A player from Southampton has reportedly been advised to submit a transfer request following being overlooked by Russell Martin. Southampton dominated Preston North End on Tuesday, swiftly securing a three-goal advantage in the initial half.
Joe Lumley told to hand in transfer request
Many were anticipating Bazunu to make his Southampton league debut until he had to withdraw from the starting lineup because Joe Lumley has been the team’s backup goalkeeper for the majority of the season.
However, Martin chose his third option instead, which has generated some discussion.
EFL commentator Adrian Clarke stated on the podcast “What The EFL?!?” that “if I’m Lumley, transfer request has gone in already.”
“There is blatantly evident mistrust. A manager that treats you like that is someone you can’t work with.
“It seems overly severe.”
Lumley had every right to feel unfairly treated, and Martin even acknowledged, in a post-match interview, that he anticipated Lumley would be angry with his choice.
Russell Martin urges Joe Lumley to react
When questioned by a reporter regarding his choice to omit Lumley, Martin pointed out that he doesn’t have a definitive hierarchy for the goalkeeper position.
“I’ve conveyed to the goalkeepers that, unlike other positions on the field, I don’t view it the same way,” clarified the Saints manager.
“It seems there’s a prevailing notion in England, and perhaps in football overall, that you must have a set number one or two goalkeeper,” Martin observed. “But maybe it’s perceived differently from an external standpoint. I haven’t had the opportunity to fully explain the decision to Joe yet.
“I’m sure he’ll feel frustrated and disappointed, but we’ll have a discussion with him and clarify the reasoning behind it. How he chooses to respond to that is up to him, and we’ll assess whether he’ll feature on Saturday.”
It appears that Martin is keeping the possibility open for Lumley to start against Cardiff City this weekend. Nevertheless, Southampton can’t afford to have a goalkeeper dilemma as they approach the crucial stages of the season. Martin, the former Swansea City manager, needs to instill confidence in one goalkeeper and stick with that choice.