It was during his first meeting with the Southampton players last summer that Russell Martin delivered a message that, ahead of the club’s biggest game in more than two decades, is apparently still ringing in their ears.
“The first thing the gaffer said to us was that we have to trust him, trust the style, and we are not going to change,” said midfielder Joe Aribo. “He tells us, ‘If you make a mistake, I will never yell at you.’ But if we distance ourselves from our identity, a problem arises.”
Russell, says Aribo, has been as good as his word, even if his ability to withstand outside pressure and stick to a passing philosophy can sometimes leave Manchester City looking a bit kick-and-rush see, now onto the ultimate test.
Sunday’s Championship Play-Off final will be worth between £140 million and more than £300 million to the winning club – depending on how long they survive in the Premier League – and rarely will Wembley welcome a team that is so vulnerable and dangerous. Southampton have conceded 20 more goals than their opponents Leeds United this season, but they have also conceded double that to Daniel Farke’s team.
“It’s normal for people to make mistakes – no one wants that – but it’s what you do next, bounce back from them and stay strong and positive,” Aribo said. Telegraph Sports. “It’s about not letting the opportunity get the better of you, blocking out the outside noise, trusting each other, trusting the gaffer and having strong mental toughness because we know we’re going to make mistakes.
“When you have the support of the manager, you feel free and confident when you go out…[To] don’t shy away from it. We must show our identity. That’s what we are best at. Why would we change for a one-off match?”
With 23 goals and 13 assists, Adam Armstrong was not only Southampton’s player of the season, but also the Championship’s most dangerous striker. “This is every child’s dream. We may not get the chance to be there again, and we have to grab it with both hands,” he says. “I’m buzzing. The way we play is brave – it’s scary sometimes – but that’s the way we’ve played all season and it’s gotten us where we are today.”
The statistics are certainly eye-catching.
No team, not even Pep Guardiola’s City, has had greater possession than Southampton’s 66.1 percent and they also top the Championship charts for most passes both in their own half and in that of the opponent. Their passing accuracy was also the best in the division.
Martin believes that the skills of many lower division players are underestimated. While recruitment is crucial, this was a side that lost around £160m of on-pitch talent last summer in an attempt to offset a 70 per cent overnight drop in turnover.
Asking players to perform the beautiful game is one thing when you have the resources of Manchester City, but quite another to face the ash of Premier League relegation and a complete overhaul from top to bottom that also includes much of the senior executive team left.
The team then remains flawed and, even at relative Championship level, still a long way from City. Southampton finished some nine points behind automatic promotion after a 25-match unbeaten streak in mid-season and an internal drive for greater excellence is easily palpable. “Russell has had a very good year,” says CEO Phil Parsons. “He is a young manager and is learning a lot. He has brought a very good atmosphere to the place.
“We want someone who is part of a project, for the longer term. We also want people to stay sharp, achieve things and not stand still.”
Parsons, who joined from technology company Dyson last summer, describes himself as “direct and honest” and says his job has been to really get “into the weeds” of the club. Take That will perform at St Mary’s next weekend as part of a wider drive to maximize revenues and there are plans to upgrade parts of the stadium into a fan zone with a pub called ‘The Dell’.
According to Parsons, taking risks is not only encouraged by the players. “We push people and we want people to step outside that comfort zone to do things differently,” he says. “My role isn’t to make people feel better every day of the week – it’s to help people grow. I tell the team, ‘It’s okay to be uncomfortable.’ I think we’re seeing a lot of growth in people. We all grow together.”
One great success is the restoration of such a strong synergy between the supporters and the players. This was facilitated by the decision to organize several fan forums earlier this season in which Martin personally outlined the new playing style. It has helped fans understand mistakes better, especially in situations where the team is trying to play from the back. “For us, the biggest mistake you can ever make is not wanting the ball,” Martin told the fans.
Aribo says this unity of purpose has tangibly bolstered the players’ confidence. “The fans are our twelfth man, they give us ten percent extra,” he says. “Everything we did on Friday (in the semi-finals) they supported us. We want to make sure the fans leave happy, remembering what we did. We know it’s bigger than football.”
For Martin, there is also the added potential personal incentive of signing Farke after his playing career at Norwich City ended in 2018, shortly after the German’s arrival as manager. Martin has hinted he has a plan to move into a coaching role, but that would ultimately happen at Walsall. Sunday’s bigger picture, however, could hardly be more substantial. “I love this group of players,” Martin said. “The dream is that on the biggest stage they can show how brave they are and how good they can be, and they can really attack that. The responsibility of leading this club is great; at Wembley it is huge.”
And how would it feel to lead Southampton back to the Premier League?
“It will mean everything. It makes me emotional when I think about it. Besides being a father, it will be the greatest achievement of my life.”