Martin Out

[LCFCCKEANO]

Thought his biggest issue today weee the subs, was pretty clear at half time that BDCR was not working up front, and so our dominant spell ended with him missing two sitters. To not sub him off at half time is weird, to not bring him off until we are actively under the cosh is what has brought us to this point, allowing teams to pile on to us. It was very telling after we went a goal up we stopped even trying to get after them, which is really disappointing as I thought the one positive to a purist is that they don’t stop playing their football, but we absolutely did. Really really disappointing to see how we responded to getting our goal. The senior leaders let us down today. I have said what I have said regarding that back line but they were collectively woeful which we can all agree on, and yet our most expensive unit. Really thought this was the turning point and now ims starting to think there may not be one in time for us

[everton carr]

On 15/06/2026 at 21:17, S1DDO said:

Surely he has a probationary period?

Yes he deserves time.Let's give him.another week

[South Shire Fox]

Delete this shite. Never been a fan but will give him until atleast October/November to properly judge

Edited 16 August by South Shire Fox

[Old Fox]

He has one way to play and will not change - fact!

 

However, he cannot play this way with the players we have and that includes the car crash of a keeper which he brought in.

 

I like many want to give him time but the players brought in that played (Cullen, McCarthy, Burns) were poor and yet Reid, Thomas, Okoli, Skipp just cannot play in this style - the players that could were the kids in Braybrooke, Alves and Joseph but this division is brutal physically and I am not convinced we have the quality.

 

I cannot believe this but with the lack of power and pace we have I fear we may not have bottomed and genuinely came away thinking we could yet fall further !!

 

RM was an ego choice by Top to stick to this model but without huge investment this team could yet end up at the lowest position we have ever been - I am more concerned than ever having seen yesterdays game !

[ALC Fox]

Having that focal point striker should make a massive difference even if Bristric himself doesn't score much.

 

Once we'd settled, Alves was chucking in delicious cross after delicious cross. With someone who will actually attack those balls, whether delivered by Alves, Burns, Watson or Howell, we should at the very least pin defenders back and then whoever is playing number 10 (Cullen, Chaplin, Alves or Reid) should find more space to pick up a loose ball.

 

And I think that will be the effect generally, not just when we're crossing the ball in. Hopefully we'll look more of a coherent attacking team.

 

The two CBs and LB need replacing asap though.

[jimmy7587]

I know this is just on a fans forum, but whilst not the W or perhaps the performance we wanted… it is still a point on the board and a first real outing for this group to gel. Most teams will be cagey on their first game or two of the season.
 

Still movement in the transfer market will be had, with Soutter, Faes and Mavididi soon to leave… which would suggest at least two players coming in at least.

 

Give Martin time and let’s not go straight into ultra negative, and entitled demands. We will come good.

[Claudio Fannieri]

Martin is nowhere near being the problem here, there is still 5 or 6 senior pro’s that need moving on and we are at least 2 or 3 CB’s, a left back, striker and a CDM away from being where we need to be. 
 

Shifting out the wantaways and deadwood was never going to be done and dusted by this point, so it was highly likely our first 4/5 games would be a little challenging as we navigate through to the closure of the window. 
 

Yesterday was nowhere near the level of performance the manager or supporters will expect or accept longer term, the new boys will improve as they settle and the real positive was the emergence and performance of the likes of JJ, Braybrooke and Alves 

[jimmy7587]

1 minute ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

Martin is nowhere near being the problem here, there is still 5 or 6 senior pro’s that need moving on and we are at least 2 or 3 CB’s, a left back, striker and a CDM away from being where we need to be. 
 

Shifting out the wantaways and deadwood was never going to be done and dusted by this point, so it was highly likely our first 4/5 games would be a little challenging as we navigate through to the closure of the window. 
 

Yesterday was nowhere near the level of performance the manager or supporters will expect or accept longer term, the new boys will improve as they settle and the real positive was the emergence and performance of the likes of JJ, Braybrooke and Alves 

This is on point.

 

No manager coming in will want Okoli, Thomas or Skipp to be starters… whilst harsh, is fair. Moving these players on will be desirable but MR will have to make do with the group.

 

In two weeks, hopefully he has a group that offers competition in most positions and some of senior pros that need moving on, moved on. 

[Pliskin]

1 hour ago, South Shire Fox said:

Delete this shite. Never been a fan but will give him until atleast October/November to properly judge

Playing Bobby Reid as a striker? That enough to judge him. 

[Dames]

1 hour ago, South Shire Fox said:

Delete this shite. Never been a fan but will give him until atleast October/November to properly judge

Nope. We are where we are because we’ve tolerated this nonsense for so long. He had 2 games against essentially league 2 opposition and scraped through. The signs are very bad. 
 

We are in league one on the brink of financial oblivion, the time to be patient is over. 

[Pliskin]

58 minutes ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

Martin is nowhere near being the problem here, there is still 5 or 6 senior pro’s that need moving on and we are at least 2 or 3 CB’s, a left back, striker and a CDM away from being where we need to be. 
 

Shifting out the wantaways and deadwood was never going to be done and dusted by this point, so it was highly likely our first 4/5 games would be a little challenging as we navigate through to the closure of the window. 
 

Yesterday was nowhere near the level of performance the manager or supporters will expect or accept longer term, the new boys will improve as they settle and the real positive was the emergence and performance of the likes of JJ, Braybrooke and Alves 

The problems are at every level at the club. Significant problems in the boardroom, where now they want rid of the club, the playing squad is still fractured and as you say still has a group of players who don’t want to be here, which is why I found it odd everyone pre-match going on about this being a fresh start and a fresh group of hungry players, what…. Thomas, Souttar, Okoli, Skipp and Bobby Reid? There are still players playing for us who have spectacularly failed and there’s an expectation they will suddenly buck there ideas up in lowly league one? 
 

And Martin is also a problem, we can’t afford to have his space cadet ideas in probably the most important season in this clubs history, we need manager with the approach similar to Nige, pragmatic but sensible. 
 

Martin is a lazy appointment just because he’s available and he likes to play possession based football…. But already his experiments and approach clearly aren’t going to work. 0.7% XG was it? That’s ****ing scandalous against a league 1 team.   

[Chelmofox]

40 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Playing Bobby Reid as a striker? That enough to judge him. 

So who else does he start. The new lad probably had 1 training session. 

[Pliskin]

13 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

So who else does he start. The new lad probably had 1 training session. 

I would’ve played Burns, I don’t think you could go too far wrong playing burns down the middle at this level. We just needed someone to stretch the backline. 
 

I get what he is trying, but we don’t have the players capable….. we weren’t playing with anywhere near enough conviction. To make it work you have to have the players to confident and competent enough to make it work, bar one or two our movement with and without the ball just isn’t crisp enough…. 

[Chelmofox]

1 minute ago, Pliskin said:

I would’ve played Burns, I don’t think you could go too far wrong playing burns down the middle at this level. We just needed someone to stretch the backline. 
 

I get what he is trying, but we don’t have the players capable….. we weren’t playing with anywhere near enough conviction. To make it work you have to have the players to confident and competent enough to make it work, bar one or two our movement with and without the ball just isn’t crisp enough…. 

Personally not rating burns, and he plays as a winger. In a way, chucking Burns in there is as bad, if not worse, than chucking Bobby in there. The manager does want the 9 to be able to drop a little deeper for the link up play. I presume Bobby is pseudo capable of that part hence getting the nod. I also presume the new lad is going to be put on an intensive course on how to play like that this week. Don't believe for a minute the manager actually wants Bobby in there, but has the tools to kind of get us there.

 

Its not great - but im not 100% hate towards Martin because of it.

[STEVIE B]

Of course he needs more time.

I did find it odd, regarding yesterday though, that he seemingly hadn't prepared the players to move the ball quicker, that in this league you don't get time on the ball & we'd get pressed constantly. 

 

[The other Ollie]

I’m no expert, and at least I realise that. With regard to players who don’t want to be here, surely Thomas and Skipp shouldn’t be included. Lack of skill does not equate to lack of commitment. These 2 players played at 100 % last season. They might not have been particularly effective but they gave it their (poor) best. 
Also where else would they get paid this much !!

[jimmy7587]

1 hour ago, Dames said:

Nope. We are where we are because we’ve tolerated this nonsense for so long. He had 2 games against essentially league 2 opposition and scraped through. The signs are very bad. 
 

We are in league one on the brink of financial oblivion, the time to be patient is over. 

We are up for sale, we’ve offloaded a load of players (still needing more) and recently had a flurry of signings. I think things are moving in the direction they need too.
 

No point dwelling on the mismanagement since 2022 now when wheels in motion for change. A buyer will come in, King Powers reign will end (and to be honest, it has been a good tenure when you consider where we were when they acquired us) and the next phase will begin.

 

We are in League One. It is what it is. One game, one point. Let’s support Russell, and understand we are in a transitional period where patience may be required.

[l444ry]

Russell Martin's style of football was rumbled ages ago. It's possible to dig out this player or that player out but the bottom line is that most competent sides can nullify it these days by simply conceding possession and wait for the inevitable mistake. Jose Mourinho once said that the team in possession is the team most in danger.  Ranieri won us the PL knowing this.  Most players at our level won't cover themselves in glory as it inadvertently sets them out to fail. It's not Rocket Science is it? 

Edited 16 August by l444ry

[Pliskin]

33 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

Personally not rating burns, and he plays as a winger. In a way, chucking Burns in there is as bad, if not worse, than chucking Bobby in there. The manager does want the 9 to be able to drop a little deeper for the link up play. I presume Bobby is pseudo capable of that part hence getting the nod. I also presume the new lad is going to be put on an intensive course on how to play like that this week. Don't believe for a minute the manager actually wants Bobby in there, but has the tools to kind of get us there.

 

Its not great - but im not 100% hate towards Martin because of it.

Im thinking more simplistic…. The simple process of having a focal point. What Martin is trying to achieve won’t work, it won’t work with Cullen or Bobby Reid, it completely stifles our attack and essentially means we’re completely ineffective going forward, the XG yesterday was unacceptable playing against essentially a league 2 team. 
 

I don't think Burns is any good myself, I wasn’t impressed, but I don’t think Bobby or Cullen are any good either, but the one redeeming quality Burns has, is he has a presence about him, and could at least occupy the defenders and be a nuisance. 
 

I don’t hate Martin, I just don’t think he’s a good coach, the way he presents himself and peddles his philosophy mascaraed’s a fairly inadequate coach in my opinion… and I can’t see this season being any different to last, because whilst we are perfecting passing sequences, we won’t be productive enough in the final third to score enough goals to even think about promotion. 

[Phild]

2 hours ago, Old Fox said:

He has one way to play and will not change - fact!

 

However, he cannot play this way with the players we have and that includes the car crash of a keeper which he brought in.

 

I like many want to give him time but the players brought in that played (Cullen, McCarthy, Burns) were poor and yet Reid, Thomas, Okoli, Skipp just cannot play in this style - the players that could were the kids in Braybrooke, Alves and Joseph but this division is brutal physically and I am not convinced we have the quality.

 

I cannot believe this but with the lack of power and pace we have I fear we may not have bottomed and genuinely came away thinking we could yet fall further !!

 

RM was an ego choice by Top to stick to this model but without huge investment this team could yet end up at the lowest position we have ever been - I am more concerned than ever having seen yesterdays game !

Its game 1 of 46!

[Foxdiamond]

Madness to continue with keeper playing telegraphed passes directly in front of penalty area inviting pressure where the slightest error will result in an easy chance for the opponent. 

[boosmanana]

11 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Im thinking more simplistic…. The simple process of having a focal point. What Martin is trying to achieve won’t work, it won’t work with Cullen or Bobby Reid, it completely stifles our attack and essentially means we’re completely ineffective going forward, the XG yesterday was unacceptable playing against essentially a league 2 team. 
 

I don't think Burns is any good myself, I wasn’t impressed, but I don’t think Bobby or Cullen are any good either, but the one redeeming quality Burns has, is he has a presence about him, and could at least occupy the defenders and be a nuisance. 
 

I don’t hate Martin, I just don’t think he’s a good coach, the way he presents himself and peddles his philosophy mascaraed’s a fairly inadequate coach in my opinion… and I can’t see this season being any different to last, because whilst we are perfecting passing sequences, we won’t be productive enough in the final third to score enough goals to even think about promotion. 

What are the Euro Millions numbers for Tuesday, Mystic Meg? 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

Two competitive games is not enough to call time on him FFS 🤣 

[trooky]

12 minutes ago, Foxdiamond said:

Madness to continue with keeper playing telegraphed passes directly in front of penalty area inviting pressure where the slightest error will result in an easy chance for the opponent. 

Yes utter madness, but he'll continue with it.

 

Listening to his post match interview yesterday he was moaning about the times we kicked the ball long and gave up possession.

 

Don't you know it's much better to give up possession from a short pass in your own penalty area and concede because "that's a learning opportunity" 😂

 

The bloke is a fcuking arrogant knob

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

3 hours ago, Old Fox said:

He has one way to play and will not change - fact!

 

However, he cannot play this way with the players we have and that includes the car crash of a keeper which he brought in.

 

I like many want to give him time but the players brought in that played (Cullen, McCarthy, Burns) were poor and yet Reid, Thomas, Okoli, Skipp just cannot play in this style - the players that could were the kids in Braybrooke, Alves and Joseph but this division is brutal physically and I am not convinced we have the quality.

 

I cannot believe this but with the lack of power and pace we have I fear we may not have bottomed and genuinely came away thinking we could yet fall further !!

 

RM was an ego choice by Top to stick to this model but without huge investment this team could yet end up at the lowest position we have ever been - I am more concerned than ever having seen yesterdays game !

There is a large part of me that thinks he needs to play more and more academy players - mainly because they’re more familiar with his type of football.