BBC journalist Adam Blackmore said on social media that Russell Martin reacted to the Southampton fans like he knows his P45 is looming.
The weekend was yet another horrid one as far as Southampton were concerned. If you are still at the stage of allowing Southampton results to dictate how your weekend goes then for your own sanity, please reverse this.
Southampton dominated possession against Aston Villa but (pause your round of applause) registered a grand total of zero shots on target. Southampton's attack were simply not efficient enough, despite the domination of possession.
Yet, manager Russell Martin still found a way to blame anybody but himself. Speaking to BBC Radio Solent after the match, Martin said: "We played out and got pressed just before that, which then makes Joe [Lumley] kick and it gets a cheer from the supporters, and we concede within about 10 seconds, so it is what it is,"
Obviously, Southampton fans did not react well to this. Not only did Martin refuse to take accountability for being stubborn with his failing play-from-the-back tactic, he actually threw in a dig towards the travelling Southampton fans - Those fans braved storms to watch their side lose, no less.
Posting to social media, BBC Radio Solent sports editor Adam Blackmore gave his own thoughts. He said that Southampton fans were understandable to be annoyed. He predicted that Russell Martin can sense his P45 (unemployment certificate in the UK and Ireland) coming, which might explain his blaming of the fans.
In his own words, Blackmore said: "RM shouldn’t have said it - Saints fans are allowed to be p*ssed off paying for and watching 12 losses in 15 games. I get he’s frustrated - we all are - for me, it’s the sort of thing a manager says when he knows the P45 isn’t far away."
However, this should not be misconstrued. Blackmore isn't necessarily calling for Martin to be sacked here. In fact, more recently, Blackmore admitted to being on the "side of caution" and claimed that while everyone is against the manager right now, things could turn seriously bad without him at the helm.
This, essentially, sums up the Southampton fanbase right now. Some people are Martin in, others are Martin out but most people are on the fence. This is partly down to, as it stands, there being no manager who is convincing enough to come in.
Surely, though, it can only be better than this.
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