Southampton boss Russell Martin ou Southamptons shocking 1-0 win and still in shock that they have a goalkeeper like Ramsdale
02/11/2024
St Marys Stadium
02/11/2024
St Marys Stadium
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SportsTranscript
00:00It was a big relief and happiness and gratitude and pride in the players and the staff and
00:12the supporters and the owners and the board and everyone, because we've been in a really
00:17tough period. So, yeah, for the guys to stick with it. And I think, like you guys, spend
00:24a bit of time at the training ground and stuff, there's never felt any different really. The
00:28results of the cloud of not having one has hung over things, but the way they work, the
00:33way they train, the way they interact with each other, they're amazing. They're an amazing
00:36group to work with. Yeah, and I love them and I love being here and I want to drag it
00:41out for as long as I can. So a win will certainly help that.
00:44Is VAR a luck or not? I thought it was scientific and evidence-based. We've been on the wrong
00:57end of a few tight ones. So, yeah, I think, do you know what? It's a big bit of learning
01:01for us as well because it was so tight and we'd just scored and everyone's caught up
01:06in emotion that could have just completely taken this thing out and it would have been
01:09horrific feelings. It wasn't a nice feeling for them for a couple of minutes, it was happening.
01:12So I think it's big learning for us though. It's big learning. But then after that, they
01:16threw everything at us and they're a good team, strong team, organised, really organised
01:20that position, make it so difficult for you. So actually, I think some of the football
01:24we played today was really outstanding. A few sticky moments when they took the ball
01:26off us because they are really well-drilled. But we recovered well from them and everyone
01:31stuck at it and we scored a goal from brilliant courage and composure in our own box, defend
01:36and set play to head it down rather than clear it and play a 1-2 together and then Matty
01:39drive up. So, yeah, I'm really proud of the players.
01:42I was just going to say, people talk a lot about style and rubbish, but actually a lot
01:46of the chances you had today came from playing like that.
01:48Yeah, there were honestly some brilliant moments. I said that to the players. I just think they've
01:54been criticised so much sometimes for stuff they're trying that hasn't quite come off.
02:00So I hope they get some credit when it does go right and praise and all that stuff because
02:03they deserve it. They will do for me anyway. And we win today because we stay brave and
02:07they show courage and composure. And then, listen, whatever way you play, you have to
02:10run and fight and defend and be aggressive and compete. And I feel like they've been
02:19doing that and we've been so close to the players. So today to get over the line is
02:21a really nice feeling.
02:22When you signed Adam Hunter, I suppose the impression outside the club was that he could
02:26be a difference-maker. Do you think he was today?
02:28Yeah, he's massive. I'm surprised he's here still, that we were able to get him. I'm really
02:36grateful that we did. The support was shown by everyone to get him. And it took a long
02:41time to woo him and court him and try and persuade him to come. But he did, and I hope
02:48he's getting as much from it as we are from him because as a character he's immense, like
02:51a good voice, trains properly, adds value, but in a really nice way. And then on the
02:59pitch, his saves today are amazing. The one from Michael Keane, the top, top save, which
03:04we knew he would give us moments like that, and that can be the difference. But also the
03:09pressure he takes with the ball. At Man City last week, he did incredible things. Today,
03:13some brilliant things. And so, for me, he's like a complete goalkeeper that we're really
03:19lucky to have, and we have to enjoy it. And he has such high standards, and I'm pleased
03:23for him today. He keeps a clean sheet, and I think he has an appreciation of what we're
03:26trying to be and who we're trying to be, and just desperately help us. And he has done.
03:30Can he score the goals he has done in the Premier League?
03:39Yeah, I hope it's the start of really brilliant things for him and us in the Premier League.
03:41I really do. Leaving armour out of the team is one of the hardest things. Him, Jack, the
03:48guys that have played and done so well for us over a long period of time last season,
03:53he was amazing. He's got in the team of the year, one player of the year. So, it's been
03:57a bit harsh on him, to be honest. I've really wrestled with it and lost sleep over that
04:03because it's not easy because he's such a brilliant character, a brilliant player. But
04:07the way he's reacted to it has been immense. He's trained properly, no sulking, got his
04:12head down. When he has a frustration, come and see me in the office rather than take
04:15it out on the training pitch because he trains properly. So, we've had some really interesting
04:19and difficult conversations and I'm always honest with him. But I said to him he's going
04:24to have a chance at some point and the team needed him today. So, we knew that after Man
04:27City came on at half-time. He's been really unfortunate because he started as a nine and
04:32then Cam come in. Then Tyler's just played and done brilliantly. But it was the right
04:36time for Tyler to come out and keep him fresh. He had a big impact when he came on. So, I'm
04:40so pleased for Arma and he wouldn't have scored if Cam Archer didn't run to goal. So, they're
04:44working together and they're playing. It's a brilliant run. But he wants to score and
04:48he's a brilliant example of Arma to attack the goal. He had three chances at the backstick.
04:51The crossers just weren't quite right and fired him. But, yes, I'm so pleased for him
04:55and hopefully he will kick on from there.
04:57How do you feel about next week's game against Man City?
05:03Yes, they all are, honestly. So, we're going to be fighting, I hope, for something all
05:07season and hopefully be in a better position than where we are now. But we have one win
05:13so it's not like, oh, yes, we've done it, we've cracked it. We've got one win. We need
05:16to kick on, we need to improve, we need to be better in every department because it's
05:19the Premier League and it's tough. But I feel like the lads have drawn a line in the sand
05:23the last couple of weeks and said, no, we are going to go attack this and we're going
05:27to be this team and we're going to try and do it no matter what. And they did at City
05:30and were brilliant in large parts. They did today and they got the reward. So, I hope
05:34it's justification for them for sticking with it and keeping their belief in us and what
05:38we do. And also for the fans as well. I'm really grateful to them. They've been amazing
05:42even outside of here when I'm walking around and stuff. The support we've been given has
05:45been brilliant.
05:45Is a win today going to give players the confidence to be able to gamble?
05:54Yes, I think you have to build off something. So, we stopped building up properly and playing
05:58out really properly. It was sort of a bit in between Leicester, Ipswich here. When we
06:02got in front, there was tension and we stopped doing what makes us us really and gives us
06:07a bit of an advantage, I think. Because we can't just turn up and fight and roll our
06:12sleeves up. With the players we're playing against, we have to have something to fall
06:16back on. So, then we've gone back to trying to be the team we want to be with the ball.
06:22So then it's building blocks again. And we get to the final third and we're playing.
06:26Ryan Manning's out there and done a great job for us and doing a great job. He's not
06:29a natural winger. And then Cam needs a bit more support than he's getting at the moment,
06:35but we'll get there. And that's the process. And we'll show them the clips and we'll try
06:37and learn from that. Because we got there a lot today. We got there a lot on Tuesday.
06:42And now we need a bit extra when we get there. So, yes, it's up to us to make sure we keep
06:47working.
06:48Desmond, he just seems to get better every day?
06:49Amazing player. Amazing player. Brilliant. Top young man. Top talent. But nowhere near
06:56ready to play for anyone else. He needs a good couple of years here first.
06:59Russell, you mentioned the crowd hanging over a bit and not wanting him on as much as possible.
07:06In the last couple of weeks, have you felt moments of pressure maybe a bit more?
07:10Not from in the club, no. Not from the owners, not from the board. Oh, no, no, no. Yeah,
07:15yeah. This is... Oh, no, turn that off. Honestly, I think I'm at a point in my life where I
07:24maintain perspective fairly well in my life and where I've come from and to here.
07:29And so I generally feel no different to when I was at MK in League One and took over in a
07:36relegation battle there because I had the same level of care and feeling for the people I worked
07:41with there and the opportunity I had in the same way here. The opportunity I have, I'm really aware
07:44of that. And I just go in with giving everything I've got and hope it'll be enough. And if it's
07:51not, at least I know that I've done everything I possibly can. So the external noise, honestly,
07:56it's not that I don't care. Of course, I care because it affects my family more than it does
08:00me. But in terms of me and how I work and how I operate and who I am, no, I don't think so. I have
08:05a really strong network around me of people I really love and they care for me and they're
08:08really honest with me and I'm really honest with them. And I'm lucky to work with a few of them,
08:12a lot of them actually. So no, generally, I mean that I'm in a job where if I let that affect me,
08:18well, I'm either going to get unwell or it's not going to last very long. And I hope I can,
08:23like I said, drag it out for quite some time.
08:27Yeah, finally, yeah. To be fair, I won the staff game yesterday against the Analysts,
08:30that was good. And now I'm going home and winning today, finally.
08:37Yeah, he was injured. Yeah, nothing serious, but he just felt his groin a little bit. So we'll
08:41assess that. And he's been massive for us, the way he takes the ball and so brave and
08:46beautiful footballer to watch. And he gave us some brilliant moments today, but
08:49yeah, he couldn't continue. So it was disappointing.
08:55I think, yeah, well, I think they impact the game and that's all you can ask for. I think,
08:59like, at times this season I've made subs that perhaps when you look at it in hindsight,
09:05in hindsight it's a beautiful thing, but the learning is maybe I could have made it a bit
09:09later or maybe I'd already had that in mind and I should have changed that. So,
09:14yeah, today they had a brilliant impact. Yuki got an assist and looked fresh. Tyler was great
09:19when he came on. And then Lesley and Paul helped us shore it up and Joe had some tough moments,
09:24actually, today. But what he gives us out of possession and the willingness to still take
09:28the ball and understand other people is huge. And he has a big part to play in the goal as well.
09:33Thank you, guys. Thank you.