Leicester City manager Russell Martin said that he feels criticism he has received has ‘become really personal’ as he opened up on a turbulent start to the season with the League One side.
Leicester were tipped by many to come straight back up to the Championship after suffering back-to-back relegations from the Premier League to League One.
Yet they sit 18th in the third division after their opening five games, with Martin’s side notching just one win, two draws and two defeats to leave them at their lowest ever position in the 142-year history of the club.
The Foxes were thrashed 4-0 at home to Oxford United last weekend, leaving Martin’s job under intense scrutiny as he faced chants of ‘sacked in the morning’ from both the travelling and home fans.
In the lead-up to Leicester’s match against Stockport on Saturday, Martin – who is married to former glamour model Lucy Pinder – opened up on the criticism and the toll it’s taken on his loved ones, saying: ‘It has become really personal from some guys in the media and definitely from fans.
‘It is what it is, and I have to deal with it. It doesn’t affect me too much, genuinely, but it is really difficult for the people around me, who know me and understand me and know what I am.
Martin said: ‘I don’t know why I upset so many people. One of the players asked me this week why I am so criticised outside of here, because obviously they see stuff, and I can’t answer it’
The Leicester boss said the onslaught has been difficult for his loved ones. He is married to former glamour model Lucy Pinder
‘I don’t know why I upset so many people. One of the players asked me this week why I am so criticised outside of here, because obviously they see stuff, and I can’t answer it.’
Martin has been working to implement a possession-heavy style, which is already turning off many fans, while former Foxes forward Matt Piper described it as ‘passing teams to death’.
The 40-year-old manager still appears to have the backing of his players, however. Captain Harry Souttar claimed after last weekend’s Oxford defeat that it was ‘solely’ the responsibility of the players.
And 20-year-old defender Jayden Joseph said the squad believes in Martin’s philosophy, urging patience from the club’s fanbase. ‘We need to give it that bit of time for it all to come together,’ he said.
Martin said on Friday: ‘Speak to the players and people I’ve worked with, and (then) people who have never seen it and have maybe watched a few clips of some bits, and it’s a very different perception from reality.
‘But I guess when you try to do something that is a bit different to some, then it’s always there to be shot at.’
He also doubled down on his playing style, adding: ‘I love what I do, I love my job and love always trying to develop people and players by playing in a way where I think they can bring the best version of themselves.
‘Sometimes it takes time. It’s not easy, but I will always choose to try to embark on something that I really believe in that focuses on trying to develop whilst winning. And maybe I’m in the wrong job for that.
The Foxes were thrashed 4-0 at home to Oxford United last weekend, leaving Martin’s job under intense scrutiny as he faced chants of ‘sacked in the morning’ from both sets of fans
‘There is enough feeling from me and the players I work with that it can be really brilliant at times.
‘I always have to keep learning and I spent a long time out of the game after Rangers and spent a lot of time watching different football and trying to sharpen my tools.
‘The most frustrating thing is that I’ve enjoyed the process here so much so far and it’s not quite shown with the results, but I’m convinced it will. Otherwise, I wouldn’t do it. So ultimately I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and hopefully we will be really successful and I really believe we can be.’
Since guiding Southampton to the Premier League via the 2023-24 Championship play-offs, Martin has won only three of his last 28 league matches across two years with three different clubs (Southampton, Rangers and Leicester) for an 11 per cent win ratio.
His time at Scottish giants Rangers saw him win just one of his seven league matches, drawing five and losing the other. Across 17 games in all competitions there, he recorded just five victories.
