not here to make everyone comfortable. I'm here to make Leicester successful.

Josh: And you believe your way is the way to do that?

Russell: Yes.

Josh: Completely?

Russell: I've watched an enormous amount of football.

I've coached at a very high level.

I've been promoted.

I've been relegated.

I've been misunderstood.

I've been criticised.

I've been proven right.

I've occasionally been proven right later than I'd have liked.

But ultimately, I know what good football looks like.

Josh: Some people would point out that your last two jobs didn't exactly end with overwhelming success.

Russell: That's a very results-based way of looking at it.

Josh: They were both results-based industries.

Russell: That's the problem with football. Everyone wants immediate evidence. Sometimes you have to look beneath the surface.

Josh: Southampton went down.

Russell: Southampton had circumstances.

Josh: Rangers lasted 17 games.

Russell: Rangers had circumstances.

Josh: Leicester have started poorly.

Russell: Leicester have circumstances.

Josh: What circumstances?

Russell: We're still identifying them.

Josh: Any idea where you'll start?

Russell: Probably somewhere between recruitment, squad balance, confidence, injuries, refereeing, fixture scheduling and the supporters' expectations.

Josh: The supporters' expectations?

Russell: Yes. Promotion is a very easy word to say. It's much harder to actually build a team capable of achieving it.

Josh: But wasn't promotion the objective when you were appointed?

Russell: Of course.

Josh: So why shouldn't fans expect it?

Russell: They should.

Josh: That sounds contradictory.

Russell: Only if you don't understand the process.

Josh: Right.

Russell: Look, I understand why people are frustrated. If I was sitting in the stands watching us lose 4–0, I'd probably be frustrated too. Although I'd also be looking at the positioning of the full-backs and wondering why nobody else was noticing what I was noticing.

Josh: What were you noticing?

Russell: Quite a lot.

Josh: Such as?

Russell: I'm not going to give away all my tactical information.

Josh: You were 4–0 down.

Russell: Exactly. They've already seen enough.

Josh: There's been a lot of talk about whether the dressing room has bought into your ideas.

Russell: The players are fantastic.

They work incredibly hard.

They're learning.

Some are further along than others.

Josh: Are they all convinced?

Russell: Conviction comes with understanding. Understanding comes with repetition. Repetition comes with time. Time comes with patience.

Josh: And patience comes from winning?

Russell: Ideally.

Josh: Which you're not doing.

Russell: Not enough yet.

Josh: So where does that leave you?

Russell: In a very good position.

Josh: Seventeenth.

Russell: Temporarily.

Josh: How temporary?

Russell: Very.

Josh: That's quite confident.

Russell: I'm confident because I know what we're doing. The danger would be changing direction because people are shouting.

Josh: What if the shouting gets louder?

Russell: Then we'll know they're passionate.

Josh: And if they're chanting for you to be sacked?

Russell: That's disappointing. But ultimately, I don't coach based on chants.

Josh: What do you coach based on?

Russell: Principles.

Josh: Your principles.

Russell: Correct.

Josh: What would you say to a supporter who says, "Russell, I don't trust the process"?

Russell: I'd say that's okay. You don't have to trust the process.

Josh: Really?

Russell: No. Obviously I'd prefer them to, but trust is earned.

Josh: So how do you earn it?

Russell: By winning.

Josh: Ah.

Russell: Eventually.

Josh: So results do matter.

Russell: Of course they matter. They just don't determine whether I'm right.

Josh: What's the difference?

Russell: Results tell you what happened. They don't necessarily tell you why.

Josh: And you've worked out why Leicester are losing?

Russell: Yes.

Josh: And?

Russell: We're not executing the process well enough.

Josh: Why?

Russell: Because the players are still learning.

Josh: Why are they still learning?

Russell: Because we've only had five games.

Josh: So how long do they need?

Russell: Longer than five games.

Josh: How much longer?

Russell: Enough.

Josh: That's not particularly scientific.

Russell: Coaching isn't a stopwatch.

Josh: What if Leicester lose the next five?

Russell: We'll analyse them.

Josh: And if they lose the five after that?

Russell: We'll analyse those too.

Josh: And at what point do you analyse yourself?

Russell: I do that every day.

Josh: What have you concluded?

Russell: I'm still very good.

Josh: That's your self-analysis?

Russell: It's an ongoing process.

Josh: And you're not concerned about your position?

Russell: No.

Josh: Even with the pressure building?

Russell: Pressure is part of management. I actually quite enjoy it. It confirms people care.

Josh: What about the possibility that the board decide they've had enough?

Russell: That's their decision. But if they do, they'll have to explain why they interrupted a process that was clearly moving in the right direction.

Josh: Even if you're sitting seventeenth?

Russell: Especially then.

Josh: Why especially then?

Russell: Because that's when people panic. And panic is the enemy of progress.

Josh: Russell, if you were a Leicester supporter right now, would you trust Russell Martin?

Russell: Absolutely.

Josh: Even after Oxford?

Russell: Yes.

Josh: Even after one win in five?

Russell: Yes.

Josh: Even after everything that's happened?

Russell: Yes.

Josh: Why?

Russell: Because I know something they don't.

Josh: What's that?

Russell: I'm Russell Martin.

Josh: That's it?

Russell: That's quite a lot, Josh.

Josh: And finally, what happens if the process simply doesn't work?

Russell: Then we'll need to ask why.

Josh: And if the answer is that the football wasn't good enough?

Russell: It won't be.

Josh: What if it is?

Russell: Then we'll look at the players.

Josh: And if they were good enough?

Russell: Recruitment.

Josh: If recruitment was good?

Russell: Injuries.

Josh: If there weren't injuries?

Russell: Referees.

Josh: If the referees were perfect?

Russell: Fixture congestion.

Josh: If that was fine?

Russell: Pitch.

Josh: Perfect pitch?

Russell: Weather.

Josh: Perfect weather?

Russell: Fans.

Josh: The fans?

Russell: I'm not blaming the fans. I'm simply saying football is a complex ecosystem.

Josh: And you are the only constant?

Russell: Exactly.

Josh: Which presumably means—

Russell: If things go well, I've built something exceptional. If things go badly, I've identified a remarkable number of external factors. Either way, we've learned something.

Josh: And the supporters?

Russell: They just need to be patient.

Josh: How patient?

Russell: Until I'm proven right.

Josh: And if you're never proven right?

Russell: Then we need to have a very serious conversation about what "right" actually means.

Josh: Russell Martin. Thank you.

Russell: My pleasure. And Josh?

Josh: Yes?

Russell: Trust the process.

Josh: I'm trying.

Russell: No, you're not.

Josh: How do you know?

Russell: You asked too many questions.

 

The crazy thing is you could almost believe it's real.

[BarberSaint]

11 minutes ago, kitch said:

The crazy thing is you could almost believe it's real.

It wasn't?!

[Oldandtired]

He's everywhere...even in Bake Off!