Rob Davies
As the game against Russell Martin’s Southampton edges ever closer, the former Swans boss has had plenty to say about his old club ahead of the Boxing Day fixture at St Mary’s.
He took the opportunity to have a typical dig at the club’s ownership, looking back to January’s transfer window disaster where the club failed to sign a single player. Martin’s backroom staff then later joined him in a press conference in a showing of support.
Martin’s believes that his criticism of the ownership ultimately resulted in him not receiving a contract offer after repeatedly asking during the season with just over a year left on his deal.
“I was as honest [with the fans] through you guys [in the media] as I could be and probably paid the price for that eventually… well I definitely paid the price for that eventually.
“But I wouldn’t change it because I think the people deserved that, because it’s a brilliant place and a brilliant club.
“Fortunately for us it’s ended up working out okay because we are at a fantastic club and really enjoying ourselves.”
The former MK Dons boss, never short of words and self promotion, still wonders about what might have been had him and his staff stayed at Swansea had he been offered the opportunity of a longer stay.
“I think what might have been if we’d done a bit more last January, if we’d then been given the security of the future which we’d been told we were going to get for quite some time and then didn’t.
“We could have kept on building, who knows, but it hasn’t happened.
“Now we are having an opportunity somewhere else at a brilliant club that we are really enjoying, and I think gives us a huge chance of finally showing what we can do if we are really supported.”
Martin spoke about the managerial situation at Swansea and the signings made this summer, saying that the club should have earned more points than it currently has.
“There was two years of work there with us and that group. Then I think they have probably tried to change too much, too quickly potentially in terms of the style,” he said.
“If I look at the money they spent in the summer and some of the signings they made, I think they recruited for a different shape to what they have ended up playing, for one reason or another.
“Obviously the manager has gone so who knows what will happen, but I think the squad is definitely capable of having more points than they have currently.
“They will push on. A new manager comes in and it will be onwards and upwards in the table because of the amount of quality they have.”
