Sports Republic are being seen as again rushing into appointing a new manager in haste as they did with Nathan Jones, who was then allowed to take charge at Liverpool in the final game before the World Cup break.

Whilst I can see that Sports Republic are keen to sweep what has happened in the last year under the carpet and get on with the future, they are missing the point that there has to be a grieving process.

The sacking of Ralph Hasenhuttl and the appointment of Nathan Jones was done with indecent haste and more to the point when there was no need to do so given the World Cup break only days away, it was also folly to allow Nathan Jones to take charge in that game at Anfield, an inevitable defeat only heightened criticism amongst the fanbase and gave them 6 weeks to stew on it.

If they think that appointing Russell Martin now will calm things down, even worse that they think that letting him take charge, ironically against Liverpool on Sunday will be a good thing, that the fans will applaud him and welcome him as the saviour of the club, NO ! they will see him as part of the problem, not part of the solution, Sports Republic have to earn the Saints fans respect by actions and not words yes, but they need to be seen as being in control and not lurching from one disaster to another.

If they are going to appoint Martin and lets face it everyone in the media surrounding Saints feel it is a done deal, then they need to hold back, let this week run its course, let the Saints supporters vent their fury and get it out of the system on Sunday.

Let Sunday be a day to grieve, get the frustrations out, yes it won't be pleasant, but it will be far worse if Russell Martin is in the stadium. Get this season out of the way, don't blur it into next one by making us a laughing stock and having 4 managers in one season.

No offence against Russell Martin, if he is appointed he will not be my choice, but I will back him, if only because I have no choice, I cannot make Sports Republic change their minds, I just hope they are right and i am wrong, I want Saints to be promoted, I want us to succeed.

Likewise all the Saints supporters, give them time to come to terms with the mistakes made this season and then give them time to let used to the idea of Russell Martin as the next manager, don't make it feel like a hurried desperate appointment as the arrival of Nathan Jones and subsequent appointment of Ruben Selles felt.

But perhaps more importantly, don't let the new manager try to run a club with Premier League Promotion aspirations to do so with a coaching staff with little or no experience above League One.

That has perhaps been the biggest mistake since sacking Ralph, our coaching staff including the two managers in situ, had no real experience at the highest level, one source told me our coaching methods went back 10 years when Jones arrived, when Selles was appointed a skeleton first team coaching staff where only boosted by Dave Horseman from the B Team.

I can see why Sport Republic want to get on with things quickly, why they want the new manager in now so he can get on with things and have time to make changes, but waiting another week will not make much difference.

Even if they felt that Martin was their man, there was no need to splash it across the media, someone has leaked it, probably not Southampton FC or even Russell Martin, but it should have been kept under wraps until the Liverpool game is over.

Personally I can see green shoots of recovery in the club, there has been a lot of mistakes made but ultimately they are surrounding the playing side and not off the pitch.

We are bringing in a new Director of Football, bringing in a new Head of Recruitment, I think we are making plans and sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards, from this perspective other than a rich Arab or American owner ploughing in Manchester City or Newcastle levels of finance, there is only one path we can go down whether we as supporters like it or not.

It is pertinent to note that of the 3 other teams who could finish in the 2 relegation positions now left, all are clubs who have spent more money in the last 5 years than Saints or indeed most of half the clubs above them, money does not guarantee success for all but one club in this division we are about to leave.

When the final whistle blows against Liverpool we need to put this season behind us and move forwards again, not let the past bring us down.

Change what we can and live with what we can't.

This is how I see things, I am not preaching and demanding all follow my lead, it is a personal view as a Saints supporter of over 50 years, we all want success for our club, we all will have difference of opinions as to how it is achieved.

Photo: Action Images

Peterx added 13:46 - May 22 We are going to be selling a lot of players in the break, would be useful if the person appointed has time to also get their viewpoint across on who to let go and who to keep.
3

saintmark1976 added 14:01 - May 22 “ The sacking of Ralph Hasenhuttl was done with indecent haste”. For goodness sake Nick stop trying to flog a dead horse. For your own wellbeing just accept that there is no longer a cult of St Ralph for you to be a member of. As you say toward the end of your article it’s now time to look forward, not to try and cling on to a romantic past that never really existed.

0

PatfromPoole added 14:06 - May 22 “Let Sunday be a day to grieve….” Did you really just write that??? Fcuking hell, Nick.
3

landsdownsaint added 14:17 - May 22 Are SR giving him the job based solely on that 56 passes ?
0

DF_20032017 added 14:23 - May 22 I think there is something like 68 days between the end of this season in the prem and the start in the Championship. Championship clubs will already have 3 weeks of additional summer so once they knew we were down it made absolute sense to move quickly. There is a perception of Martin that he would be doing a lot better without the financial constraints placed on him at Swansea and that the pressing style we have used (with mixed or poor results) won't work and isn't sustainable for a 46 game season. Martin will bring posession in. He's not the worst appointment in the world but I can't pretend I wouldn't have been a lot happier with Potter or Rodgers! I haven't heard any rumours that he will take charge, just a bit of speculation that he may be sat in the Directors box watching. I think we shouldn't taint the new manager with the dross of this season and just let us limply bow out, as we have been for several weeks. Even if Selles spits his dummy out and walks, which would be pretty rich considering his performance this season as a coach and a manager would be pretty rich, then just let Dave Horseman do it and let Martin get started on Monday. We've got to remember we have a lot of vacancies to fill so the sooner the better probably works. If SR get this appointment wrong then they will have truly lost the fans so high stakes for them here.

2

Bowlercow added 15:35 - May 22 RM will have to prove himself at the start of the season as would anyone appointed If he is introduced to the crowd on Sunday I for one will not show much enthusiasm Potter would have ambition as would Tommisson from Blackburn Brenda Bodgers probably sees us as a selling club and beneath his level
0

IanRC added 16:03 - May 22 Wouldn't want Rogers, a despicable individual, Potter would have been infinitely better however.
1

Block8 added 16:45 - May 22 Not sure why we seem to think PL managers would be queueing up to manage us? We have been relegated as the worst team by far in the PL and will be shedding a fair few players in the close season. Some we would like to keep, others we will be glad to see go but also some we have not had an opportunity to watch. Any new manager is a gamble and some who seem to be big names don't always work, just ask Spurs and Chelsea. Burnley walked the Championship with a rookie manager & fast moving possession based football. Also one of our players! Lets wait and see what happens and hope for the best as we do each and every season! COYR

2

WestSussexSaint added 17:12 - May 22 By all accounts SR approached Potter and he was interested but only if we retained PL status. That’s not a surprise given Potters stock value is still relatively high despite his stint at Chelsea. So those fans who think we should be getting in someone of his calibre is not appreciating the level we are now at. Also ditto SaintMarks comment. It was not a mistake to sack Ralph. The guy had done his time, had run out of ideas and lost the dressing room. The only mistakes with Ralph was the timing (he should have gone in the summer) and replacing him with Jones (and then doubling down on the mistake by appointing Selles). I do agree that if Martin is the next manager there is no reason to appoint him before Sunday. Get this season done and then maximise the time available for next season by starting on Monday.

1

SanMarco added 18:34 - May 22 Grieving? Did someone die? Yes it is a pain getting relegated, of course we are disappointed and a bit annoyed but grieving? Its football, not life or death - we will be kicking off again in a few weeks, sounds like we will have a new manager to get cross with in a matter of days. We are not grieving we are just p11ssed-off. Anyone who is in a grieving process I would suggest has never gone through an actual grieving process, or perhaps need to get a few interests outside football.

1

ItchenNorth added 20:12 - May 22 Grieving, don't be soft 😆. Nar it will be good on Sunday. Good to see the back of this sorry ass season. I'm looking forward to next season already. New beginnings and all that. COYR
1

Blogs 31 bloggers

Southampton Polls