As a Swansea fan I know all about Mr Martin.
We were so happy, couldn't believe out luck when Southampton poached him. The only good memory of his two years with us was 4 victories on the trot over Cardiff, at no time in history had either team won both league games in the same year when we were in the same division, yet somehow, even with Martin at the helm, we did it two years in succession.
He believes he knows better than anyone else, and his belief is there is only onle way to play, short passing, hold onto the ball. The players were under instruction so they would not hit the ball long. This has devestating effects on defence where Martin agve instructions that defenders under no circumstances could hit the ball to safety, instead in the tightest positions in our own box the players were making short passes under pressure. This leads to goals (in the wrong net), one mistake and we'd have at least one usually more, every game.
This lead to at least one keeper having his confidence shot to peices, who like any player who made a mistake under pressure which lead to a goal, being put out to dry by Martin in his post game comments. Never Martin's fault, he always made sure the players were thrown under the bus.before.
He was lucky to remain in the job during his first year, we failed to win in about 12 matches, the fans were on his back because of the inept tactics thenw e went on a winning streak, this streak coincided with him abandoning his principles and we played attacking football instead of his constant short passing between central defenders and Grimes, who usually played further back than the centre halves. Once we were looking safe and gained enough points, he returned us to the turgid football he had inficted on us before.
When Southampton came in for him, we were over the moon. He took a team that should have walked the league to promotion via the play-off's and then obviously got found out big time in the Prem. How the Rangers board saw what he had done before and decided this is the guy for us is beyond my thinking.
