Russell Martin had seen enough before half-time during Southampton's 5-0 defeat by Tottenham on Sunday.
The Saints manager stormed off the pitch into the dressing room at 4-0, but James Maddison completed his brace in the fourth minute of first-half extra time to make it 5-0.
The loss ultimately proved to be the 38-year-old's last in the Saints dugout as he was relieved of his duties shortly after the result, with the side languishing at the foot of the table with just one win from their first sixteen games. competitions.
After the match, Martin criticized his side's mentality after conceding the opener, explaining that they did not do enough to fight back from being 1–0 down.
“Well, I'm hurt by the first half, we just don't respond well to setbacks as a group. Ultimately, it hurt us a lot this season,” he said.
'We concede so early, and we have the chance to foul Djed Spence in the middle of the pitch, but we don't, and then we're down 1-0, and then the reaction afterwards is incredibly poor . So yeah, very disappointing.
“Yes, I think it's probably the most disappointing thing is we have a plan that I like the week's training. The players have been part of that, been part of that process, but we are not executing it with enough intensity, aggression is because we admit that literally the first action they have the ball.
'So that has to do with the mentality that you like and still want to stick to. So I didn't recognize the team in the first half. I'm glad they held on in the second, but yeah, it's a tough night.”
When asked about the quality of the home support at St Mary's, he defended the fans, despite many of them leaving the stadium after just 25 minutes when Southampton were 4-0 down early on.
'[The fans] were great. They were great in the second half. Really good,” said Martin.
However, the Englishman noted that the boos that rang through the stadium were not constructive for either him or the players, but insisted he was not offended.
'As a person? No, because I understand it's not personal, so I don't know them and they don't know me. As a manager? Yes, of course it hurts me. It hurts the team. “I understand it too,” he added.
Unfortunately for the former Swansea boss, his 18-month spell on the south coast came to an abrupt end just hours after the defeat.
In a statement, Southampton said: 'We can confirm that we have made the difficult decision to part ways with our Men's First Team Manager, Russell Martin.
'At the start of the season we all knew the challenges we would face this year as we adjusted to life in the top flight and competed in the best and most competitive league in the world. However, the reality of our situation is clear.
“The board has supported Russell and his staff and has been open and transparent about our expectations. We have all been 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 last eighteen months.
“Anyone associated with Southampton FC will always have fantastic memories of last season, especially the Play-Off Final victory 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 make and are confident this will continue to be a source of strength and pride for everyone involved with the club.
“We are also very grateful for the continued support and positivity from our fans. We have witnessed first-hand the significant gap between the Championship and the Premier League, but your understanding and passion, even if the results are not what we all want, continues to drive our long-term commitment to the club.”
Comments