Russell Martin - Confirmed as First Team Manager

[Dames]

4 minutes ago, SuperMike said:

Over 800 passes and yet the opposition has more touches in the box and way more chances. Does he seriously think this is the way forward?

Absolute Joke.

The King Power Way TM 

[WestLothianFox]

1 hour ago, funkyrobot said:

I look at Martin and I see a worrying disregard for the goalkeeper position throughout his recent management career. Bazanu, great with his feet but a poor keeper, McCarthy a mistake prone back up keeper, Ramsdale - a massively overrated relegation haunted keeper and a poor shot stopper, Butland another keeper with major mistakes in him and now back to McCarthy again.
 

None of those keepers inspire confidence and appointing McCarthy as his number one now could be described as foolhardy or even negligent. The lad is now a veteran and he will not be any better than he was at his peak. Yesterday cemented all of my reservations of him as a keeper. Hesitant, error prone, slow and average with his feet, not a controller of his defence and every bit the back up keeper that he almost always has been during his long career. 

McCarthy is Danny Ward mk2

[Chelmofox]

1 hour ago, funkyrobot said:

I look at Martin and I see a worrying disregard for the goalkeeper position throughout his recent management career. Bazanu, great with his feet but a poor keeper, McCarthy a mistake prone back up keeper, Ramsdale - a massively overrated relegation haunted keeper and a poor shot stopper, Butland another keeper with major mistakes in him and now back to McCarthy again.
 

None of those keepers inspire confidence and appointing McCarthy as his number one now could be described as foolhardy or even negligent. The lad is now a veteran and he will not be any better than he was at his peak. Yesterday cemented all of my reservations of him as a keeper. Hesitant, error prone, slow and average with his feet, not a controller of his defence and every bit the back up keeper that he almost always has been during his long career. 

Bazanu was great with his feet??

[funkyrobot]

1 hour ago, Chelmofox said:

Bazanu was great with his feet??

Yeh Bazanu is the only keeper that Russel has had since he’s been at Southampton that is technically strong with the ball at his feet. Very important when you play risky passes out from the keeper. 

[FoxesTalker]

There’s rightly a demand for a strong start to the season and promotion straight away, but Martin’s style of football takes time especially with young players in the mix. Given the decline in the last five years, the expectation for instant success in terms of performances and results is unrealistic, even at this level unfortunately.

[BenTheFox]

One thing in particular that I am very concerned and annoyed about is the way the squad is being built. I don't know if this is in any way Russell Martin's fault, but we have signed 5 wingers/attacking midfielders on top of what we already had at the club whilst having centre backs that are incapable of playing this way and want to leave and we have a complete lack of athleticism in central midfield. 

 

Now I understand that we needed to sign forwards given that Monga and Fatawu have left and that Mavididi is also probably going to leave. However, leaving us that exposed in those positions whilst the season has started and risking throwing away valuable points is negligent. If we do not sign the players that we need in those positions, then I don't want to hear any excuses about how we didn't have the financial capabilities to bring those players in when we've signed 5 attacking midfielders. You need to establish your priorities. 

[trooky]

11 hours ago, FoxesTalker said:

There’s rightly a demand for a strong start to the season and promotion straight away, but Martin’s style of football takes time especially with young players in the mix. Given the decline in the last five years, the expectation for instant success in terms of performances and results is unrealistic, even at this level unfortunately.

Knowing we would have a very high turnover of of players in the summer why would anyone employ a manager who needs at least 4 months to coach his complicated tactics. 

 

Only Topkin would employ a manager who needed a police escort from his last job. 

 

It just shows the utter contempt and lack of respect the owner's of this club have for the supporters of this club. 

[Chelmofox]

56 minutes ago, trooky said:

Knowing we would have a very high turnover of of players in the summer why would anyone employ a manager who needs at least 4 months to coach his complicated tactics. 

 

Only Topkin would employ a manager who needed a police escort from his last job. 

 

It just shows the utter contempt and lack of respect the owner's of this club have for the supporters of this club. 

Why is it 4 months? The academy players have been developed with this in mind. You make it sound like everyone needs to go on a 4 month bootcamp. It will take time to bed in for sure, especially with player changes coming. But I still expect results in the meantime, even if the performances might be a bit variable. 

[trooky]

8 hours ago, Chelmofox said:

Why is it 4 months? The academy players have been developed with this in mind. You make it sound like everyone needs to go on a 4 month bootcamp. It will take time to bed in for sure, especially with player changes coming. But I still expect results in the meantime, even if the performances might be a bit variable. 

That's pre-season but how many of the starters once the window has shut will have had a full pre-season of RMs ideas?

 

We all expect results, one of the principles of possession football is to dominate and limit the number of chances for the opposition.

 

If your giving up 5 big chances per game because of your own mistakes in attempting to play out of a press then its going to be hard getting the results when they're still adapting to his philosophy. 

 

Stolarcyk and Thomas are from our academy but neither are suited to this style, or any of our centres backs and Skipp who's been schooled at a PL academy isn't either. 

 

None of them are technically good enough for this system. RM could coach them for 4 months or another 4 years they still won't be good enough to play the way he wants. 

 

We don't have that luxury of time though, we need promotion and an instant feel good factor at this club because of the owners past mistakes. 

 

I hope RM succeeds and we're promoted with a record points total because the club has to start rebuilding behind someone. 

 

Regardless of the tactics, I still think this was  the wrong appointment though. 

 

Topkin needed to unite the club, get the supporters on side instead he appoints a manager who divides opinion more than anyone. 

 

Who would look at RMs experience at Rangers, with the supporter reaction, results and think I'll have some of that at my club? 

 

 

Edited 17 August by trooky

[Chrysalis]

22 hours ago, SuperMike said:

Over 800 passes and yet the opposition has more touches in the box and way more chances. Does he seriously think this is the way forward?

Absolute Joke.

Its why he has the job, the owner wants the style.

[SemperEadem]

I struggle to see how his football works here, so many where at it from very early on Saturday.

[Les-TA-Jon]

13 hours ago, BenTheFox said:

One thing in particular that I am very concerned and annoyed about is the way the squad is being built. I don't know if this is in any way Russell Martin's fault, but we have signed 5 wingers/attacking midfielders on top of what we already had at the club whilst having centre backs that are incapable of playing this way and want to leave and we have a complete lack of athleticism in central midfield. 

 

Now I understand that we needed to sign forwards given that Monga and Fatawu have left and that Mavididi is also probably going to leave. However, leaving us that exposed in those positions whilst the season has started and risking throwing away valuable points is negligent. If we do not sign the players that we need in those positions, then I don't want to hear any excuses about how we didn't have the financial capabilities to bring those players in when we've signed 5 attacking midfielders. You need to establish your priorities. 

The problem at CB has been the combination of their book values + reduced market value + they don't want to be here. 

 

I'm sure all 4 players would have always been happy with a move away - Nelson didn't want to renew, Faes clearly doesn't like it here, Souttar has never fit, Okoli has the stink of relegations etc. And I'm sure we'd have sold any/all of them. But they're hard to sell, so it'll take ages to get them gone. And we can't exactly sign new CBs beforehand when we have 3-4 senior CBs who 'should' be able to do a good job in League One. 

 

Nelson was by far the most marketable and the one where we could make easy profit. I think but for the injury he'd have gone by now and we'd have replaced him. The rest of them we're stuck with them until they go. But by that time we're probably scrambling to find a suitable replacement. 

[RoboFox]

He absolutely has to hit the ground running. 

 

Fans are sick of being bored and patience is absolutely threadbare within the support. Many, many people did not want him here in the first place. 

 

A failure to win the next two and it'll get ugly... Again.

 

Edited 17 August by RoboFox

[Ric Flair]

23 minutes ago, Les-TA-Jon said:

The problem at CB has been the combination of their book values + reduced market value + they don't want to be here. 

 

I'm sure all 4 players would have always been happy with a move away - Nelson didn't want to renew, Faes clearly doesn't like it here, Souttar has never fit, Okoli has the stink of relegations etc. And I'm sure we'd have sold any/all of them. But they're hard to sell, so it'll take ages to get them gone. And we can't exactly sign new CBs beforehand when we have 3-4 senior CBs who 'should' be able to do a good job in League One. 

 

Nelson was by far the most marketable and the one where we could make easy profit. I think but for the injury he'd have gone by now and we'd have replaced him. The rest of them we're stuck with them until they go. But by that time we're probably scrambling to find a suitable replacement. 

Book value has no impact on financial rules this season and is why we really need to move Okoli and Skipp on this season, as well as Faes and probably Souttar.

 

We might still have a short fall in future owed cash to the clubs we brought them from but at least from an accounting perspective if we did go back up this season, we'd not have to factor in their remaining book value.

[coolhandfox]

18 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Book value has no impact on financial rules this season and is why we really need to move Okoli and Skipp on this season, as well as Faes and probably Souttar.

 

We might still have a short fall in future owed cash to the clubs we brought them from but at least from an accounting perspective if we did go back up this season, we'd not have to factor in their remaining book value.

From a rule point of view, but cash flow could be different.

 

We have around 25m in transfer fee to pay this season, so we may need more in to pay them off.

[Ric Flair]

2 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

From a rule point of view, but cash flow could be different.

 

We have around 25m in transfer fee to pay this season, so we may need more in to pay them off.

Yes agreed but thr timelines to pay thst will already be set and think you can still owe transfer fees to clubs for players you have since moved on.

 

Bottom line if we owe £10-15m on Skipp now and keep him, or we sell for £5m and still owe £10-15m we're no worse off. We save his wages, we get maybe some form of a fee and we still have to commit to paying what's owed. The club may view it differently but he is not going to become anymore of an asset to us, need to write it off as an appalling buy and cut our losses.

[coolhandfox]

2 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Yes agreed but thr timelines to pay thst will already be set and think you can still owe transfer fees to clubs for players you have since moved on.

 

Bottom line if we owe £10-15m on Skipp now and keep him, or we sell for £5m and still owe £10-15m we're no worse off. We save his wages, we get maybe some form of a fee and we still have to commit to paying what's owed. The club may view it differently but he is not going to become anymore of an asset to us, need to write it off as an appalling buy and cut our losses.

It's interesting without all the detail it hard to say.

 

Best we can hope for Skipp is a loan.

 

I think the club think they can get decent money for Mavididi and Souttar, sounds like the want 7m and 10m which would be a miracle. 

 

[FoxKent_88]

On 15/08/2026 at 18:30, milney2i3 said:

It feels like some people would rather be proven right about a manager failing than actually see the team succeed. Expecting a revamped, young squad to play seamless football from day one is completely unrealistic. Senior football is a massive step up, and tactical cohesion doesn't just happen overnight when we have a few in the lineup, making their first proper appearances.

There’s a massive difference between fair tactical criticism and just dumping non-stop toxicity on young lads who are literally just starting their careers. Backing the team doesn't mean you're blind to the flaws, it just means you're giving a young group the actual runway they need to grow. Up the fans who are actually trying to support.

Ironically it was the young ones playing the good football who were let down by senior pros

[Stadt]

If you don't have the players to play how you want you have to adapt. Even so other teams with worse players will have played out better than we did on Saturday.

 

He's yesterday's man, ultra possession football has been susses out and if he doesn't give the players more freedom we will be drawing 1-1 a hell of a lot. Serious promotion contenders would have dispatched a newly promoted side easily.

 

[boosmanana]

13 minutes ago, Stadt said:

If you don't have the players to play how you want you have to adapt. Even so other teams with worse players will have played out better than we did on Saturday.

 

He's yesterday's man, ultra possession football has been susses out and if he doesn't give the players more freedom we will be drawing 1-1 a hell of a lot. Serious promotion contenders would have dispatched a newly promoted side easily.

 

Yeah you're absolutely right. Ipswich were winless in their first 4 last season in the Championship after getting relegated the previous season. They drew away against a newly promoted side first game of the season rather than dispatching them easily. Not a serious promotion contender were they though? 

 

And would you believe it, Coventry City drew their first game of the season against a team that finished 21st in the Championship the season before. Again though, not a serious promotion contender. 

Edited 17 August by boosmanana
Oops

[SafewayFox]

3 minutes ago, boosmanana said:

Yeah you're absolutely right. Ipswich were winless in their first 4 last season in the Championship after getting relegated the previous season. They drew away against a newly promoted side first game of the season rather than dispatching them easily. Not a serious promotion contender were they though? 

Are you comparing an Ipswich side that had proven success under McKenna to Martin?

 

That’s a pretty big leap.

[AKCJ]

20 minutes ago, Stadt said:

If you don't have the players to play how you want you have to adapt. Even so other teams with worse players will have played out better than we did on Saturday.

 

He's yesterday's man, ultra possession football has been susses out and if he doesn't give the players more freedom we will be drawing 1-1 a hell of a lot. Serious promotion contenders would have dispatched a newly promoted side easily.

 

I'll be worried if we look that disjointed in a month's time.

 

This is essentially a brand new team. 9 incomings, 3 new academy lads with 17 outgoings. 

 

"Ultra possession" football clearly has not been sussed out. Every successful team plays this way.

 

 

 

[Stadt]

13 minutes ago, boosmanana said:

Yeah you're absolutely right. Ipswich were winless in their first 4 last season in the Championship after getting relegated the previous season. They drew away against a newly promoted side first game of the season rather than dispatching them easily. Not a serious promotion contender were they though? 

 

And would you believe it, Coventry City drew their first game of the season against a team that finished 21st in the Championship the season before. Again though, not a serious promotion contender. 

Did Ipswich have the same talent disparity vs Championship teams that we do relative to Notts County? Our XI was assembled for about £60m on Saturday. They were also under their most successful manager in 45 years too.

 

You're being disengenous RE Coventry - as it was Hull they drew with but they were also much the better team.

 

We also laboured past Northampton, the attacking performances were very similar.

[AKCJ]

Just now, Stadt said:

 Our XI was assembled for about £60m on Saturday. 

 

I'm not saying we shouldn't be aiming to beat Notts County, of course we should.

 

But the money spent on our 11 on Saturday was as follows;

 

McCarthy - Free

Joseph - Free

Okoli - £12m

Souttar - £14.5m

Thomas - Academy

Skipp - £20m

Braybrooke - Academy

Burns - £75k

Cullen - £2m

Alves - Academy

Reid - Free

 

Howell - Loan

Watson - Loan

Choudhury - Academy

Bristric - £2m

 

That's a total of about £50m and 95% of it comes from three players I think we'd all happily sell. It's a disingenuous argument to suggest we should be winning games because of the money we spent on player because (other than players signed this summer) I don't think there's a player left in the squad that we paid a transfer fee for that we want to keep.

 

 

[Stadt]

4 minutes ago, AKCJ said:

I'll be worried if we look that disjointed in a month's time.

 

This is essentially a brand new team. 9 incomings, 3 new academy lads with 17 outgoings. 

 

"Ultra possession" football clearly has not been sussed out. Every successful team plays this way.

 

 

 

No, even the top sides have moved away from short-at-all-costs football. PL pass accuracy and total number of passes is falling.

https://theanalyst.com/articles/premier-league-2025-26-more-direct-football?

 

Another counterfactual is what about all the sides that play too short badly? Like w have done for the past few seasons.

 

I'm not arguing against having more of the ball in general but we have the most zealous manager for this style of play, Southampton had more of the ball on average than us and Leeds did in 23/24. There are diminishing returns with how much of the ball we have but Martin doesn't seem to care. His teams have always played their way into trouble and were doing with two players uncomfortable with possession even at this level.

 

We have to mix up our build up and actually exploit the space we create by baiting the the opposition deeper into our own half. It's not like I can't see what Martin is trying to do but we're executing his flawed model horribly.

 

Also picking Reid upfront is unforgivable, it defies all footballing reason, if he starts again on Saturday then Martin is past the point of redemption for me already.