Russell Martin has been dismissed as Southampton manager following a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, a match marked by the early substitution of Ghanaian forward Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Southampton found themselves 3-0 down within the first 14 minutes, prompting Martin to replace Sulemana after just 15 minutes in a tactical adjustment.

Defending his decision, Martin explained, “I feel for Kamaldeen, but we’re 3-0 down in 14 minutes.

At that point, we needed a defender to plug the gaps. It’s not about his performance; it was about trying to stabilize the team.”

The substitution left Kamaldeen visibly frustrated, leading to a heated exchange with assistant coach Matt Gill on the touchline.

The Ghanaian forward, who was making his first start of the season, struggled to hide his disappointment.

Martin, in what turned out to be his final post-match interview, expressed frustration with his team’s lack of physicality and failure to execute their aggressive game plan.

“Poor decision-making and a lack of physicality cost us,” he admitted.

Following the heavy loss, Southampton’s management moved quickly to part ways with Martin, a decision that highlights the growing pressure on the club to reverse their faltering campaign.

The Saints will now seek new leadership as they aim to rebuild and turn their season around.