Southampton boss Russell Martin defends Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou from criticism

Southampton boss Russell Martin defends Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou from the criticism which as been aimed at him more recently.

This support comes in light of Tottenham’s recent run of struggling form, where they’ve only won one of their last six matches.

It’s not going very well at the Saints either, with Martin also saying that his club’s Premier League points tally so far this season is “incredibly hurtful and embarrassing”.

As per Alex Keble for SportingLife: “Postecoglou and Martin have a lot in common.

“They are the only two managers who stubbornly refuse to adapt to the game state or the strength of the opposition and fans at both clubs are starting to become restless; in an era of constant tinkering at Premier League level supporters who once craved a strong tactical identity are now savvy to the benefits of a more flexible approach.”

Russell Martin growing more animated: “If people see what is not their version of the game, they are quick to criticise. But you really need to understand Plan A. If Jamie Carragher sat down with Ange Postecoglou and really understood it, maybe it would be different.”#SaintsFC https://t.co/GpCDQhQGjs

— Alfie House (@AlfieHouseEcho) December 12, 2024

“Everyone’s quick to criticise these days” 🗣️

Russell Martin defends Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou from recent criticism. pic.twitter.com/2p4IxEB4NV

— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 12, 2024

Martin said: “I watched a lot of his Celtic team. They were brilliant. Got so much praise for being so aggressive, so brave, relentless restarts, energy, energy, energy. Did a great job. Won lots of trophies, played in the Champions League.

“He goes to Spurs, starts so well. So when results are good, no one questions the style or his conviction or belief system. And then the minute it starts faltering, it’s always down to that.

“I’m pretty sure and I’ll get criticised for the same thing about being stubborn and all that stuff. But if you believe in something, and it’s taken you a certain way in life, on a certain pathway and journey, then to deviate too far from that, I think is crazy.

“So, but we’re also, I’m pretty sure I can’t speak for him. We are adapting with that shape. We adapt approach. We adapt, personnel, but in the with the same consistent what’s really important for us with the same concept of the game, the same. So we can’t deviate too far from that.

“Otherwise we become nothing really. So, yeah, I don’t know. I think, Yeah. Everyone’s just quick to criticise these days, and, I have a lot of respect for him.”

Martin’s side currently find themselves bottom of the Premier League table on five points, having only picked up 1 win, drawn twice and lost 12 of their 15 league fixtures, also having a goal difference of minus 20, having scored 11 and conceded 31 times.

“We shouldn’t be on the points that we are. It is incredibly hurtful and embarrassing to be on five points – we should have more,” said Martin.

“But there have been a few too many mistakes and a few too many moments that we haven’t managed well.

“We have had disappointments in games and setbacks, but we have to keep trying to grow – to grow as a group, to grow individually and prepare the players for those moments when it is tough, and find ways for them to cope emotionally.”

Ange Postecoglou explains why he confronted Tottenham fans after defeat at Bournemouth

Ange Postecoglou has this week said Cristian Romero’s perceived criticism of the club’s hierarchy after the team’s 4-3 home loss to Chelsea on Sunday hadn’t been handled in the right way by the player and revealed he has since said sorry for his comments.

When speaking with Spanish broadcaster Telemundo Deportes, Romero criticised Tottenham’s lack of spending in comparison to their rivals, adding: “The last few years, it’s always the same — first the players, then the coaching staff changes, and it’s always the same people responsible.

“Hopefully they realise who the true responsible ones are and we move forward because it’s a beautiful club that, with the structure it has, could easily be competing for the title every year.”

Postecoglou, who is facing pressure from fans and the club to turn their form around, says that he felt some of Romero’s comments were “good,” however, adds the Argentina international had gone about things in the wrong way.

“Cristian realises what he said … A lot of what he said was good, some wasn’t right and shouldn’t have been done in public,” Postecoglou said in a news conference on Wednesday.

“We deal with these things in our own four walls. There’s always issues we need to deal with. The same way I wouldn’t criticise a player or anyone else, we shouldn’t be doing that in a public sense.

“I’ve already spoken to Cristian about it and you know, he has apologised for the fact that the way he said it, particularly in the public sense, wasn’t the right way to go about things.

“He’s a human being, he got emotional and I think he just expressed what he wanted to express, probably in the wrong way.”

Spurs have had Romero, Van de Ven and Ben Davies (hamstring) absent, meaning that young midfielder Archie Gray, 18, has been been used as a right-back this season, and is likely to partner Radu Dragusin in the centre of Spurs’ defence in Glasgow.

Postecoglou said this is the worst injury crisis of his managerial career, and could face as many as eight first-team players for the game against Rangers on Thursday.

“I have to get creative,” Postecoglou said. “I think Archie’s probably the one for us at the moment that we need to try and get to fill in there. He’s done right-back, left-back for us. He’s had to play at centre-back a little bit this year — he did during the pre-season. With him and Radu, they’re the two main sort of defenders.

“We’ve still got five or six games to navigate, so we may have to get creative at some point and deal with it in a different way.”

Postecoglou heads back to Scotland, where he had been previous to taking the Spurs job. He was in charge of Celtic and won five major honours between 2021 and 2023.

He said looking ahead to a return to Ibrox that the game “of most interest” to him when the draw had been made.

Postecoglou said: “When I was up here, particularly my first year, they made the Europa League final so I’ve got a pretty clear idea of how challenging it is to play them here in front of that crowd, with the atmosphere.

“But at the same time, it’s exciting. You look forward to big games and I’m sure the players are as well.”

“It’s a great opportunity to overcome the odds and hopefully create something special.”

Ange on fresh injury concerns ahead of Rangers 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/Bd2wvbz9QZ

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) December 11, 2024

Postecoglou added: “I don’t know if it brings out more of me. I mean, I’m like anyone else, I like a bit of love every now and then, mate. But I do enjoy that. I always kind of reflect and, you know, we’ve all lived it is that once you experience football in empty stadiums, you realise how meaningless it is.

“I felt through that whole period, that Covid period, it was meaningless. So I would win games, as much as you go it could be hostile tomorrow, but yeah that’s what we love about the game. That’s what brings it to life.

“Ultimately, it is a game that evokes passions and emotions. Sometimes that’s not always positive. Like every human being you’d love it to be positive, but it’s not gonna happen. You definitely want that as opposed to playing a game in somewhere sterile where you don’t have that.”

This is how fans reacted as Southampton boss Russell Martin defends Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou from criticism…

@NickMiller79: He’s definitely just talking about Ange here.

@StuHack73: The ones who are criticised are the ones who don’t get results but continue playing the same way, what a mug Russell Martin is.

@antooconnell: Two managers who don’t learn from mistakes

@andyjm_: They both play the same brand of suicidal football so of course he’s going to defend him.

@SASLow14: Wouldn’t it be hilarious is Martin outlasted Ange in the sack race? 😂

@MisterWenger: Bit sad really, when the bloke who keeps telling the press that he’s Really Happy, Actually with his team who constantly give opposition sides pops at an open goal from six yards, comes out to bat for you.

@chivesy6: Two peas in a pod

@Darrenforeman2: Having played at a high enough level I don’t have a problem with how we play it’s the way the players appear to be frightened to deviate from the style and aren’t allowed to use their own judgement . Let’s be honest Macca would never play it out or throw it short before

@cheekyblinder11: Not sure if its arrogance or stubbornness…. but bottom of the Premier League with 5 points means you will get criticism, especially from those who know the league better than you do..

@SamSaints_: We’re closer to no points than we are survival… we aren’t far off nothing

@andydavis1978: 5 points is not far off nothing…

@eggbassett1: He hasnt adapted to anything 🙄

@Wado_1993: You get criticised for being stubborn because you are stubborn. #saintsfc

@AdeMcKenzie:
He has a plan B? 🤔
Who knew. 🤷‍♂️

@DanTibot: He has a plan B?