Tottenham, Liverpool and West Ham’s Premier League rivals sack promotion-winning manager


Tottenham Hotspur’s comfortable 5-0 Premier League over Southampton win proved to be Russell Martin’s final game in charge of the Saints as the former Swansea City boss was sacked by the south coast outfit late on Sunday night.
After a patchy run of form, Spurs ran out comfortable winners against the Saints at St Mary’s. James Maddison scored inside the first minute while goals from Son Heung-min and Dejan Kulusevski made it 3-0 before the 15-minute mark as Pape Matar Sarr added a fourth on 25 minutes. Martin stormed down the tunnel during first-half stoppage time and missed Maddison adding a fifth goal for the visitors.
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Hide AdSouthampton sit rock bottom of the Premier League with five points from 16 games. Martin guided the club into the top flight last season as Southampton came up via the Championship play-offs. They beat Leeds United 1-0 at Wembley in the final back in May but are currently bound for an immediate return to the second tier as they sit nine points adrift of safety.
Reflecting on the performance against Spurs, Martin said on Sunday: “I’ve done nothing but (fight) in my life and my career, so, we’ll keep working and keep fighting until I am told I am not going to any more. The fans have been amazing for us since we’ve been here since day one. I understand the frustration. I understand the modern world of football and what it is, what it is about. Apart from that, no real response.
“When I put my ego into it as a manager, it hurts a lot because we work so hard every single day, but it’s not personal. I don’t know them, they don’t know me. It’s a criticism of the job I am doing. I understand. I don’t think you can criticise a person when you don’t know them, so it’s a criticism of the job I am doing. Of course that hurts because we work so hard, but I think you have to accept it is part and parcel of football – it is what it is.”
However, Martin will not be giving the opportunity to carry on as Southampton confirmed the “difficult” decision to sack him on Sunday night. Up next for the club is a Carabao Cup quarter final against Liverpool before Premier League games against Fulham, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Brentford over the festive period. A club statement read: “We can confirm that we have taken the difficult decision to part ways with our Men’s First Team Manager, Russell Martin. Going into the start of the season, we all knew the challenges that we would face this year as we readjusted to life in the top flight, competing in the best and most competitive league in the world.
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Hide Ad“However, the reality of our situation is clear. The board have supported Russell and his staff and been open and transparent regarding our expectations. We have all been on the same page in recognising the urgency of needing results to improve. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Russell and his staff for all the hard work and dedication they have given the club on and off the pitch over the last 18 months. Everyone connected with Southampton FC will always have fantastic memories of last season, especially the Play-Off Final win in May.
“Current Under-21s Manager Simon Rusk will take charge of the team on an interim basis until we announce a permanent replacement. Behind the scenes, we are encouraged by the continued development of talent coming through our Academy. We are proud of the contributions our young players are making and are confident this will remain a source of strength and pride for everyone associated with the club. We are also deeply grateful for the continued support and positivity shown by our fans. We are witnessing first-hand the significant gap between the Championship and the Premier League, but your understanding and passion, even when results have not been what we all want, continue to drive our long-term commitment to the club.”
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