Russell Martin lost his job at Southampton after his side were hammered by Tottenham.
Martin stood on in disbelief as his Southampton side capitulated inside 30 minutes as Spurs raced into a four goal lead before adding a fifth just before the break.
For Southampton and Martin, it’s becoming an all too familiar story this season and after conceding within 90 seconds, they never looked like fighting back.
And revealing just what the mood was like at 5-0 down at half-time, Martin has shared what his approach in the dressing room was, in what turned out to be his last ever half-time team-talk at the club.
Russell Martin, Manager of Southampton, interacts with Tyler Dibling of Southampton during the Premier League match between Southampton FC and Tott...
Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images
Russell Martin explains why he kept quiet at half-time of Southampton v Tottenham
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the game, Saints boss Martin spoke about the dressing room and admitted that for him, there was little to say.
“I’m hurt with the first half. We don’t react well to setbacks. We concede so early and the response is incredibly poor. I didn’t recognise the team in the first half but I’m pleased we stuck with it in the second half.
“I didn’t say much at half-time. At that point it is about pride. We played against a top team on the night and it was about how much they dug in and not concede another goal.
“As a person I’m not effected by the boos as I know it isn’t personal. I don’t know them and they don’t know me. As a manager it hurts me and the team but I understand it.”
Southampton take big gamble with Martin dismissal
Football is a strange game where the highs and lows come along in equal measure.
For Russell Martin, just six months on from leading Southampton to promotion in style, he’s now lost his job.
At the moment, Southampton are going down and the board have made the biggest of calls. Clearly, they feel like someone new can reset the mindset and culture at the club and they’re essentially banking on staying up.
As it stands, Southampton have just dismissed a manager who had instilled a strict way of playing the game. Whether the new man holds up those standards or makes a complete change, remains to be seen.
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