Southampton have sacked manager Russell Martin after Sunday’s 5-0 drubbing by Tottenham Hotspur.
The defeat he saw Spurs score all five of their goals in the first halfit was Southampton’s 13th in 16 Premier League games played this season, leaving them nine points adrift of safety.
Having seen Wolves ax manager Gary O’Neil earlier in the day – the former Bournemouth boss paid the price for a quarter Premier League back-to-back defeats at Ipswich on Saturday – the Saints opted to pull the trigger themselves, removing Martin from his 18-month post.
“We can confirm that we have made the difficult decision to part ways with Men’s First Team Manager Russell Martin. Southampton statement read. “Going into the start of the season, we all knew the challenges we would face this year as we adapted 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 has been supportive of Russell and his staff and has been open and transparent about our expectations. We are all on the same page in recognizing 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 to the club on and off the pitch over the past 18 months. Everyone associated with Southampton FC will always have fantastic memories of last season, especially winning the Play-Off Final in May.”
After confirming the appointment of under-21 coach Simon Rusk on an interim basis, Saints added: “Behind the scenes, we are encouraged by the continued development of talent coming through our Academy. We are proud of the contribution of our young players and we are confident that this will remain a source of strength and pride for all associated with the club.
“We are also deeply grateful for the continued support and positivity shown by our fans. We see first-hand the significant gap between the Championship and the Premier League, but your understanding and passion, even when the results were not what we all want , we continue to drive our long-term commitment to the club.”
