Manager Russell Martin responds to loud boos and anger from Swansea fans after Monday night’s 1-1 draw against Rotherham.
Chiedozie Obene’s equaliser proved to be a valuable point in the Millers’ bid to avoid the Championship drop zone with Swansea City’s poor form continuing.
Joel Piroe produced a precise finish on the 42nd minute, putting the hosts ahead and on track for what would have been an unexpected victory.
Ogbene, a long-standing Swansea transfer target, levelled the scoreline shortly after the break, to set up a nervy contest, only for the points to be shared.
With the draw, the Millers now sit six points clear of the bottom three, while Swansea remain 15th, winning only three of their last 18 league games, despite looking like genuine playoff contenders back in autumn.
Russell Martin responded to loud boos and anger from Swansea fans after draw against Rotherham, saying: “It doesn’t affect me, but it affects the team. The senior lads, we don’t have many of them, but they said how you react to these types of moments will define you as a footballer because there’s so many tough moments. We’ve spoken a lot about it. We’re really honest with each other. But speaking about it and overcoming it is really different, so we have to try and help them overcome it. They’re trying their very best, we just need something to spark us back into life and get that confidence back.”
“I think we’re disappointed and frustrated with the performance,” he added, as per Wales Online. “We’re just a team going through a really tough moment, a bit low on confidence and so much anxiety in our game, the way we started the game summed that up.
“The whole performance just fed off that anxiety really, and anxiety and fear kills creativity and freedom. It makes your legs feel heavy on the pitch. I’ve been there as a player.
“When we finally got a grip on the game and changed shape and scored I thought it would settle everyone down.
“Then, right at the end of the first half, summed up the whole thing really. We were in their box, we had a chance to go one-v-one with someone, I think it was Ollie [Cooper] who has been outstanding, he turns back and passes it backwards and there’s even more anxiety with the performance.
“So yeah, not enough courage, but completely understandable with the young guys out there. We concede a rubbish goal and we don’t have any real period of sustained pressure in their final third. It comes from recent results. The Stoke game on Tuesday night carried into tonight’s performance, really. When we did get in their half we didn’t go anywhere near enough.
“We need people to be really all in for the rest of the season because I think we have too many lads who are already focusing on the summer and what’s going to happen with their situation,” he added.
“That’s not conducive to our performance, especially the way we play because you need to be all in to do it. The lads in the dressing room spoke about the pride at the identity we have, their belief in what we’re doing and we now really need to show it on the pitch where it matters. It’s affected us recently. They have a choice, they’re either really all in or they can come and sit next to us and see what happens.”
Rotherham’s Matt Taylor: “It’s nowhere near the boost of three points, but it’s a point in the right direction. We tried to take advantage of their lack of confidence and what might have been a difficult night for Swansea. We let them into the game just before half-time, which I was so, so frustrated about and then we had some honest words at half-time – led by the players, first and foremost – and our intent and quality was a lot better in the second half.
“We have to tell each other the truth sometimes and as much as our structure was OK in that first half, our execution and quality was too poor to sustain any quality moments. We knew that, the players knew that, but they also needed to tell each other. But for a couple of scrambles, we might have got three points.”
This is what social media users said as Russell Martin responds to loud boos and anger from Swansea fans after the draw against Rotherham…
@JoeWalt78470830: Give us something to cheer then, Russ. I get the whole not booing thing, I really do – it’s pretty straightforward positive psychology. But there was literally nothing to even get slightly enthused about in that second half. Not a shot, not a big tackle, nothing.
@craigdavies128: Time he changed the way we play then!
@04mike91: Just one game where he does not mention young squad. Broken record. 🙄
@rhys_scfc_: We wouldn’t boo if we didn’t have two touches in the oppositions box in the second half while paying £32.50 a ticket.
@liam_the_jack: What does he expect, we were completely dominated by Rotherham in the first half, he takes off 2 of our best players in manning and grimes. Don’t understand how else fans are supposed to voice their frustration. Calling out the fans is not going to help him gain support
@Dan_kellzs28: It doesn’t help when his philosophy just doesn’t work
@Benjaminneale4: Fuck off russell blaming the fans they young players on 4 -10k a week they get paid it man up or fuck off
@DI93_: An idea after getting humiliated last Wednesday would be to go out and play fast, fluid football, give the fans something to cheer about. Serve up that utter nonsense and that’s the reaction you AND the players will get. Absolutely diabolical. #Swans 🦢
@CurtisTheJack: Yeah but maybe you should sort out your tactics and learn from the mistakes. Ik we got a point but the management is shocking!
@Aaronhughes_64: Martin can’t not mention young squad
@TheExiledRobin: Almost as if he doesn’t understand how football works
@2CanTom: Easy solution Martin drop your shit ex mk dons players
@04fn_: need to stop booing asap. players will stop playing for the badge soon because they still get paid at the end of the day
@alexyjb: at the end of the day the fans reaction is only the response to watching his team playing like that, it was horrendous. no fight, no tempo, no quality. Seen better football in 5 aside. not martinout yet but definitely not a fan of him blaming the fans
@scmw12: The players are pathetic. No fight in any of them
@CallumMorrid: I’ve backed Martin all the way until now. There’s no reason we shouldn’t beat this Rotherham side at home, literally the worst team in the championship
@ianapharri: That was as bad as I’ve seen us, & I’ve been a Swan since the Harry Griffiths days. We’ll stay up but playing like that, does it matter?
@Nigsyboy: We’re Actually depressing to watch, We’re going backwards and I’m not just taking about our passing!
@TheStevenThomas: That was abysmal. Let’s be honest: this squad is not improving with time.
@MHender36059959: As an away fan today I genuinely feel for you guys there, that was frustrating to watch even from my perspective for you guys. Negative play for the sake of possession, and seemingly no plan b. Crazy tactics. Anyway, all the best for the rest of the season.
@AJMK39:
“I thought we were excellent”
“We should’ve won the game”
“Desensive errors cost us again.”
“I feel like I’m repeating myself.”
“I don’t know what more we can say.”
“The players are gutted ”
@muzzymiller:
What a totally uninspiring person Russell Martin is.
Talking about anxiety throughout the club etc.
I’d not be happy as a fan listening to this drivel! UTM!
Never seen Swansea boss Russell Martin so deflated.
Martin on loud boos at final whistle.
🗣 “The players just spoke about it in there, they can feel the impact it can have on the young players. I understand the frustration and disappointment but it doesn’t help the players.”
— Phil Blanche (@philblanche) February 27, 2023
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