Russell Martin’s tenure as Southampton manager came to an abrupt end following a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, but in his final post-match interview, he defended the controversial decision to substitute Ghanaian forward Kamaldeen Sulemana just 15 minutes into the game.

The Saints collapsed early, conceding three goals in the opening 14 minutes as James Maddison, Heung-Min Son, and Dejan Kulusevski tore through their defence. Searching for answers, Martin made a tactical adjustment, pulling off Kamaldeen for defender Nathan Wood in a bid to stabilize his faltering side.

“I feel for Kamaldeen, but we’re 3-0 down in 14 minutes. (You) could take anyone off,” Martin explained. “We needed a defender to plug the gaps. Kamaldeen hasn’t had many minutes this season, so he wouldn’t have lasted more than 50 or 55 minutes anyway. It’s not about his performance, and I feel bad for him that it’s him, but we had to do something.”

Kamaldeen, starting for the first time this season, was visibly frustrated by the decision and exchanged heated words with assistant coach Matt Gill as he left the pitch.

The result capped a dismal run for Southampton, with Martin lamenting his team’s lack of physicality and inability to execute their game plan. However, the club’s board moved swiftly in response to the loss, relieving Martin of his duties shortly after the match.

Southampton now faces an uphill battle to salvage their season under a new manager. For Kamaldeen, the spotlight remains, as he looks to recover from a challenging evening and prove his worth in the games ahead.