2024-2025

Russell Martin’s Optimism and Southampton Game Plans Ahead of Spurs Showdown

Any fresh injury concerns or any players coming back for this weekend? RM: Jan Bednarek's back, Paul Onuachu's back, which is really good. Apart from that, no, I think we're all good. What will Bednarek's return give you? RM: In Janny, he's played a lot of games for us, a lot of trust. He's been a very, very good performer in our team, including this season. He's got leadership and courage with the ball. Paul gives us a real alternative option to use that's different to anyone else in the squad, and most people in the league, actually. It's really unfortunate at the timing of his injury, because he was in such a good place. He was going to really help us, I think, and now he'll help us moving forward. Has Ipswich's win over Spurs been a part of your messaging to the players this week? RM: I think the message is always whatever we see is the best one for the players in preparation for this game, so we'll try and approach every game to try and win it, try and beat ourselves, to try and have as much of the game as we possibly can on our terms. I think they're an outstanding team, with outstanding players, and an outstanding manager, but everyone is in the Premier League pretty much, so I think our preparation doesn't change,. The message will stay in-house. There'll be ways we feel we can hurt them, and I'm sure Ange is saying exactly the same to his team in the ways he can try and hurt us. So the focus has been all on that, what we need to improve from the last game, and being aware, of course, of the context, like the emotional context of the game, where the opposition is at and where we're at. You and Ange have both been similar in the sense that you have this belief in your way of doing things, and you want to see that way of doing things succeed? RM: Ange has been a manager for a much longer time than I have, and I can't speak for him, so I don't know what he feels behind closed doors, but when I see him in the media, I see a man of conviction. When I watch his team play, a man with conviction and belief and values that he won't compromise on, which I admire a lot. Ultimately, it's got him managing in the Premier League and managing in the Champions League at Celtic. I think he's done an incredible job, had an incredible managerial career, so I have a lot of admiration and respect for him. Is Spurs' 4-0 win over Man City the kind of example that you see as positive when it comes to sticking with your way of doing things in the hope that points come? RM: I think it's really interesting because it's like every manager that sits behind a team has some form of beliefs and some form of value system and what they deem as acceptable or what they want to see, what they won't compromise on, what non-negotiables are. But the ones who are only criticised are the ones who are a little bit different from the norm. So if we all believed the same thing I think it would be pretty boring and I think it would be less open to criticism. I think his team is brave, it's aggressive, and they've been really unfortunate with injuries. It's so similar to Graham Potter when he went to Chelsea. Everything he got praise for and credit for at Brighton he then got criticised for at Chelsea. So he went for being calm, studious, really brave in his approach at Brighton then managed a team with a different expectation and then all of a sudden he didn't show enough passion on the sideline and was too emotionally consistent and all this nonsense. So it's exactly the same with Ange, I watched a lot of his Celtic team, they were brilliant, got so much praise for being so aggressive, so brave, relentless restarts, energy, energy, energy. He did a great job, won lots of trophies. (Then) he goes to the Spurs, starts so well, so when results are good no one questions the style or his conviction or belief system. Then the minute it starts faltering it's always down to that. But I'm pretty sure, and I'll get criticised for the same thing about being stubborn and all that stuff, but if you believe in something and it's taken you a certain way in life on a certain pathway and journey then to deviate too far from that I think is crazy. I can't speak for him, we are adapting. We adapt shape, we adapt approach, we adapt personnel but with the same consistency and what's really important for us, with the same concept of the game, so we can't deviate too far from that otherwise we become nothing really. I don't know, I think everyone's just quick to criticise these days and I have a lot of respect for him. I put my coat on when it rains as well by the way. Plan A and Plan B, they don't need to be miles apart, so this is the concept that we all get completely mixed up. So Plan A is to play this way, Plan B doesn't have to be a million miles over here because then it would be crazy. So you don't really believe in Plan A that's the point. So when you have Plan A, of course you need to move a little bit on certain things, but you start with a vision and a version of the game that you want as a coach. I'm pretty sure everyone does, because if you're going into a managerial job and you haven't got an idea or a vision of the game or a concept of the game, then you probably shouldn't be in the job. So we all have one, they're all very different. I have respect for every single person that does the job because it's incredibly tough. So there's no right or wrong, but this is where we all get mixed up. So people watch the games and if it's not their version of the game, they're really quick to criticise. If it's their version of the game, how they played it or how they see it, they don't criticise anywhere near as much. So this is the problem Plan A and Plan B do not need to be hugely different. Plan B is like mix it up in certain bits, maybe change the way you press, maybe change the way you build up, maybe you change the shape, maybe change the position of the players without losing the concept of Plan A. What's the point in having a Plan A? You just go and throw everything at it and go, work hard lads and we'll see what happens. So this is like, when people sit there and criticise, they wouldn't if it was their version of the game, but it's not. So we all have a different version of the game but really understand someone's Plan A first. So if he sat down with Ange maybe for an hour or two hours, and I really like Jamie Carragher by the way, it's not a criticism, this is just a general conversation, but if he sat down with Ange for maybe two or three hours and really understood it and said, why did you do this? Maybe it's a different idea or concept, but I just think it's really easy to sit down and criticise and here's what it is, it's the game. As a new team in the league, how much belief do you have that you'll get the points from... RM: Well I really believe in the players. My job is to try and transmit the belief to the players that they can believe in themselves as much as I believe in them and what we're doing. I don't think they have any doubt when we speak and we have open conversations, the belief in what they're doing or what they're trying to be or what they're trying to do. But of course, wins help that and points help that and the biggest job is to eliminate the external noise, it's so difficult, so maybe at times we're the only voice attending, they're good enough, maybe, even family members will question. I've been there as a player, agents, supporters obviously, media, pundits, everyone questions if you are good enough or not good enough, so yeah, it's being able to switch that off and zoom in and focus on what's really important. We're trying to do that as well as we can with our lads. And you have had positive performances this season? RM: A lot, yeah, we like, we shouldn't be on the points we are, it's incredibly hurtful and embarrassing that we're only on five points, we should have more. But there have been a few too many mistakes and there have been a few too many moments we haven't managed well, disappointments in games and setbacks, so we have to keep trying to grow, grow as a group, grow individually. They are growing and they are getting better and we're so competitive, went to a team in the Champions League on Saturday, there really wasn't much in the game. We make one mistake, and they score, until then there's nothing in it, after that, there's nothing in it really and then the last 10-15 minutes completely changes.  If you then look at the game purely on the stats after the last 15 minutes when it's transitional, completely changes the context of it. We're not far away and we have to just keep working, keep concentrating on the process and ourselves and just keep trying to be better. Do any successful teams have a vastly different plan B to plan A? RM: I don't think so, I'm not sure how you can, so I don't think any teams deviate too much and a lot of the time when people say like, we got a lot of praise for winning the player final with a different plan, it wasn't a different plan. We just scored early and the emotion took over and we happened to do a lot of work on defending when if we were in front for the last 10 minutes. We just did it for a bit longer than we probably would have liked to because the emotion of the game took over, so and they kept asking me after, you know, is it a tactical master plan? No, the game went to plan really, really well until about 60 minutes, then after that, the emotion took over, the heavy legs took over, the lads dug in and they stuck to the principles out of possession. So the plan was the same, the feeling was very different and the context of the game was very different, so you have to adapt and that's my point, so plans can be flexible and adaptable without losing what you are trying to do and I think. I don't see any team having one plan and then going completely different, but every team is different and I think that's what makes it exciting and makes it interesting. Spurs blew a 2-0 lead to Chelsea, how much is that down to the players and how much is on the manager? I don't know what the message was so I think if a plan is really good to get you in a position where you are 2-0 up but then obviously teams make changes. We had this against Leicester earlier on in the season we went 2-0 up in a really good place they made a change, we didn't adapt quickly enough as a coaching staff. When as players we didn't adapt quickly enough to the emotional context of the game and the temperature going up then we had to send it off and it completely changed so I don't know what the message was for Tottenham. I think a team is always better off having a next-goal mentality rather than trying to defend a lead and trying to get in front again. It depends on the makeup of your team some teams are set up to score a goal and then defend and if that's them that's good if you're not set up to do that then I think you should try and attack and get the next goal. Your comments after the Villa goal have caused a debate, what did you mean in that moment? RM: We played out and got pressed before, which then makes Joe kick, it gets a cheer from the supporters and we concede within about 10 seconds," said Martin. They have a right to criticise everything else but it's important to understand why we do things. We kick it to our two smallest players and it comes back." Some supporters felt that Martin should not have commented on their conduct, with Saints bottom of the table after 12 defeats in 15 matches. I don't know how it's been interpreted I don't know how it's been dissected. What I meant was in the last couple of games at home and away we're playing a different goalie he's playing his third Premier League game. The ironic cheer when it gets kicked long, I understand people get frustrated when we make a mistake in our own goal but this is my point about having plan A. We're not set up to kick it long unless it's on our terms so when we kick it long no problem if we're doing something that we've worked on and planned. The goalkeeper kicked it under no pressure because of a scary moment just before and kicked it to one of our smallest players against one of their biggest ones. Then 10 seconds later, it's in our goal but our fans cheered ironically. That's all it was, it wasn't a criticism it was to make people aware I'm trying to help the keeper. His teammates are trying to help him and we should all try and help him, so I didn't mean it in that way. I always try and put the game into context. We had a scary moment, I think there were a lot of angry people at that in our fan base and then they cheered when we kicked it long. It's fine cheering it but understand what comes of it afterwards. The fans have been amazing here, everyone I bump into in town has been amazing. There's no criticism of the fans it's not us against them, we're all together all I'm asking for is like we're all together all the time. It's not a lack of effort from the team at all so I think aim it at me, no problem but when the goalkeeper kicks it long I don't think it's the time to cheer ironically. That's my opinion but I love our supporters, I love being here. I'm sure I'll get criticised again but you asked me the question and I have to be honest." Is there an update on the goalkeepers? RM: McCarthy's back fit and Rambo's very close so Rambo may be back for the Liverpool game, if not a Fulham game after that. Has Joe Aribo been a little unlucky not to start more games recently? RM: He played brilliantly against Chelsea put in a massive physical effort and then didn't start against Villa but he's right in contention for the way he performs. When he does come on to the pitch and when he plays. Is there a plan B that's not too far away from your plan A that could be brought in if you had to? RM: I think we've adapted and tweaked quite a bit. We are always trying to adapt and tweak and improve the plan. Looking at Tottenham, would you say that now is a good time to play them after their minute of out of form? RM: I don't know, I don't think it's ever a good time to play any team, I think its context is really. I don't know what goes on behind closed doors with them, I don't know how they're feeling about their performances. When I look at the results, I look at the way they're playing, there's a lot to like about their performances, they've also had a lot of injuries themselves similar to us so they've been a bit disrupted in the rhythm of their team. I think a wounded animal is quite dangerous, so they've been on the end of a couple of tough results so I think maybe that makes them more of a threat. On the goalkeeper front, Joe Lumley looks set to continue, how pleased have you been with him since he's come in? RM: It's not an easy job to come into a team but he did brilliantly at Brighton, tough game against Chelsea, made some really good saves. He stayed brave with the ball, and then at Villa I'm not criticising him for kicking it long, I completely understand the anxiety he takes over at that point. I think he's done great for someone who's never played in the Premier League before and has been a third-choice for a lot of the season. To have Rambo and then Alex injured has been difficult but he's stepped in and done a good job. Nathan Wood came in fairly recently and looks like he's settling in quite nicely in the Premier League, what have you made of it? RM: Woody's a good player, a really good player, that's why we wanted to bring him here. He's had to be really patient but I think we have two outstanding young English centre-halves that have a big chance to play for their country in years to come. For quite some time with the ability and potential they have they get on really well, which helps, they push each other Woody's had to be so patient but I've loved his attitude to keep training. I was so keen to bring him here because I understand him very well as a person we have a very good relationship, there's been some tough conversations this year but he trusts us and we trust him. I'm really pleased that's a message to the rest of the group as well if you stay ready and you respond in the right way because you should be disappointed in not playing but when you train properly and stay ready, that's what can happen. When you're scrapping for points you need the fans to be on your side, have you got anything you want to say to them to reassure them a little bit? RM: I think the fans honestly, like I said earlier, have been brilliant since I've been here. Even after Chelsea, I think they were great, they stuck with the team during difficult time. I think that's all I can ever ask I think. If I'm a supporter, what I want to see is the players are trying and giving everything, which they are and they're fighting. It's not a lack of that effort and I think it will be what it will be, we have to just keep fighting keep working and we are going to need them we're going to need the support. It's up to us to give them something to feel positive about to be happy about, to bring the right energy to help create the atmosphere in the stadium. I understand their frustration at the moment because I'm not convinced anyone will be feeling more frustrated than I am at the minute. They've been brilliant for us since we've been here that's all I can ever ask is that they support us. I said at the start of the season it's not going to be easy, it's going to be tough. We're all going to have to stick together through some difficult periods this is one and I hope we all do stick together. If we can all get through this together and come out the other side, I think the rewards and the growth for their team and their club will be huge.