A large section of the Southampton fans are drawing comparisons to the 2024/25 season with the Saints 2022/23 Premier League campaign, following Southampton’s six league defeats from seven matches. While Russell Martin’s side have largely underperformed this season, they managed to achieve Premier League promotion after only one season itself.
Thus, there are uncertainties surrounding manager Russell Martin’s managerial role at the St. Mary’s Stadium, despite signing a three year long-term contract in July. Several result-oriented managers such as Carlos Corberan and Thomas Frank are tipped to replace Martin at Southampton, but Southampton should consider an important factor before making any managerial decision.
The only reason why Southampton should sack Russell Martin
Speaking to Football Insider, Premier League side Everton’s former board member Keith Wyness revealed that the Saints should consider their dressing room momentum, saying,
“I hope they stick with him. Unless the dressing room is fractured, I think stability is their best chance of turning things around.
If he gets two wins, then the problems will disappear. The dressing room will be united and the fans will be happy.”- Keith Wyness
Wyness highlighted off-field dressing room issues as the only reason why Southampton should sack Russell Martin in the first half of the season. Two seasons ago, the Southampton board made a similar mistake when they sacked Nathan Jones a few weeks after the January transfer window.
Moreover the new signings such as Paul Onuachu and Kamaldeen Sulemana started getting less playing time after Jones’s departure, leading to an unbalanced dressing room momentum among the squad. Most of Southampton’s current players have played under Martin in the Championship, and thus, would have to adapt a different squad role under a new manager.
This will further lead to more inconsistencies in Southampton’s lineup, and key players such as Tyler Dibling, Mateus Fernandes and Taylor Harwood-Bellis may consider leaving the Saints in the January transfer window. Hence, Southampton will want that manager Russell Martin inspires the Saints to take some important wins in the coming weeks so that any speculation of a managerial change doesn’t arise in the ongoing league season.
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