Russell Martin: Southampton sack manager after Tottenham defeat

Southampton has dismissed manager Russell Martin following a heavy 5-0 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, which put them nine points away from safety in the Premier League.

Martin, 38, led the Saints to elevation last year during his debut season as head coach, triumphing over Leeds United in the playoff final held at Wembley.

However, the defeat to Spurs marked Southampton's 13th loss in the league this season out of 16 matches.

Their sole victory this season came in November against Everton, and the team from St Mary's has managed to score the fewest goals in the league, with just 11.

"As the season began, we were all aware of the obstacles ahead as we adapted to being back in the premier league, where we’d be up against some of the toughest competition in the world," a statement from Southampton read.

"Nonetheless, the truth of our circumstances is evident. The board has backed Russell and his team while being honest and straightforward about what we expect."

"We all agree on the necessity of achieving results in order to make progress."

We want to express our gratitude to Russell and his team for their tremendous effort and commitment to the club both on and off the field over the past 18 months.

Everyone associated with Southampton FC will cherish great memories from last season, particularly the victory in the play-off final in May.

Southampton's Under-21 coach, Simon Rusk, will temporarily lead the first team, starting with a Carabao Cup quarter-final match against top Premier League team Liverpool at home this Wednesday.

Martin was let go on the same day that Wolves, also in danger in the league, chose to part ways with their manager, Gary O'Neil.

Southampton found themselves trailing 5-0 to Tottenham before the halftime break, leading to visible frustration among some of the home supporters, who directed their dissatisfaction towards both coach Martin and the club's owners, Sport Republic.

Even though the Saints brought in nine new players over the summer, their team has struggled in the Premier League. They've faced issues with scoring goals and have a weak defense.

"This job is quite unstable," Martin remarked after the match. "I can't just sit here after a 5-0 defeat, being at the bottom of the standings, and act like I'm confident about my position."

"I have to keep working and putting up a fight. That's been my focus in this role, and I'll keep it up until I'm instructed to do something different."

Historically, no team has managed to finish this part of a Premier League season with five points or less and still stay up in the league.

Martin has stuck to his commitment to a possession-oriented style of play, but this approach has not been effective because:

Only four teams have recorded a poorer goal difference than Southampton's -25 after playing 16 matches in the Premier League.

This season, Southampton has made more mistakes that resulted in goals than any other team, totaling 10. Additionally, they have committed the most errors that led to shots on goal, with 26 such incidents.

This season, the Saints have been subjected to 108 shots on goal, which is the highest number in the Premier League.

Southampton's upcoming league match will take place at Fulham, followed by a home game against West Ham and an away fixture against Crystal Palace before the year concludes.

"They have collapsed significantly," Danny Murphy, a pundit for BBC Sport, stated on Match of the Day 2.

Football is unforgiving, and when you're at the lowest point with fans eager for survival, you're bound to be replaced. Another person will step in to take on a challenging task, but I believe it’s already too late for that.

He noted, "You need to be more adaptable than he [Martin] was. In the end, if your team’s recruitment isn't strong and you lack significant Premier League experience, you're going to face challenges, and that's exactly what occurred."

Southampton supporters displayed a sign during the match against Spurs that said: "RM: Leave our club!"

"It’s tough to look at the Russell Martin banner. Just a little while ago, he was the one who brought them up and was celebrated as a hero," said former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given on MOTD2. "Moving from the Championship to the Premier League is a significant leap."

Nick Mashiter, a football reporter for BBC Sport

From the beginning of the season at Southampton, Martin faced significant pressure as the team struggled to adapt to the pace of the Premier League.

He has faced significant criticism for his focus on possession-based play. Southampton has conceded a number of easy goals and struggled to adjust during matches, and their current standings reflect that. However, this isn't due to a lack of effort or coaching.

Even with the challenges faced, the owners of Southampton have backed the management throughout this season. They frequently visited the team's Staplewood training center, but after the loss to Spurs, they felt they had no choice but to make a change.