Phil Sumbler
Russell Martin was, well very Russell Martin, when he was talking to the local Southampton press ahead of his return to the Swansea.com Stadium this weekend.
Martin will arrive in SA1 this weekend with his Southampton side having secured an unbeaten run of twenty games equalling a club record set more than 100 years ago. That is some turnaround for a manager who spent the first month or so under pressure after the Saints failed to start the season as well as they anticipated following relegation.
They are now firmly instilled as favourites to return to the Premier League at the end of the season and could for a couple of days at least this weekend move into the top two for the first tine this season. With the current top two facing up to each other on Monday evening night Martin will certainly believe that it is not inconceivable that his side will be in the top two this weekend.
Football often throws out strange twists of fate and it is probably one of those that shows a former assistant to Martin – Luke Williams – making his league managerial debut for the Swans against his former boss and there is little doubt that Williams will want to get one over on the man who he was assistant to at both MK Dons and Swansea City.
Williams departure from the Swans in February 2022 surprised Martin a little at the time but he accepted the reasons behind the departure saying at the time “I’m sad about it, Luke’s been brilliant with me for my first couple of seasons as a manager, was really important in terms of the support he’s given me and as a friend.
“But we had a few chats over the last 6 weeks, he has a very young family, he’s been away a lot in the last three years at MK so we sat down and had a chat about things and has come down to the decision that feels best for him at the moment.”
Williams of course ended up managing at Notts County bringing them back into the Football League last season before overseeing the first half of this season leaving last month with County challenging for the play-off positions in League Two.
His first two weeks at Swansea have passed quickly with a FA Cup win against Morecambe and being denied a league win at the first time of asking thanks to a 95th minute equaliser at Birmingham but it will be the visit of Martin’s Saints that will provide a much tougher test especially as it comes just over three weeks since the two sides were separated by five goals at St Mary’s on Boxing Day.
Martin though believes that his former assistant will succeed at Swansea and believes that his style and philosophy is a very good fit for the Swans who certainly came away from our ideals with the appointment of Michael Duff last summer.
Speaking to the Daily Echo about the appointment, Martin said: “I’m really pleased for Luke, he did a great job at Notts County.
“It’s a really good move for him and for Swansea. The style of play fits. He knows the people there and they know him.
“He knows how brilliant of a club it is. It might change the mood around the club when we go there.
“It will add a bit extra for everyone. My overriding feeling for him and Ryan Harley – who helped me in my first six months at MK Dons – is one of happiness.
“We have stayed friends. We were teammates and Ryan helped me a huge amount when I first became a manager.
“I hope it goes really well (for them) after they have played against us.”
