'Stubborn' - Russell Martin hits out at Ange Postecoglou comparison ahead of Spurs' trip to Southampton
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Southampton manager Russell Martin has compared the criticism for him and his team to that of Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou, ahead of their meeting on Sunday night.
Postecoglou has come under fire in recent weeks due to Spurs’ open style of play which has led to defensive vulnerability, which has consistently cost them precious points in the league.
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Hide AdTottenham sit 11th in the Premier League table and they are winless in five matches in all competitions. They come off the back of a 1-1 draw against Rangers in the Europa League, which was Postecoglou’s first return to the Ibrox since leaving rivals Celtic in 2023.
Spurs’ last Premier League game was a disappointment too, as they lost 4-3 to Chelsea after going 2-0 up in the 11th minute thanks to goals from Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski. They conceded three goals in the second half which dealt their fate to a disgruntled home crowd.
Southampton sit at the bottom of the league table with just five points ahead of Sunday’s game at St. Mary’s Stadium. Manager Russell Martin told BBC Sport: “I get criticised for the same thing [as Postecoglou], about being stubborn and all that stuff, but if you believe in something and it's taken you a certain way in life then to deviate too far from that is crazy.
"I can't speak for him but we are also adapting. We adapt shape, approach, personnel, but with the same consistency about what is important for us, with the same concept of the game. We can't deviate too far from that otherwise we become nothing, really.
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Hide Ad"Everyone is just quick to criticise these days and I have a lot of respect for him."
Pressure building on Spurs boss Postecoglou
In recent weeks, Postecoglou has received a lot of criticism for his side’s poor run of results. If they were to drop points against bottom-of-the-league Southampton, pressure on him would likely ramp up.
A number of managers have been touted as the next Spurs boss should Daniel Levy decide to sack Postecoglou. Former Brighton and Chelsea manager Graham Potter has emerged as an early favourite.
Marseille manager Roberto de Zerbi, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe have also all been considered as favourites to take over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, should Postecoglou leave.
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