Russell Martin accepts ‘huge failure’ tag if Southampton stay down
Championship playoff final against Leeds awaits on SundaySouthampton manager has received moral backing from owner
Russell Martin’s job may be secure whatever happens at Wembley but he accepts that Sunday’s EFL Championship playoff final between his Southampton team and Daniel Farke’s Leeds will define his Saints managerial tenure.
Martin was last summer tasked with returning the club to the Premier League at the first attempt, and has received the financial and moral backing of the owner, Sports Republic. “I will be deemed a huge failure if we don’t go up on Sunday,” said Martin. “Or it will be deemed as really successful. That is down to one game, which is madness.”