Russell Martin New Contract 2019

[morty]

I think though Robert is that we never really know who we are actually looking at, and who we aren't. The times where there has been a persistent rumour linking us to a player, and we have signed him, are definitely in the minority. 

The rest is all opinion really. Yes you can say that Alex Neil dropped Russ several times, but he always seemed to go back to him, didn't he? You could also say, depending on your cup being half full or half empty, that Russ only won his place back because of the other CB's being poor. Which by definition, makes him our best centre back, at that point. Other centre backs not playing well is hardly Russel Martin's fault.

Lets throw in a hypothetical question, based on last seasons performances would you rather we keep Russ or Timm Klose?

 

[splutcho]

Performance wise I'd say they were both as bad as each other last year.

 

[morty]

So that begs the question why did Russ get infinitely more stick than Klose did? Did being good on social media buy Klose smartie points with folks?

 

[splutcho]

I completely agree. I'm quite happy he's been given a new contract, I just hope he's not gonna be playing 40 odd games.

 

[morty]

I completely agree. I'm quite happy he's been given a new contract, I just hope he's not gonna be playing 40 odd games.

Yup, agree with that too, I think we all want his role to be as a capable squad filler who will do you an adequate job, when called upon. But won't be his fault if he's playing better than the other CB's....

 

[OldRobert]

I think though Robert is that we never really know who we are actually looking at, and who we aren't. The times where there has been a persistent rumour linking us to a player, and we have signed him, are definitely in the minority. 

Cannot argue with that Morty.

The rest is all opinion really. Yes you can say that Alex Neil dropped Russ several times, but he always seemed to go back to him, didn't he? You could also say, depending on your cup being half full or half empty, that Russ only won his place back because of the other CB's being poor. Which by definition, makes him our best centre back, at that point. Other centre backs not playing well is hardly Russel Martin's fault.

RB was not good last season, I think most agree with that.  Did Bassong play at all, I don't remember?  Klose was a huge disappointment to all.  Obviously not suited to Championshipip football, not prepared to get stuck in, imo ended up not wanting to be here.  Will be surprised if he's still here by the end of the month.  Goes back to my argument, who else was there?

Lets throw in a hypothetical question, based on last seasons performances would you rather we keep Russ or Timm Klose?

Like many, I thought Klose was the answer to a lot of our defensive prayers when signed.  On last season's performances, has to be RM, with the rider, imo, that's it's the best of a pretty poor lot.  I am judging that over the last 2 seasons, if I may!

 

[morty]

On the contrary, most do not agree that Russ was bad last season. Yes the defence as a whole was poor, but was Russ the poorest? Not by a long chalk. This whole "best of a bad bunch" whilst maybe accurate is a little unfair, as you can only really be truly judged against your peers. 

I saw a fair few games last season and probably our best centre back pairing was Russ and Klose, or at least the closest to having some kind of balance. Seb started 8 games.

There were lots of things wrong last season, but laying it all at the feet of one player is a bit short sighted, in my opinion.

 

[Canaryboy]

From not getting in the team at Peterborough to the status he now has at Norwich, yes, the lad has played it well.

I think it was Darren Ferguson who said that getting rid of Russell Martin was his biggest regret. Or it may have been that Irish bloke who owns Peterborough, it was one of them.

I've got a feeling that Russell Martin has taken a pay cut in return for the extra year and that over that two years he'll do his first couple of coaching badges. Swansea did something similar with Garry Monk when he was in decline, kept around as a backup player but started developing him as a coach. 

He'll be 33 and a half when his contract expires, possible plan for him to retire here and then join the backroom team? 

If you were going to pick one player from our squad who you'd expect to take a punt at management in the future it would be him. Can't imagine any other player doing the same (which has probably been part of our problem actually, lack of leaders). 

 

[OldRobert]

On the contrary, most do not agree that Russ was bad last season. Yes the defence as a whole was poor, but was Russ the poorest? Not by a long chalk. This whole "best of a bad bunch" whilst maybe accurate is a little unfair, as you can only really be truly judged against your peers. 

I saw a fair few games last season and probably our best centre back pairing was Russ and Klose, or at least the closest to having some kind of balance. Seb started 8 games.

There were lots of things wrong last season, but laying it all at the feet of one player is a bit short sighted, in my opinion.

Morty, I think you have misread part of my post.  I said RB was poor (Bennett), not RM.

In saying 'the best of a bad lot', I think that's laying the blame fairly and squarely on the defence as a whole, although I accept that tactics probably had a hand as well.

 

[Din]

To say I'm pleased that we've secured Russ for another couple of years would be pushing it, however overall I do see it as a more positive than negative thing. I just really hope this isn't a sign that we're heading into another season with him as first choice. I am more than happy to have him in and around the squad. I won't go into all the 'he's a great dressing room influence, loves the club, etc...' stuff because it's all already been said and is common knowledge, and it's for all those reasons that I'm happy to have him here, however I will be disappointed if we're not planning on just using him as a squad player. 

Some of the reactions that I've seen to this news on Facebook and the other forum have been ludicrous, and you'd think we'd just given him a 5 year contract and a promise to be manager when his contract is up. It completely does him a disservice as whilst he has hardly set the world alight in the last 2 or 3 seasons he has overall been a great player for this club and is still good enough to have a role to play. He is also the obvious and some would argue only choice as the one centre back that should be kept at the club, with Bennett, Bassong and Turner all being released and Klose on bigger wages and likely to attract a big transfer fee if we are planning on selling him (which I hope we are). But whether the tactics and rest of the defenders are poor or not, it is very clear that he is a limited centre back, and in my opinion isn't good enough to be first choice for a team aiming for automatic promotion. Whilst as well he isn't an amazing centre back, he's actually even worse at right back. And whilst many don't believe Pinto is a particularly good defender, I believe the reason that we seem to pick up so many more points with him in the squad is because he's an attacking outlet, whereas Martin at right back completely hinders our whole style of play (or at least it did under Neil, obviously we don't know how Farke will play yet), which is odd, because before Neil Adams moved him into the middle Martin was always good at getting forward from right back.