How does Russ do it?

[hogesar 9,658]

Problem is Mr. Martin Obsessed, the likes of Bennett and Klose have been part of the same defence yet not a single post about either from you..

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Those advocating for Jonny Howson to be captain would soon be moaning, he shows the same levels of leadership as Martin I''m afraid, he''s hardly a shouty shouty type. Nor is Klose, nor was Bennett, nor really is any member of our squad. Leaders on the football pitch do not have to be wearing the armband (we had four or five natural leaders during the Lambert era) but Russell Martin is an articulate and good ambassador for the club who is seemingly very highly respected by his teammates.

[Commando Canary 0]

Yes, but Howson deserves a shot at it, Martin has a least two poor seasons behind him. Howson (in my opinion) is a far more competent footballer than Martin, and potentially the best in the club!?

[Lessingham Canary 99]

Im a Howson fan, but concerned he is just a bit too quiet for a captain? now Naismith, couldn''t call him quiet................

[Guest]

Honestly, we''re talking about elite footballers here. Do you really think they need a Captain to gee them up and motivate them to do their jobs on the pitch? Wonder if Chelsea have missed John Terry, or stand-in Cahill has done alright?

Seriously - if people think Russell Martin not showing enough leadership has been one of the major flaws of this season, they need a massive reality check. Anyone would think this is yet another stick to try and beat RM with?!

[Ray 111]

Well said Ian.

Big Vince,

To quote you, "Everyone inside Carrow Road and everyone at every away ground and everyone in Scotland can see that Russell Martin is not being selected to play on ability and captaincy."

Everyone, more nuances and subtleties I assume?

IMO it''s getting boring, or if not, I feel for you because you are delusional if you think you know better than all the aforementioned professional managers.

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

So, we can''t afford to keep John Ruddy as number one keeper, but we should keep Martin, on his far from small wages, as back-up and because he is a good influence!!!???

[Nuff Said 5,131]

Er, and Ruddy''s contract expired and Martin''s hasn''t?

[hogesar 9,658]

On top of that I doubt Russ is on the same wages as Ruddy.

[nutty nigel 7,533]

It''s not even as simple as that Nuff. My understanding is that we held a year option on Big John so if we took it up it would be on his wages at the time? Don''t think it would be possible to renegotiate.

Also my understanding is that if we just get rid of players under contract we will end up with alot of next season''s budget being spent on players the manager can''t even play.

Is that how it works?

[Nuff Said 5,131]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]It''s not even as simple as that Nuff. My understanding is that we held a year option on Big John so if we took it up it would be on his wages at the time? Don''t think it would be possible to renegotiate.

Also my understanding is that if we just get rid of players under contract we will end up with alot of next season''s budget being spent on players the manager can''t even play.

Is that how it works?[/quote]You''re asking the wrong person NN!I''m sure we went to JR to say we can''t afford to resign you on what you''re currently earning and it was a mutual decision for him to leave rather than take a pay cut to the level we would be prepared to pay.

[nutty nigel 7,533]

I doubt we could do that Nuff. I would imagine the PFA would take a dim view if it was even legal. I would think whatever the terms were on the years option are the only terms available.

[Donkey dangler 0]

[quote user="SwindonCanary"] Norfolk Cafu[/quote]

More like ...Norfolk snail.

[Donkey dangler 0]

[quote user="Ian"]So we don''t defend as a team then - it''s all Russell Martin''s fault?

[/quote]

Yes, as captain he should organise and lead the team.

Secondly he is too slow and is not good enough to play at centre back or right back.

[Donkey dangler 0]

[quote user="TIL 1010"]We will still need experienced players in the squad next season and Russell Martin is one of them. Like him or not he knows this club inside out and is needed to help the new players gel but of course the haters will always hate without looking at the big picture.[/quote]

So his expensive role is to be the doorman of the club...saying hello to new players.

[Essjayess 307]

Russ Martin is essential, yes, essential to keep for next season, and its nothing to do with how good / bad his form has been for us. Guys, you cant count either, as more than 1 post in this topic  say we are losing 2 CB''s. Bennett, Bassong, Turner..that is 3 yea?..never mind that Turner hardly appeared this season, he was still a contracted NCFC CB. So, at a fell swoop, we have rid 3 of our 5 CBs..presumably we will only need to recruit 2 new ones as Turner''s departure could well be one of those slots where Webber meant by reducing the overall squad size. Even so, it will in my opinion, be a struggle enough to get 2 new CBs in to replace Bennett and Bassong, and we still unsure about Timms future here.Add to all that the fact Dijks is far from certain to sign up, thats a LB we will need, also maybe a RB to replace Whitts, unless Webber thinks Russ can be cover for Pinto and / or the CB positions, in which case Whitts slot is another oppurtunity for Webber to streamline the team squad size. Either way, fact is, we have already trimmed our defence  by a good  amount, and i view Russ as being essential to keep, if no more than to make sure we do have enough defenders, as its gonna be not easy to replace what we are already losing.

[Donkey dangler 0]

We have conceeded a very large number of goals due to crosses not being cleared by our centre backs.

Martin is not good enough.

[hogesar 9,658]

I don''t think that would be an issue Nutty. As we could have let his contract expire thus invalidating the year option and sign him as a free agent a couple weeks later?

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="Donkey dangler"]We have conceeded a very large number of goals due to crosses not being cleared by our centre backs.

Martin is not good enough.[/quote]

It is the team that loses goals and nearly every player this season has been guilty of errors that have led directly to goals.   And let''s be clear, Martin is guilty of errors too - but looking at every goal this season, he is not the main reason why we shipped so many goals.  Lack of covering, tracking back and schoolboy errors from others have all been causes.  We simply have not defended well enough as a team - and that suggests a faulty team ethic and/or poor management.   Martin may not be the world''s best defender or the best captain, but he is one that we should hang on to, imo.

[westcoastcanary 173]

One of the main reasons why inverted wingers have become so common in the game is the ease with which a defensively well-organised and disciplined team can nullify the danger posed by crosses from out wide, chiefly by preventing a dangerous cross being delivered in the first place. Any team which leaves its full backs exposed one-on-one or, even worse, unsupported against two attackers, as was frequently the case under Alex Neil, is going to ship goals. The idea that all you need to counter the threat from crosses is a pair of decent quality CBs is far too simplistic, especially when they have a keeper behind them who makes no attempt to command his box. As LDC says, Russ Martin is all too often blamed for the failings of others.

[Tired 102]

@BBCNorfolk

"Russell Martin says #ncfc Sporting Director Stuart Webber has called on input from him and Wes Hoolahan about club''s future."

This won''t please the anti-Russ brigade...

[Diane 500]

Im sure that Russ says in the interview that Webber wants his & Wes''s influence is wanted in the dressing room, at Colney next season, rather than input which is slightly different

[Number9 272]

As an experienced defender he falls well short of expectations.

The situation becomes even worse when we consider that a captain should be the best at his own job so as to inspire others.

He''s a nice enough chap, not a good center back certainly not a captain.

[Big Vince 318]

[quote user="Ray"]Well said Ian.

Big Vince,

To quote you, "Everyone inside Carrow Road and everyone at every away ground and everyone in Scotland can see that Russell Martin is not being selected to play on ability and captaincy."

Everyone, more nuances and subtleties I assume?

IMO it''s getting boring, or if not, I feel for you because you are delusional if you think you know better than all the aforementioned professional managers.[/quote]

There are lots of club owners who sack professional managers. So they must think that they DO know better. And if the form of the team turns around they are vindicated. The same applies in getting rid of one player and replacing him with another. You wouldn''t need to be particularly clever or experienced in the game to find a better centre-back than the boy Martin.

[Ray 111]

Big Vince,

I''m sure they THINK they do know better, whether they actually do is of course another question, especially as they were probably the same people who appointed them in the first place!

[Big Vince 318]

[quote user="Ray"]Big Vince,

I''m sure they THINK they do know better, whether they actually do is of course another question, especially as they were probably the same people who appointed them in the first place![/quote]

Unless you are one of the very top managers in the game such as a Ferguson or Wenger, then you are going to get the sack as soon as you reach your sell-by date with the players. A high turnover of managers is the way the game works. Football club owners play the game and managers know what''s coming.

[Ray 111]

Big Vince,

I agree with all of that but not quite sure what point you are attempting to make, if indeed you are?

[norfolkngood 1,086]

i would build a new defence without Russ

the last couple of seasons we have tried to build one with him in the CB slot and it has not worked

if you keep doing the same thing expect the same results

[Year of the tiger 54]

[quote user="Donkey dangler"]We have conceeded a very large number of goals due to crosses not being cleared by our centre backs.

Martin is not good enough.[/quote]

We have also conceded a lot of goals through our full backs allowing too many crosses to come in, but Pinto & Olsson pre Jan & Dyjks are not blamed. Funny when Russ was at full back the full backs were to blame not the centre backs. Just saying

[Big Vince 318]

[quote user="Year of the tiger"][quote user="Donkey dangler"]We have conceeded a very large number of goals due to crosses not being cleared by our centre backs.

Martin is not good enough.[/quote]

We have also conceded a lot of goals through our full backs allowing too many crosses to come in, but Pinto & Olsson pre Jan & Dyjks are not blamed. Funny when Russ was at full back the full backs were to blame not the centre backs. Just saying[/quote]

Exactly. The entire back four and goalie have been no good for years now. We need a complete new backline and a new no.1, but more than that we need a head coach who understands the fundamentals of defending and gets the whole team to sweat blood next season. It is no good having a defence where the full-backs spend their time up the other end leaving the centre backs to cover the entire defensive third of the pitch. It makes me laugh when people say that managers are professionals and know what they are doing. Some of them have the tactical nous of a barn door.