Russell Martin - Confirmed as First Team Manager

[Dan]

Rohl did manage to get a bit of a tune out of the same team that he couldn't even if they did fall off at the end. Sorry but what they're doing now does not give him a pass on this.

 

Was it 1 win in 8 league games? I'll bet anyone McInnes manages more than that - if he gets them  

[HankMarvin]

8 hours ago, sm1 said:

Russell, 17 games at Rangers, 5 wins with a win ratio of 29%. Danny Rohl took over the same team, won 22 from 40, win ratio 55%. Infact when you look at his entire career, his win ratio is 38%. Botton line he's a terrible manager and we'll be lucky to scrape into the play offs.

And finished off shit with them before he left 

[HarryDee8]

He needs to somehow get the players confidence up

 

Needs to switch tactics to a more defensive setup and attack on the break

 

When their confidence is back, then play passing football

Edited 28 August by HarryDee8

[LVFox]

Already sounds annoyed with press criticism in his pre match presser today

[Corky]

30 minutes ago, LVFox said:

Already sounds annoyed with press criticism in his pre match presser today

You are big news this season Russ. Win games or expect the scrutiny.

[Scotch]

Just watched his presser. He has the demeanor of a man who is much better at his job than he is. 

[BKLFox]

2 hours ago, Dan said:

Rohl did manage to get a bit of a tune out of the same team that he couldn't even if they did fall off at the end. Sorry but what they're doing now does not give him a pass on this.

 

Was it 1 win in 8 league games? I'll bet anyone McInnes manages more than that - if he gets them  

It was 1 win in 7 league games but it was also 1 loss in 7 league games 🤷‍♂️ 

[Chelmofox]

1 hour ago, Scotch said:

Just watched his presser. He has the demeanor of a man who is much better at his job than he is. 

Talks a lot of shit. 

[JJD_LCFC]

13 hours ago, Slab Edd said:

Really I understand the complaints about our play but I need fans of this club to understand that we can only go quickly back to front when the opponents aren't packing 11 men in their own half,you saw against Ipswich when they actually came at us we went at them quickly and with pace, alot of teams in this league are going to sit back and just soak up pressure to hit us on the counter, we do need to get better at creating chances however, I think that will come when the attack gels because our preferred front five have played less than 5 games together.

I Hope you are correct and we can see this more often after 5 games. My worry is this didn’t happen at Southampton or rangers. His style of play does not and will not change and previous results show not the best way to go. 

 

Agreed, the Ipswich game the team played relatively well, until Reid and Cullen came on. Plus we were helped with not having Skipp, Hamza, Okoli, Souttar and Thomas at LB. If he wants possession. Can not play any of these. Yes more space against Ipswich but also we had better technical players on the pitch who are capable of playing the football Russell wants. Hopefully a similar line up today and we can see progressive football and better results. 
 

I do admit I did not want Russell to be the manager in the first place so maybe I am more critical to him than I Would have been for others. 

I just can’t see the style of play working and my worry is Russell doesn’t coach defending, his teams always concede and literally give chances away. In the championship season we beat his Southampton team 5-1 and 4-0 i think. Even Steve cooper we beat him. 
I want him to do well but I think we need to see huge changes if he is to succeed here 

 

[CrazyKopCorner]

He finds it difficult to hide his arrogance

 

Hugely self congratulatory on a 3 - 1 lose to ****ing Ipswich. 

 

Something a few years ago would have generated calls for whoever the manager was head  

 

Totally deluded about the qualities of his players, Thomas outstanding!, BDCR great, exemplary professionals in Mavi and Faes - talks complete and utter shite most of the time 

Edited 29 August by CrazyKopCorner

[LCFCJohn]

On 27/08/2026 at 19:48, coolhandfox said:

I think you have misread what I said.

 

@Ric Flair was talking about Martin being crap at organising a defence, which i replied with I don't really care if we get enough points to get promoted.

Issue is, we don’t look particularly like constantly outscoring opponents either!

 

It’s the old saying, goals win you games, defences win you championships. In this context, championships refers to a successful season generally. If we can’t stop the rate at which we are shipping goals over the last couple of seasons, we will not get promoted. 

 

Interestingly, one outlier to that principle is actually when we were last relegated to L1, with the second best defence! But that’s unusual.

[Claudio Fannieri]

49 minutes ago, CrazyKopCorner said:

He finds it difficult to hide his arrogance

 

Hugely self congratulatory on a 3 - 1 lose to ****ing Ipswich. 

 

Something a few years ago would have generated calls for whoever the manager was head  

 

Totally deluded about the qualities of his players, Thomas outstanding!, BDCR great, exemplary professionals in Mavi and Faes - talks complete and utter shite most of the time 

I think people need to take some things that are said with a huge pinch of salt. The truth is most of us in our day to day communications have to ‘sugar coat’ a lot of what we say especially when talking about other people, also we have to remember that the football club is a business and all the players are assets. 
 

So RM has to be seen and heard to be positive about these individuals particularly in the public domain. I get that the majority of the fanbase want rid of Faes, Mavididi etc but calling them out in his media interviews isn’t going to help sell them. Also we all know we need another striker, RM

probably more than anyone, but again if we don’t sign anyone he is going to have use

the likes of Cullen and BDCR so rightly he is showing outwardly he has confidence in them. 
 

Finally whilst we lost to Ipswich, who, whilst we may not like it, are 2 divisions above us, it was a much better performance, we looked good in large parts of the game and the younger players were very good. Had he come out and slated anyone on that performance, he would have got pelters for throwing them under the bus. 
 

I didn’t want him when he was linked, and I appreciate many were in a similar position, however I do feel in some cases he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. Yes the results and performances haven’t been great so far, but there have been some big improvements in terms of culture etc. Also it isn’t necessarily his fault that the likes of Souttar, Faes, Okoli, Mavididi, Skipp, Choudhury etc are still here and he has to include them or be seen/heard being positive about them to try and force them out the door. 
 

I know people aren’t enamoured by him and are waiting for him to fall flat on his face, but at the moment I think he has still got a fairly tough job on his hands especially given we have some huge gaps in our squad, which are not of his making. Remember he is not in control of when players leave or come in. That is on McCarron, Rudkin and no doubt some sort of rubber stamp from the owner. 

Edited 29 August by Claudio Fannieri

[LCFCJohn]

24 minutes ago, CrazyKopCorner said:

He finds it difficult to hide his arrogance

 

Hugely self congratulatory on a 3 - 1 lose to ****ing Ipswich. 

 

Something a few years ago would have generated calls for whoever the manager was head  

 

Totally deluded about the qualities of his players, Thomas outstanding!, BDCR great, exemplary professionals in Mavi and Faes - talks complete and utter shite most of the time 

This is quite a significant point.

 

We point to 5 years ago being the most obvious point for the decline (although many of us have said how we think it goes back further).

 

2020-21 - we finished 5th in the PL and won the FA cup. Ipswich finished 9th in L1.

 

2021-22 - we were in Europe, semi final of the Conference League, won the community shield and finished 8th in the PL. Ipswich finished 11th in L1.

 

4 years ago, this match would have been us as the established PL side against a side struggling to get out of L1. 
 

Fast forward, they are in the PL (obviously not established) and we are struggling in L1 with our manager seemingly being happy with a 3-1 defeat to them!

 

Yes the performance by the young lads was good and if they kept their places (ironically probably won’t) and replicated that performance, it would probably bode well in the league games.

 

But it’s just another one to add to the examples that illustrate our decline, along with the others like

 

’Stockport were in the National League North when we won the PL’

 

’Wrexham were in the National League when we won the FA cup in 2021’

 

’Where the f*** is Bromley’!

 

 

[CrazyKopCorner]

Just now, Claudio Fannieri said:

I think people need to take some things that are said with a huge pinch of salt. The truth is most of us in our day to day communications have to ‘sugar coat’ a lot of what we say especially when talking about other people, also we have to remember that the football club is a business and all the players are assets. 
 

So RM has to be seen and heard to be positive about these individuals particularly in the public domain. I get that the majority of the fanbase want rid of Faes, Mavididi etc but calling them out in his media interviews isn’t going to help sell them. Also we all know we need another striker, RM

probably more than anyone, but again if we don’t sign anyone he is going to have use

the likes of Cullen and BDCR so rightly he is showing outwardly he has confidence in them. 
 

Finally whilst we lost to Ipswich, who, whilst we may not like it, are 2 divisions above us, it was a much better performance, we looked good in large parts of the game and the younger players were very good. Had he come out and slated anyone on that performance, he would have got pelters for throwing them under the bus. 
 

I didn’t want him when he was linked, and I appreciate many were in a similar position, however I do feel in some cases he is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t. Yes the results and performances haven’t been great so far, but there have been some big improvements in terms of culture etc. Also it isn’t necessarily his fault that the likes of Souttar, Faes, Mavididi, Skipp, Choudhury etc are still here and he has to include them or be seen/heard being positive about them to try and force them out the door. 
 

I know people aren’t enamoured by him and are waiting for him to fall flat on his face, but at the moment I think he has still got a fairly tough job on his hands especially given we have some huge gaps in our squad, which are not of his making. Remember he is not in control of when players leave or come in. That is on McCarron, Rudkin and no doubt some sort of rubber stamp from the owner. 

I don't agree. 

 

Just don't say anything about these ****ing useless players as there's no need to, we've seen and been let down by them for seasons.

 

Big up the youngsters, tell us we need to give Cullen, Burns etc time by all means just don't talk to the fans as though we're fools. 

 

[SafewayFox]

Totally agree about his odd ability at dismissing any of our/his flaws when discussing the “national press’ agenda”.

 

I know that any manager has to have an ego, but the best ones are humble enough to know when you need to change tact/way of playing.

Edited 29 August by SafewayFox

[coolhandfox]

35 minutes ago, LCFCJohn said:

Issue is, we don’t look particularly like constantly outscoring opponents either!

 

It’s the old saying, goals win you games, defences win you championships. In this context, championships refers to a successful season generally. If we can’t stop the rate at which we are shipping goals over the last couple of seasons, we will not get promoted. 

 

Interestingly, one outlier to that principle is actually when we were last relegated to L1, with the second best defence! But that’s unusual.

Yes that's a major concern, hope both improve over the next few games.

 

Could do with back to back wins to kick start the season.

[Claudio Fannieri]

12 minutes ago, CrazyKopCorner said:

I don't agree. 

 

Just don't say anything about these ****ing useless players as there's no need to, we've seen and been let down by them for seasons.

 

Big up the youngsters, tell us we need to give Cullen, Burns etc time by all means just don't talk to the fans as though we're fools. 

 

How can he not say anything about certain plaiyers if he is asked a direct question about them? 
 

I get you don’t like him, I get you can’t stand certain players based on past performances etc but getting at the new manager over it seems like your anger is directed at the wrong person. 

[coolhandfox]

13 minutes ago, CrazyKopCorner said:

I don't agree. 

 

Just don't say anything about these ****ing useless players as there's no need to, we've seen and been let down by them for seasons.

 

Big up the youngsters, tell us we need to give Cullen, Burns etc time by all means just don't talk to the fans as though we're fools. 

 

You're obviously not read many of my posts. 

[Jon the Hat]

Russel is going to make positive statements about players he knows he is going to have to use. Whether or not he would rather replace them.  We all rightly criticised Rodgers when he did the opposite!

[CrazyKopCorner]

22 minutes ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

How can he not say anything about certain plaiyers if he is asked a direct question about them? 
 

I get you don’t like him, I get you can’t stand certain players based on past performances etc but getting at the new manager over it seems like your anger is directed at the wrong person. 

But he's usually not asked directly he goes out of his way to talk nonsense in my view. 

 

For me he shouldn't be selecting them in the 1st place so they'd be no need to talk absolute bilge. Mavi and Faes don't tell me they are totally professional footballers after the performances they'd put in over the last 2 / 3 seasons. 

 

That is my absolute gripe 

Edited 29 August by CrazyKopCorner

[Claudio Fannieri]

7 minutes ago, CrazyKopCorner said:

But he's usually not asked directly he goes out of his way to talk nonsense in my view. 

 

For me he shouldn't be selecting them in the 1st place so they'd be no need to talk absolute bilge. Mavi and Faes don't tell me they are totally professional footballers after the performances they'd put in over the last 2 / 3 seasons. 

 

That is my absolute gripe 

He will be selecting them because he is being asked to include them to maintain leverage when in it comes to maximising transfer fees. I get it people don’t like him or his football, but getting wound up by this stuff just seems unnecessary. 
 

Other posters have already said he is pretty hard on players like Thomas, like I say what he says to the media and behind closed doors is probably very different. 

[CrazyKopCorner]

11 minutes ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

He will be selecting them because he is being asked to include them to maintain leverage when in it comes to maximising transfer fees. I get it people don’t like him or his football, but getting wound up by this stuff just seems unnecessary. 
 

Other posters have already said he is pretty hard on players like Thomas, like I say what he says to the media and behind closed doors is probably very different. 

I wonder how many offers we've had for Thomas and BDCR? 

 

I think you're over complicating it. 

 

He's the manager results rest with him just don't play the absolute dross which has let us down time after time and will continue to do so if you give them the platform 

[trooky]

25 minutes ago, Jon the Hat said:

Russel is going to make positive statements about players he knows he is going to have to use. Whether or not he would rather replace them.  We all rightly criticised Rodgers when he did the opposite!

Rodgers started our downward spiral with those comments.

 

The board should have sacked him and themselves after that summer debacle. 

[trooky]

18 minutes ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

He will be selecting them because he is being asked to include them to maintain leverage when in it comes to maximising transfer fees. I get it people don’t like him or his football, but getting wound up by this stuff just seems unnecessary. 
 

Other posters have already said he is pretty hard on players like Thomas, like I say what he says to the media and behind closed doors is probably very different. 

If we believe his after match dilge, we've had plenty of interest in Faes, Mavididi, Okoli and Souttar. If that's the case why are they still here? 

 

It's very disappointing this has dragged to the last days of the window

 

We still need the spine of the team strengthening, a striker, centre midfielder and 2 CBs IMO. 

Edited 29 August by trooky

[Claudio Fannieri]

Just now, trooky said:

If we believe his after match dilge, we've had plenty of interest in Faes, Mavididi, Okoli and Souttar. If that's the case why are they still here? 

 

It's very disappointing this has dragged to the last days of the window, we still need another striker, centre midfielder and 2 CBs IMO

They are still here because whoever is interested hasn’t yet met the valuation the club has placed on them. That isn’t Martin’s fault, and it isn’t his fault that the squad he needs isn’t in place. That is the point I am trying to make. 
 

have a go at him about playing style, substitutions etc but people having a moan about him trying to be professional and positive about players who are still here and also about the failure to move players on and bring players in are venting their frustration at the wrong person in my opinion.