Russell Martin was discussing how he used various means to convince Aaron Ramsdale to join the team.
Russell Martin said “It took a long time. I sent him videos of my son begging him to sign, I was sending him gifs, emojis, all sorts. I told him about the input he would have day to day in terms of him having an opinion and feeling like his opinion is valid. Hopefully, he’s felt all of that.”
Aaron Ramsdale responded to questions about feeling supported by Martin and how Martin’s approach has positively impacted him since joining Southampton.
Aaron Ramsdale said “It’s been a breath of fresh air for me. He’s someone who is there for me if I need to speak to him. It just allows his ideas and his thoughts of how to move on. It’s something I thought I needed. He has exceeded my thoughts and what I already heard about him. He’s engaging and encourages you as a man. He has relatable experiences in the Premier League from when he was playing. Being a young manager, he’ll openly admit he’s still getting new experiences.”
Russell Martin elaborated on his coaching philosophy and how it might be interpreted.
Russell Martin said “I think philosophies or the way people speak can be misconstrued. We want to play out from the back, of course, we do. And hopefully, if I’m playing a longer pass it’s a pass, not a lump or a hoof. But I think there’s always going to be times when I’ll take charge on the pitch. Maybe I’ll squeeze the boys and the gaffer might not be as happy but as long as I have a reason for when he asks me after what I’m doing it for… He’ll say ‘No problem, but maybe could you have done this a bit earlier?’ It’s a way of playing, I think a lot of the time we’re playing out from the back well. It is in the middle of the pitch where we’re giving the balls away and leading to chances. The manager wants me to play but I’m the one who’s on the pitch. If I’ve got a reason, he’ll accept it. It’s my job as the last line, I’m going to make decisions.”