I’ve not felt as low as this – Russell Martin distraught after Swansea collapse
Posted Sunday, February 05, 2023 by PA
Swansea manager Russell Martin suggested he is in trouble with the club’s owners after his side were stunned by two late goals in a 4-3 home defeat to Birmingham.
Headers in the 90th minute and deep into stoppage time from substitute striker Lukas Jutkiewicz and centre-back Austin Trusty respectively earned the Blues a win that had looked out of reach for most of the game.
Martin appeared distraught afterwards and his mood appeared to be about more than just the match outcome.
He publicly criticised Swansea owners Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan on Friday after a barren January transfer window and Martin hinted that his own future could now be in doubt.
Asked if he had spoken to Levien and Kaplan since, he said: “I don’t want to get into that… of course I have.
“We’ll have to wait and see what happens. I’ve not felt as low as this to be honest.
“I’ve tried to be honest with everyone which has probably made some people unhappy.
“I’ve had a lack of sleep and I’m concerned for a lot of people. It’s been a really long 72 hours with what has gone on.
“We should have been out of sight and we paid for that lack of a clinical edge.”
Martin’s men were cruising at 3-2 ahead before the late drama.
Birmingham took the lead from their first attack of the game when striker Scott Hogan converted from the spot after Reda Khadra was brought down by Swans goalkeeper Andy Fisher.
Goals from striker Joel Piroe and midfield man Liam Cullen edged the home side 2-1 ahead, before Tahith Chong scored for the Blues on the counter-attack in the 55th minute.
Piroe’s second in the 57th minute after he profited from a shanked volleyed clearance by goalkeeper John Ruddy, looked like the winner before the dramatic climax.
For Birmingham boss John Eustace there was relief after a run of five successive defeats in the league.
But he blamed himself for what was a shambolic first-half performance from his side.
“I asked the players to do something that we hadn’t really prepared properly to do,” he said.
“In the dressing room at half-time I put my hand up and said ‘I got that wrong boys’.
“It showed the great character of the group that we stuck together and stayed in the game. In the second half we were excellent.
“That’s what football is all about, making changes and learning from mistakes.
“We knew if we could stay in the game we would always have a chance.
“Tactically, in the second half, we got it spot on.”
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