13 Aug 2025 17:05:58
I'm new to the site. However I've regularly checked out the posts and content over the past 5 or 6 years. I did consider posting in the past, but never really felt invested enough to get involved, until now!
I have interviewed, on behalf of a good few blue chip companies, probably a couple of thousand candidates, for a range of upper management roles to director level positions. Over time you eventually get a feel/ instinct when something isn't right. However just trusting your gut, isn't considered professional and rightly so. You have to drill down into the detail and this is done by looking at how candidates fared at previous positions, performance, KPI markers, etc. and how they could improve on their performance, based on learned experiences.
I was prepared to give RM a fair chance. He comes across pretty well, says all the right things, but my gut tells me different. So I checked his performance details and it doesn't make for good reading at all. He won 1 match in 16 at Southampton, a win rate of 6.25%, he won 36 games of 99 games played at Swansea, a win rate of 36%. He had a win rate of 39.3% at MK Dons.
Had I interviewed him, here are the comments I would have advised the new owners consider before making a decision.
Inability to see or want to accept differing opinions or views on strategies.
Unwavering adherence to a system, proven to have failed in past roles.
Arrogant belief that the system will prevail, no matter the consequences.
No contingency or plan B.
Introduction of a ew style of play within very acute time constraints.
Now ally the above to my gut feeling and you can guess what my observations to the new owners would have been. Time we don't have will tell.
Well that's my first and probably last post.
13 Aug 2025 17:12:56
Did am the same first thing a ask when looking 2 hire someone is what school did you go 2 ?.
13 Aug 2025 17:21:55
Yes he should have stuck with the style the previous managers adopted because that was so successful. We wanted an identifiable playing style he's trying to establish one give the guy some time for Christ sake.
13 Aug 2025 17:22:33
Welcome dod good first post bud?.
13 Aug 2025 17:44:35
I'm no fan of Martin but if you are going to quote his record at Southampton you really should quote his whole record rather than just his time in EPL .
13 Aug 2025 17:45:16
Dod, good post.
I'd be surprised if he's a success here.
13 Aug 2025 17:54:57
Fork there is a lot of info in that post but it misses a lot. It says he won 1 match in 16 at Southampton. He also took Southampton on an unbeaten in 25 game run, a club record.
13 Aug 2025 17:57:46
You would be a hard boss to please!
Welcome good post.
I know he went on a 25 game unbeaten run after a very poor start with Southampton, let's hope something similar happens with us.
13 Aug 2025 18:16:27
I think he comes across as arrogant and It's the fact he's done nothing to warrant that air of arrogance. I canny take to the guy at all, if he sorts things out I'll back him though but I just have a feeling it's not going to work out.
13 Aug 2025 18:18:40
Good post Dod but a bit selective with your stats. Martin took Southampton on a 25-game unbeaten run and won promotion to the EPL at the first time of asking. His latter spell at Southampton was not of course very good. His style of play tends to mean high percentages of possession. Maybe some of the Gers players need to adjust to his style of play. The next few weeks will no doubt tell!
13 Aug 2025 18:22:38
Yes I know JFM I can read bud, thought it was a good first post, choosing not to dissect it.
13 Aug 2025 18:30:36
Didn't suggest you couldn't read. its a selective post that leaves out getting Southampton promotion. I'll not bother the next time.
13 Aug 2025 18:34:13
Dod, good post mate. I think all you have to do is look at Martins stats as a manager, yes stats, and they are not impressive. Goals for and against terrifys me. When it comes to possession, I couldn't care less if you're losing that amount of goals, I've got a bad feeling about this one and I hope to god that I'm wrong.
13 Aug 2025 18:40:47
Dod, do you think the 49ers didn't look at the data?
From everything they've said, they seem to be very much about the data. I mean, bigly.
So, are they lying?
Or are they incompetent?
13 Aug 2025 18:44:24
Good opening post Dod and welcome to the site pal ? Look forward to reading more of your posts on here.
13 Aug 2025 18:44:48
Welcome dod and keep posting.
13 Aug 2025 18:51:34
So an HR process where you pick and choose selective statistics to prove your point ?.
previous owners have said how happy they were with him. he was poached from Dons by Swansea and from Swansea by Southampton so despite the win percentages he was coveted by other teams; and made them reasonable compensation figures. you can't judge win percentages from a mid table team as you have to look at context.
Look at Germany as well when they regularly take youth coaches and those from lower division and promote them. look at Klopp who had a win percentage of only 40% at Mainz and then only 56% even at Dortmund. did okay at Liverpool I reckon.
Just as well your company and their gut feel didn't intervene there. 49ers probably got more experience in recruitment for sports teams would be where I would place my money. no guarantees in anything but they might want to give him a chance to see how it progressed beyond 6 games.
{Ed001's Note - you're embarrassing yourself by trying to compare Klopp's record with Martin. That is a joke of a post. Klopp won the Bundesliga with Dortmund, what did Martin win? Even though he had the best team in Southampton, he turned it into a mess that they are still trying to recover from.}
13 Aug 2025 18:55:21
Good to see new posters.
I thought it was well written.
13 Aug 2025 19:07:30
Jfm I was aware of the 25 game run and promotion thru the playoffs, it's been discussed many times, as has various topics on his time at Southampton, didn't want to go over it again from my input, I choose not to but welcomed the post, don't see what's wrong with that mate. Apologies if I gave it short shrift, wasn't my intention bud?.
13 Aug 2025 19:24:53
Angus, seriously what absolute waffle are you chatting. I would kill to have someone of Klopps ilk and that isn't Martin.
Good first post new guy.
13 Aug 2025 19:49:54
That's one biased post Dod. Glad your not interviewing me. Stick yet job. ?.
13 Aug 2025 20:22:33
Correct Ed I was trying to use win rates to show other teams will look at managers where the win rates aren't exceptional whilst forgetting he had won the Bundesliga ?. not concentrating and a very poor example to use. no excuse I was wrong.
{Ed001's Note - it felt a bit insulting to use Klopp of all people. But no worries. I get you are trying to defend your man, and it does need someone to put that point of view.}
13 Aug 2025 20:48:32
All very cordial?.
{Ed001's Note - obviously you were too late to stir it up, so put that big wooden spoon away.}
13 Aug 2025 21:25:23
One does try???.