Southampton have fired manager Russell Martin as they sit bottom of the Premier League table, nine points from safety after 16 games of the 2024-25 season.
Martin, who took charge of Southampton in the summer of 2023 and guided them to promotion straight back to the Premier League via the playoffs last season, won just one of his first 16 games as a Premier League manager.
Saints sit on five points and were hammered 5-0 by Tottenham on Sunday. That turned out to be Martin’s final game in charge, as a hugely likable manager ultimately paid the price for his insistence in playing possession-based football from the back despite his Southampton side clearly struggling to adapt to life back in the Premier League.
Saints have placed U21 manager Simon Rusk in interim charge of the team “until we announce a permanent replacement” as they face Liverpool on Wednesday at home in the League Cup quarterfinals. They then face Fulham, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Brentford over the busy festive period.
Those four games give a new manager some sort of hope they can hit the ground running and drag Saints back within reach of safety. Southampton are all-in on one more roll of the dice to see if they can stay in the Premier League.
Full statement from Southampton on firing Russell Martin
“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. 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.”
