Tottenham's Shocking 0-5 Defeat Leads to Immediate Sacking… 'We Decided to Part Ways' (Official)

Thanks to Son Heung-min's outstanding performance, an unprecedented event occurred as the Southampton manager was sacked immediately after the match.

The English Premier League's (EPL) bottom-ranked Southampton decided to immediately sack manager Russell Martin (38) after a 0-5 crushing defeat to Tottenham.

On the 16th (KST), Southampton announced on their website, "We have decided to part ways with manager Martin," and expressed gratitude to Martin and his coaching staff for their dedication on and off the pitch over the past 18 months.

The club also mentioned that until a new manager is found, Simon Ruske, the manager of the Under-21 team, will temporarily take charge.

Southampton suffered the shocking 0-5 defeat in their 2024-2025 EPL Round 16 home match against Tottenham Hotspur at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, UK.

Martin took over as Southampton's manager in June of last year, leading the team to 4th place in the 2023-2024 Championship season, securing a spot in the EPL promotion playoffs. He then succeeded in bringing Southampton back to the EPL by defeating Leeds United.

However, this season’s EPL campaign has been harsh for Southampton. After 9 matches without a win (1 draw, 8 losses), the team was in a slump, and their first win came in Round 10, a 1-0 victory over Everton.

But after that, the team continued to struggle with 1 draw and 5 losses in the next 6 matches, failing to turn things around. Ultimately, it was the defeat to Tottenham that led to Martin's dismissal.

In the match against Tottenham, Southampton conceded five goals, including one goal and two assists from Son Heung-min in the first half alone. Home fans, unable to hide their disappointment, left their seats, and signs reading "Russell Out" and "Russell Martin Go" appeared in the stadium, showing the fans' frustration.

Amid these circumstances, the club's board of directors made the final decision to part ways with Manager Martin immediately after the defeat to Tottenham.

In an interview with Sky Sports after the match, Manager Martin expressed, "The fans have been fantastic from the day we arrived. I fully understand their frustration. I am aware of modern football and the current trends."

He continued, "Personally, I am not deeply hurt. But as a manager, it is truly painful. We have worked hard every day."

"Although it is painful, we worked so hard, and I accept this as part of football, as a reality," he added, maintaining a composed attitude.

When asked about the possibility of meeting the fans' demands, Martin said, "That's not a question for me," and avoided giving an answer. However, he stated, "I don't know the fans personally, and they don't know me well either. Their criticism is about my work, not a personal attack, and I understand that."

Meanwhile, Southampton will face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals on the 19th at 5 AM and will then play an away Premier League match against Fulham on the 22nd.