Russell Martin

[Professor]

When we went 1-0 up I was concerned that scratching a win against the bottom side would be Martin’s excuse to say the system he and his clown show are forcing on the team is working. But the opposite is true. 
How much longer has this car crash of a coaching crew got to go on? 
There are plenty of managers with top level experience not currently in work, British and European. SR need to recognise failure when it’s staring them in the face while there is still time to put things right. 

[JRM]

It's inevitable that Martin will start to get more and more abuse from the crowd, but we should remember he's just doing what he has been recruited to do, a lot of blame needs to be directed further up the chain. Martin wasn't looking to leave Swansea, we headhunted him. 

I had a bit of inside info when we recruited Nathan Jones. He was quite happy at Luton and was not looking to leave. Saints made him an excellent offer and made clear he was the one that we wanted, he certainly wasn't the cheap option paying Luton a few million to release him, like Martin it comes down to SR trying to be too clever and terrible recruitment but not all the blame can be laid at the manager and i have no confidence in the club making a good appointment to replace him. I guess the difference this time is Wilcox is involved, but questions need to be asked higher up. 

[FarehamSaintJames]

Pointless bringing a manager in if the players don’t fit that style and the club want the team to play in a certain way.

Manager should have full autonomy like the old days.

[FarehamSaintJames]

Also these players weren’t born yesterday (well actually some are closer to birth than retirement).

But if the pass isn’t on outside our penalty area change things up and launch it long once in a while.

The opposing team would pushed by this point and that is when you get your pacey players in behind them.

Surely it’s not rocket science to clear your lines and go long once every so often. That cuts out your defensive mistakes straight away.

Ball is launched long and you reset.

Again, basic stuff.

[Wade Garrett]

3 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Pointless bringing a manager in if the players don’t fit that style and the club want the team to play in a certain way.

Manager should have full autonomy like the old days.

I don’t get this argument.  Football is a simple game, pass, move, shoot, defend.

Good players adapt to different tactics.  Good managers get the best out of our players.

I believe we have good players, but a terrible manager.  Our best players are routinely left on the bench.  Those on the pitch are playing RussBall and it’s the biggest load of shit I’ve seen in a long time.

Fucking hell, even Mark Hughes improved us after Pellegrino.  Rasmus needs to stop being such a fucking arrogant, incompetent twat.  Dragan needs to stop trusting the process, otherwise he’s going to lose a lot of money.

Appoint a new manager before training tomorrow.  Otherwise we can write another game off.

Fucking process, conman talk.

[saintant]

9 minutes ago, Wade Garrett said:

I don’t get this argument.  Football is a simple game, pass, move, shoot, defend.

Good players adapt to different tactics.  Good managers get the best out of our players.

I believe we have good players, but a terrible manager.  Our best players are routinely left on the bench.  Those on the pitch are playing RussBall and it’s the biggest load of shit I’ve seen in a long time.

Fucking hell, even Mark Hughes improved us after Pellegrino.  Rasmus needs to stop being such a fucking arrogant, incompetent twat.  Dragan needs to stop trusting the process, otherwise he’s going to lose a lot of money.

Appoint a new manager before training tomorrow.  Otherwise we can write another game off.

Fucking process, conman talk.

Dragan finds himself at a crossroads in my opinion. He threw his hat in the ring with enthusiasm but it's likely he was coerced by the likes of Ankersen who we know now to be all shit and no substance. Dragan parted with a fair chunk of money in various windows and on managers but it was spaffed away. He probably clawed back a wedge of that in the summer window. He is nobody's fool and will have learned that his money is in the hands of a bunch of charlatans who have no clue what they are doing. The temptation for him now must be that he decides enough is enough and let's Ankersen and co try to get out of the mess they've presided over but tells them he won't be chucking much more of his money down the drain other than to keep the club afloat where neccesary. It's a slippery slope we find ourselves on and where the bottom of that slope leads is anyone's guess but it won't be a pretty ride or ultimate destination. I'm not sure how we turn this around now.

[Jeremy Corbyn]

30 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said:

Also these players weren’t born yesterday (well actually some are closer to birth than retirement).

But if the pass isn’t on outside our penalty area change things up and launch it long once in a while.

The opposing team would pushed by this point and that is when you get your pacey players in behind them.

Surely it’s not rocket science to clear your lines and go long once every so often. That cuts out your defensive mistakes straight away.

Ball is launched long and you reset.

Again, basic stuff.

Agreed, and also it removes the predictability. One of our biggest weaknesses is the opponent know exactly what we're going to do.

[Mr X]

Do we know who had the final say on appointing Martin? 

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Do we know who had the final say on appointing Martin? 

Pick any one from the charlatans running the club. My guess is that it would have been a joint decision from Ankersen and JW.

[LGTL]

4 minutes ago, Mr X said:

Do we know who had the final say on appointing Martin? 

Wilcox I assume, as he wanted the Leicester manager originally.

[LGTL]

Talking of Wilcox, I’m yet to see why an average ex PL left winger is seen as some messiah. Blokes proving to be as fucking useless as the rest of them. 

[saintant]

2 minutes ago, LGTL said:

Talking of Wilcox, I’m yet to see why an average ex PL left winger is seen as some messiah. Blokes proving to be as fucking useless as the rest of them. 

I had a good feeling that he'd make a difference from some of his interviews. It's now beginning to appear that he's another in the long line of those who talk a good game.

[Mr X]

3 minutes ago, LGTL said:

Talking of Wilcox, I’m yet to see why an average ex PL left winger is seen as some messiah. Blokes proving to be as fucking useless as the rest of them. 

We need a whole new start Ankerson and Wilcox out of the club.... hell ultimately we need new owners  as they've proved themselves to be nothing but incompetent 

[Lee On Solent Saint]

19 minutes ago, LGTL said:

Talking of Wilcox, I’m yet to see why an average ex PL left winger is seen as some messiah. Blokes proving to be as fucking useless as the rest of them. 

Because he was with City. These days that's the only thing you need on your CV to work for us. 

[Dr. Kucho]

57 minutes ago, saintant said:

Dragan finds himself at a crossroads in my opinion. He threw his hat in the ring with enthusiasm but it's likely he was coerced by the likes of Ankersen who we know now to be all shit and no substance. Dragan parted with a fair chunk of money in various windows and on managers but it was spaffed away. He probably clawed back a wedge of that in the summer window. He is nobody's fool and will have learned that his money is in the hands of a bunch of charlatans who have no clue what they are doing. The temptation for him now must be that he decides enough is enough and let's Ankersen and co try to get out of the mess they've presided over but tells them he won't be chucking much more of his money down the drain other than to keep the club afloat where neccesary. It's a slippery slope we find ourselves on and where the bottom of that slope leads is anyone's guess but it won't be a pretty ride or ultimate destination. I'm not sure how we turn this around now.

Suppose Dragan could just kick Rasmus and his crownies out of the club if he wants to. I cannot imagine a billionaire would hand over his own money to a smooth talking journalist, to run a multimillion pound football club without having a contract or agreement somewhere where he can remove him once it’s going wrong. 

I know it’s SR that own us and Dragan is the investor, but unless Rasmus has conned him, he must have something on paper that can give him control.

An old Dutch phrase goes ‘Wie betaalt, bepaalt’, who pays, decides. And that can’t be any different here. 

 

[Badger]

1 hour ago, JRM said:

…..Martin wasn't looking to leave Swansea, we headhunted him. 

…., it comes down to SR trying to be too clever and terrible recruitment but not all the blame can be laid at the manager and i have no confidence in the club making a good appointment to replace him. I guess the difference this time is Wilcox is involved, but questions need to be asked higher up. 

Not sure about Martin and looking to leave Swansea as I had read that relationships with the owners had been strained after the January window.

Agree with the rest of your post, but we can only hope Wilcox provides a break from the current SR incompetence and isn’t also part of that given the appointment of RM. 

[imadirtyurchin]

Gah, I’m feeling so bored and over it. I had a season ticket at the Dell, been supporting since the 80s. been home and away. Season ticket in champ and league 1 during the wotte era. Suffered burley, pellegrino, branfoot, Jones. 
 

i couldn’t even be bothered to watch or listen yesterday. Just feel done with it. Shite football - obvious tactical flaws that aren’t addressed. Weakened squad year after year with obvious gaps in quality in the squad that aren’t addressed…. 
 

I don’t resent losing. I resent being gaslit with positive comments about how we are playing better and that the fan’s negativity is to blame. The football is objectively bad when taken as a whole 90 mins. The results are even worse. That’s bad enough. Just don’t lie to me. 
 

I think I’m gonna take a break for a while. 🙈 Life is alright without this shite ruining my weekends. 😂

 

 

[SotonianWill]

Why is this American psycho wannabe, defensive calamity, pass merchant, arrogant, greasy, deluded, incompetent manager still here. 

[Badger]

9 hours ago, Ex Lion Tamer said:

We can point to mistakes that Martin has undoubtedly made but something deeper is wrong at this club and it seems to be wrong whoever is in charge of the team

This seems the case unfortunately. 
 

Would it have been any different if we’d appointed Maresca ? I’ve got my doubts.

Like 12 months ago we come back to the issue of recruitment. For example Leicester sign a DM such as Winks who although much derided on here is experienced and fine for the Championship, we bring in a largely unproven Charles from City ( and then play him out of position). Questions over our other recruits remain.

Also, whilst not supporting RM and his continual reference to “scar tissue” , he has a point in that the side is mentally weak. Nothing to do with relegation though it has been like that for a couple of years. Why ? 

[trousers]

2 hours ago, Dan Johnson said:

Post match interviews have been the biggest red flag for me, scarily so. It’s shown arrogance not bravery.

Yep, same red flag for me. At least with Jones's post match rants, you got the feeling he had a modicum of self-awareness of how much of a nutcase and/or out-of-depth he was, whereas with Martin, there seems to be zero self-awareness of how delusional he is....

Edited 24 September, 2023 by trousers

[Badger]

13 minutes ago, SotonianWill said:

Why is this American psycho wannabe, defensive calamity, pass merchant, arrogant, greasy, deluded, incompetent manager still here. 

Not sure on the American bit ? 

[Badger]

49 minutes ago, Lee On Solent Saint said:

Because he was with City. These days that's the only thing you need on your CV to work for us. 

Or more recently Swansea. 

We’ve quietly gone from trying to emulate one of the best sides in Europe to looking at a mid-table Championship club for inspiration.

ThanksRasmusyoucunt#

[trousers]

23 minutes ago, Badger said:

Also, whilst not supporting RM and his continual reference to “scar tissue” , he has a point in that the side is mentally weak. Nothing to do with relegation though it has been like that for a couple of years. Why ? 

If we have a squad that is "mentally weak" why didn't Wilcox see fit to mention this in his "we've now got the squad we want, everything is looking rosey" interview that he did with Adam Blackmore before the Sunderland game? Why would he say everything is looking great if the squad had major attitude issues...?

If we had fundamental flaws in the squad, then it turns out that interview was a complete sham...

Edited 24 September, 2023 by trousers

[Wade Garrett]

2 minutes ago, trousers said:

If we have a squad that is "mentally weak" why didn't Wilcox see fit to mention this in his his "we've now got the squad we want, everything is looking rosey" interview that he did with Adam Blackmore before the Sunderland game? Why would he say everything is looking great if the squad had major attitude issues...?

If we had fundamental flaws in the squad, then it turns out that interview was a complete sham...

He’s a fucking chancer coming up with excuses.  I wouldn’t trust him to tell me the time.

Edited 24 September, 2023 by Wade Garrett

[CB Fry]

Maybe Russell is just a massive fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers?

[derry]

I've just read the managers synopsis. A bigger load of deluded bullshit it would be impossible to find. His reason for bringing on Manning :- He would give us greater balance. Manning caused us more problems with his turning right onto his left foot and playing the ball back into the danger area in front of the centre backs almost every time. He brought on Sulemana and let the full back overlap. We have the fastest player in the Championship so we put in two ball recyclers who play a monotonous 360 degree don't care except to unload the ball then repeat. All we do is compact the opposing defence and close down any space. 

He won't play Alcaraz because he doesn't understand his bullshit or more probably sees it for what it is. He is one of the few players we have who can play a fast player in. Martin because of his obsession with possession at all costs has destroyed any chance of automatic promotion. More importantly until all the bullshit and it's exponents are dispensed with and we get back to a simple play the best players in a way that gets the best out of them.

We are getting far less than the sum of the parts through this stupidity.

Edited 24 September, 2023 by derry

[AlexLaw76]

https://planetswans.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14743&sid=c2c5c87b3a95c3636e4c734781b458f8

[Lee On Solent Saint]

50 minutes ago, CB Fry said:

Maybe Russell is just a massive fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers?

Universally speaking, you could be right.

[AlexLaw76]

13 hours ago, Crab Lungs said:

OK, I couldn't help myself.

😂

[Mr X]

There are deep rooted problems at the club that are probably deeper than just the manager but you have to get that appointment right to have any chance of building on something for the future, I know it's difficult to convince any top manger to manage in the championship but we have to aim higher than the three disastrous appointments we have made that didn't have the credentials on paper even, if it has to be a continental manager than so be it but someone the players can respect and want to play for and ultimately a style that suits the players we have, we've bought in millions so the there's no excuse not to get the right man in now surely? 

[saintant]

14 minutes ago, Mr X said:

There are deep rooted problems at the club that are probably deeper than just the manager but you have to get that appointment right to have any chance of building on something for the future, I know it's difficult to convince any top manger to manage in the championship but we have to aim higher than the three disastrous appointments we have made that didn't have the credentials on paper even, if it has to be a continental manager than so be it but someone the players can respect and want to play for and ultimately a style that suits the players we have, we've bought in millions so the there's no excuse not to get the right man in now surely? 

Would you waste any more money on this charade if you were Dragan? I wouldn't.

[Mr X]

Just now, saintant said:

Would you waste any more money on this charade if you were Dragan? I wouldn't.

Good point but surely he wants some kind of return on his investment yes we have made money in player sales but only at the price of ripping the entire heart out of the club performance wise, surely he wants some kind of on pitch progress, people are laughing at us and him ultimately

[Long Shot]

I watched the match yesterday with a friend of Russell Manning’s Dad. Apparently RM knew he was off soon after January and told Manning he would take him with him. Not sure whether Saints had put out feelers at that stage but I reckon contact had already been made soon after Selles was appointed. 

[Badger]

1 hour ago, Mr X said:

Good point but surely he wants some kind of return on his investment yes we have made money in player sales but only at the price of ripping the entire heart out of the club performance wise, surely he wants some kind of on pitch progress, people are laughing at us and him ultimately

Dragan has not been too high a profile since arriving so he isn’t in the frontline of the ridicule. Even Rasmus W. has it seems taken himself off to Turkey and out of the public glare. 

Eventually I suspect Dragan will get pissed off with where the other jokers are taking his investment. The big question is how low we go before reaching that stage.

Doesn’t Rasmus also have money invested? 

[Badger]

4 minutes ago, Long Shot said:

I watched the match yesterday with a friend of Russell Manning’s Dad. Apparently RM knew he was off soon after January and told Manning he would take him with him. Not sure whether Saints had put out feelers at that stage but I reckon contact had already been made soon after Selles was appointed. 

Doesn’t mean RM thought he was coming to us, but if so Christ …..

IF true, I think January coincides with RM’s run of poor results when Swansea fans wanted him out.

Yet another well researched appointment.

[stknowle]

4 hours ago, imadirtyurchin said:

Gah, I’m feeling so bored and over it. I had a season ticket at the Dell, been supporting since the 80s. been home and away. Season ticket in champ and league 1 during the wotte era. Suffered burley, pellegrino, branfoot, Jones. 
 

i couldn’t even be bothered to watch or listen yesterday. Just feel done with it. Shite football - obvious tactical flaws that aren’t addressed. Weakened squad year after year with obvious gaps in quality in the squad that aren’t addressed…. 
 

I don’t resent losing. I resent being gaslit with positive comments about how we are playing better and that the fan’s negativity is to blame. The football is objectively bad when taken as a whole 90 mins. The results are even worse. That’s bad enough. Just don’t lie to me. 
 

I think I’m gonna take a break for a while. 🙈 Life is alright without this shite ruining my weekends. 😂

 

 

100% this. Fucking bored of it.

[saintant]

1 hour ago, Mr X said:

Good point but surely he wants some kind of return on his investment yes we have made money in player sales but only at the price of ripping the entire heart out of the club performance wise, surely he wants some kind of on pitch progress, people are laughing at us and him ultimately

People will laugh at him more if he throws good money after bad. I think he got coerced into joining the RS project but can't believe he's seeing what he was sold by Ankersen and co.

[stknowle]

2 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

https://planetswans.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=14743&sid=c2c5c87b3a95c3636e4c734781b458f8

I like this one:

Don’t they understand they’re following ‘a process’? 

I shouldn’t laugh given where we are now, but it’s all very predictable. He’s a very limited manager. Not the worst, but a one trick pony who can’t adapt nonetheless.

 

[Badger]

8 minutes ago, stknowle said:

I shouldn’t laugh given where we are now, but it’s all very predictable. He’s a very limited manager. Not the worst, but a one trick pony who can’t adapt nonetheless.

 

I don’t think this pony’s particular trick is as good as it should be even when it works well.

[SaintBobby]

I basically agree with all those who've said we have massively over-complicated things.

Arguably, you need to find a weird "edge" of some sort if you're one of the weaker teams in the division you're in....(I guess Wimbledon were an example back in the day...fight dirty and play long balls...etc)

But FFS, we have one of the very best squads in the Championship. Just get the basics right and we should be in the top 2 or 3.

But we seem to be run by a bunch of w@nky football theorists.

[Lord Duckhunter]

Marin has been in charge for 9 games. 
 

Won 3

Drawn 1 

Lost 5

 

To put that record in context, this is Nathan Jones’ first 9 games in charge 

Won 4

Drawn 0

Lost 5

Pretty similar really, and his press conferences are slowly becoming Jones like as well. He needs to turn it around soon because like Jones it’ll become untenable pretty quickly if it doesn’t. 

 

[stknowle]

7 minutes ago, Badger said:

I don’t think this pony’s particular trick is as good as it should be even when it works well.

I think we're probably over-complicating  things here (somewhat ironically). He's just plain pony.

[Wade Garrett]

Haven’t sacked him yet then.  Muppets.

[Dark Munster]

2 hours ago, Long Shot said:

I watched the match yesterday with a friend of Russell Manning’s Dad. Apparently RM knew he was off soon after January and told Manning he would take him with him. Not sure whether Saints had put out feelers at that stage but I reckon contact had already been made soon after Selles was appointed. 

If this is true then it confirms what many have suspected, this disaster of a manager is yet another Rasmus W. Ankersen selection. No way JW would’ve had a major part of the choice 6 months before his hiring. But when RM was rolled out Ankersen was hiding in the shadows, letting Kraft and JW make all the press adulations about the signing. Classic plausible deniability move, based on his previous two awful choices, by that preening, self idolising, smug, charlatan bastard. 

[Killers Knee]

He's given up presenting Strictly.

[Colinjb]

7 hours ago, imadirtyurchin said:

Shite football - obvious tactical flaws that aren’t addressed. Weakened squad year after year with obvious gaps in quality in the squad that aren’t addressed…. 
 

I don’t resent losing. I resent being gaslit with positive comments about how we are playing better and that the fan’s negativity is to blame. The football is objectively bad when taken as a whole 90 mins. The results are even worse. That’s bad enough. Just don’t lie to me. 

My exact feelings towards the club right now too. I can take us losing, but we are all being treated like absolute idiots. We have been watching terrible football since 2017 and it's dressed up as though everything is fine.

Edited 24 September, 2023 by Colinjb

[Saint Gifford]

I’m pretty sure it’s only 20% and I stand to be corrected. But I would love to know what Katrina / family think of all of this. 
 

Of course her 20% wouldn’t give her much if any of a say. But just assuming she / family are the second largest shareholder of the club, I would like to think she / family would have an interest in what’s going on. 

[trousers]

3 hours ago, Long Shot said:

I watched the match yesterday with a friend of Russell Manning’s Dad. Apparently RM knew he was off soon after January and told Manning he would take him with him. Not sure whether Saints had put out feelers at that stage but I reckon contact had already been made soon after Selles was appointed. 

 

28 minutes ago, Dark Munster said:

If this is true then it confirms what many have suspected, this disaster of a manager is yet another Rasmus W. Ankersen selection. No way JW would’ve had a major part of the choice 6 months before his hiring. But when RM was rolled out Ankersen was hiding in the shadows, letting Kraft and JW make all the press adulations about the signing. Classic plausible deniability move, based on his previous two awful choices, by that preening, self idolising, smug, charlatan bastard. 

Could this mean that Enzo Maresca didn't actually turn us down (as reported?), rather Ankersen over-ruled Wilcox and insisted we appoint Martin instead of Maresca...? #readingbetweenthelines 

[trousers]

4 minutes ago, Saint Gifford said:

I’m pretty sure it’s only 20% and I stand to be corrected. But I would love to know what Katrina / family think of all of this. 
 

Of course her 20% wouldn’t give her much if any of a say. But just assuming she / family are the second largest shareholder of the club, I would like to think she / family would have an interest in what’s going on. 

I think her shareholding has been watered down somewhat over the last year or so due to SR issuing more shares but, yep, would pay a penny for her thoughts right now...

[Lord Duckhunter]

41 minutes ago, Killers Knee said:

He's given up presenting Strictly.

He should’ve followed his uncle & cousin into the music business.