Southampton appointed Russell Martin in the summer. So far though, it’s been a mixed start to life at St Mary’s.
Southampton poached Martin from Championship rivals Swansea City in the summer.
The appointment was a prolonged one but it eventually went over the line, with Martin then helping to oversee a busy summer transfer window at the club.
The Saints lost the likes of Romeo Lavia and James Ward-Prowse but managed to sign some talented players of their own, with the likes of Ross Stewart and Shea Charles joining for sizeable transfer fees.
But a 1-1 draw at home vs Rotherham United last time out was met with boos by the home fans, who see their side sitting in 10th place of the Championship table for this month’s international break.
Will Russell Martin succeed at Southampton?
Martin was a well-liked name at Swansea City.
He achieved a 15th place finish in the 2021/22 Championship campaign and then a 10th place finish in the last campaign, though expectations at Southampton are much higher.
At the same time though, Southampton needed a bit of a rebuild in the summer and so patience is inevitably needed; when the likes of Leicester City are doing so well though, it’s tough for Saints fans to watch their team drawing at home to struggling sides such as Rotherham.
Still, we asked our Twitter following, ‘Will Russell Martin succeed at Southampton?’ and rather surprisingly, 69.1% of those who voted said ‘No’.
Martin is famed for his possession-based style of play which was immediately evident at Southampton. But when results don’t go his way, it’s the philosophy that is the first thing to be criticised.
The Saints owners have to weigh up whether they want to eventually succeed in this style, or whether they want to gamble and potentially look for a manager who can deliver immediate success, regardless of fashion.
Martin’s position seems safe for the time being. But another run of poor results could quickly land him in hot water.
‘Absolutely mental’ – Southampton man hits back at fans after Rotherham United criticisms
