”Ridiculous” - Russell Martin hits out at new Southampton player saga | OneFootball

The Achilles injury that Gavin Bazunu suffered before Southampton's match on Tuesday night against Preston North End has not only ended his season, but has created a domino effect that has led to a lot of controversy around the club.

Russell Martin revealed in his press conference, on Friday morning, that the young Irish goalkeeper was going to be out for 9-10 months having ruptured his Achilles in his team's warm-up prior to the match vs the Lilywhites at St Mary's.

Third choice goalkeeper Alex McCarthy, who used to be the club's number one, before Bazunu arrived from Manchester City, stepped in between the sticks for Southampton and kept a clean sheet as his side eased their way to a comfortable 3-0 victory, which keeps them within reach of the automatic promotion spots, providing they win their other games in hand on the three teams above them.

Martin lauded the veteran shot-stopper for his performance in what was the 34-year-old's only league appearance of the season so far. But his decision to start him ahead of the natural replacement for Bazunu, and cup keeper, Joe Lumley, when Mccarthy wasn't named in the matchday squad, hasn't gone down well.

Adrian Clarke says Joe Lumley should hand in a transfer request

Speaking on the What The EFL? podcast, the footballer turned media member revealed that he would have already told Southampton that he wanted to leave. He said: "If I’m Lumley, the transfer request has gone in already," said Clarke. "It’s an obvious lack of trust.

"How can you work with a manager that does that to you? It feels too harsh."

Russell Martin's reaction to Joe Lumley transfer request claim

The Scottish boss said, in his pre-match press conference, before his team face Cardiff City on Saturday, that he had been made aware of Clarke's comments on the Lumley situation, and he wasn't happy with them.

The 38-year-old said, via the Daily Echo: "My brother sent me a thing yesterday that someone put online about if 'I was Joe Lumley, I'd put in a transfer request right now,' which is ridiculous.

"Me and Joe had a really in-depth chat on Wednesday. I didn't expect him to be happy about the decision, but I spoke to him about why I felt the decision was right at the time.

"He probably still doesn't agree, but hopefully he respects the decision. We had a quick hug and I thanked him for the chat."

Martin further explained his decision to go with McCarthy, who is set to leave in the summer when his contract with the Saints expires, over the former Reading and Middlesbrough number one. "In Alex, we have someone with a lot of experience at the highest level," said the Southampton boss.

"He has played for his country and we've seen what Joe can do. I just wanted to see what Alex could do. I think he did great. He had very little to do as a goalkeeper because the guys in front of him played really brilliantly. What he did have to do he did well and with a calm assurance.

"He's so relaxed as a person. Nothing seems to faze him. At this stage of the season, that's really important. Now it's a big decision to make for tomorrow."

Southampton do not need these types of distractions at this stage of the season

The justification for choosing McCarthy over Lumley is understandable. The 34-year-old has plenty of experience at the highest level of football, and it may well prove to be the right choice. But it's just awful foresight from Martin.

He must have known that his actions were going to have consequences, and it could have a wider effect on the team than just having a disgruntled back-up glovesman in the ranks.

If one of the starting players picks up an injury or a suspension, the players who are on the fringes, who feel that they are the rightful candidate to fill in temporarily, will now have much less confidence that they'll be given that opportunity.

It's an unnecessary distraction for the team and the manager in a period where they need to be laser focused on winning every remaining game. They still have Leicester City and Leeds United to play in their final four games, and, if they don't pick up points, their automatic promotion hopes will be killed.

Lumley is well within his rights to be angry, and more, at the manager, and god forbid if McCarthy makes a howling mistake that costs them points. There will be big issues if that were to happen.