Swansea City must overcome ‘anxiety’ to improve form, says Russell Martin

Russell Martin signed a three-year deal when he took over as Swansea boss in August 2021

Russell Martin says Swansea City’s players must overcome “anxiety” if they are to kickstart their faltering Championship campaign.

Swansea’s poor form continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by lowly Rotherham United on Monday.

Martin’s players were booed by some sections of the home crowd at half-time and full time – and at various points during a nervy game.

“It doesn’t affect me, but it affects the team,” Swansea’s head coach said.

“I have been there as a player – I have been booed my own fans as a captain of the club when you are giving everything.

“The senior lads spoke [in the dressing room after the game], just saying to the lads, how you react to these type of moments will define you as a footballer.

“There is so much disappointment in football, so many tough moments, and the resilience and courage you show is what defines you.”

Swansea’s players had also been booed by their own fans during last week’s 3-1 defeat to Stoke, while the atmosphere has been tense at a number of recent home games.

The Rotherham draw means Martin’s side have won only three of 18 Championship games since victory in October’s south Wales derby lifted them to fourth in the table.

They now sit 15th, 12 points clear of the drop zone and 10 adrift of the play-offs, ahead of Saturday’s trip to Luton Town.

Martin felt his team’s performance against Rotherham “fed off anxiety” at the Swansea.com Stadium.

“We have spoken a lot about it,” he said. “But speaking about it and then overcoming it on the pitch is really different. We have to try to help the players overcome it.

“They are trying their very, very best, we just need something to spark us back into life and get that confidence back.”

Asked whether criticism of his team is fair, Martin added: “The form we are on, it’s been tough. But I would say the majority of performances haven’t [been poor].

“When you contextualise it, it’s not just what’s going on on the pitch. It’s about January, before that. The team needed help [in the transfer window]. We needed help and it hasn’t happened.

“But it’s gone. There’s no point in moaning about it.

“We have to make do with what we have got, which is more than enough to finish the season strongly.”