Every word Southampton's Martin said on QPR, signings and Adams saga

What’s the thinking in bringing Ryan Fraser in?

“Having known him myself at Scotland I know that he is a very good player. (He will add) competition for places.

"(He’ll add) bit of experience with nearly 200 Premier League games and having got promoted out of this division before.

“He’s someone I know well having played against him and also with him at Scotland.

"He will bring a lot on the pitch but also with his mentality. He wants to win, (he has) aggression in training.

“He’s desperate to prove a point.

"He’s had quite a while without football now and he comes here desperate to play games and to prove to people that there’s a lot of football left in him.

“He possesses a lot of talent. He plays a position where there has been a lot of noise in recent weeks. He adds (to our depth), but we also prepare ourselves in case we lose any players."

Does he need to convince people that he’s not a problem?

“I’m really fortunate that I know him. If I thought the character was questionable at any point, then he just wouldn’t be here.

“I’ve said to you before that no matter how much talent you possess it’s all about your character and how you’re adding to the group. He will be totally fine fitting in with this group.

“He has an edge because he wants to win, I think it’s something that we really need in this group.

“He’s a good lad, I spoke to Eddie (Howe) at length about him, and despite what’s gone on there (Newcastle) and at Bournemouth, Eddie spoke really highly about him.

“I think if you were to ask Ryan about Eddie he would say the same thing. Whatever has happened has happened. It has to go well for him, and for us, and I’m convinced it will.

“He’s someone we identified early on as a very good player. Myself, Jason and the recruitment team have monitored the situation.

“He’s had interest from most teams in this division to be honest, especially clubs that want to be up and fighting for promotion so I see it as a very good signing for us.

“I only see it as a good signing. We have some really talented young wingers and he comes with some experience and age which I think will help us."

He’s really direct, isn’t he?

“Yeah, he’s really brave and aggressive with the ball. He’s tenacious and he possesses a lot of quality with set pieces as well. He will really help us for sure."

Mason Holgate is a good ball-playing centre-back, is that a trait you like about him?

“Yeah, he’s a great lad. He’s someone who has been desperate to be here amidst other interest from the Premier League, Championship and abroad.

“We have been in touch for quite a while and thankfully it looks like it’s finally going to happen. For one reason or another, we haven’t quite been able to get him in yet.

“He’s very flexible positionally. He’s played at right back, centre half, defensive midfield. He will predominantly play centre half and right back here I think.

“He’s a really good footballer and a brilliant character with good experience and age.

"He really wants to come here and show what he is capable of with the ball.

"He’s had a lot of change at Everton over the years, but I think the time he most enjoyed was when he had a manager who allowed him to play and express himself.

"Hopefully he will come here and do the same. He’s another one that adds a lot of character, voice and noise, which is probably something we lack in the group at the moment.

“He’s another one that has over 100 Premier League games and has played at a really big club with big expectations.

“I really hope we can get that one over the line because it has been rumbling on for a while. If he does come in he will add to the group brilliantly.”

Should we presume they are coming because others are going out?

“We’ve wanted to add them both for a while, but we haven’t been able to get that to happen for one reason or another.

“(That’s) partly because they are Premier League players and the deals they are on, (as well as) their managers not wanting to lose them for different reasons.

“They will add to us. If nobody walks out of the building we will be much stronger with them. If people do go it’s because we are happy for them to go.

“We will have people in the building already. We will have to replace one or two if they do go because we are trying to strengthen the squad.

“I said to you last week that I thought the squad would be stronger. With the addition of Ryan it will be, Mason won’t be done in time for this weekend.

"We are just trying to strengthen and enhance what we have got. They strengthen us on the pitch but also off it.

"I think that’s really important. With the amount of young players we have got, they will help us."

People will see QPR as a great chance to get a first win at home.

“We’ve played one game at home and we drew against really good opposition. I don’t think it’s been a great start, it’s been a good start.

“With everything that’s gone on I don’t think we could ask for much more.

"This will be the hardest period we go through with everything that’s happening off the pitch – definitely the hardest window.

“I was talking to Jason about it. When you get relegated from the Premier League and you have the amount of assets that we have, as well as the change of style and philosophy, it's quite extreme.

“When you add all that together it is quite difficult and we are trying to navigate it in the best way possible.

“Jason and the board have done a good job of that. We are trying to do a good job of it on the pitch and with the way that we train and behave.

“It’s been a steady start, we are unbeaten in the league.

"The Gillingham game didn’t surprise me too much with the amount of players playing in that game with their futures elsewhere.

“It’s been a good start but we want to get that first home win as quickly as possible.

"No game in this league is easy. We certainly will not be turning up tomorrow thinking it’s going to be – it won’t.

“Plymouth will have shown that. Norwich, Sheffield Wednesday, we had to score late on to win that.

"It’s going to be a good game. I’m really excited to get back to St Mary’s because the atmosphere against Norwich was incredible.

“I hope people are enjoying watching their team again and feeling connected to their team. It’s up to us to continue building that. We will do that by winning games.

“The lads have trained brilliantly despite everything that’s gone on. I wasn't overly happy with the Plymouth game, and they knew that, but we won.

“We won whilst not being overly happy and continuing to build. I’m expecting a better performance than we did at Plymouth and hopefully, that will mean a positive result as well."

What do you make of QPR?

“They are getting better game on game when you watch them.

"The way they’ve reacted since the first game at Watford, even in the cup against Norwich they showed some real grit and had moments themselves.

“I think that's what you’d expect from Gaz (Gareth Ainsworth) and his team.

"They are going to be fighting and running for him and each other. They will play to their strengths and they have some real threats at the top end of the pitch, who they will try and get the ball to quickly.

“It’s up to us to try and take that out of the occasion and be the team we want to be.

"I’ve said that with every team that we play.

“They are getting better and they look like they are building belief in what they are doing.

“With knowing Gaz and his team they will come here and make it really difficult for us.

“It’s up to us to make sure we take the game by the scruff of the neck as early as possible and make sure we turn it into the game we want and not the game they want.”

How has Flynn Downes settled?

“He’s been great, as we expected as a character. He’s looked really good in training. He’s building back up slowly after being unwell – it’s a ridiculous story really,” Martin laughed.

“He’s another really good person to have on board. He’s someone we’ve had a relationship with before, but it’s not about that.

"We wouldn’t bring people in just because we think they are a good person and we didn’t think he could add (to the team). Just like with Ryan (Manning).

“We really think these players can add to us and we trust them. When you are trying to play the way we are trying to play understanding the detail is really beneficial.

“Flynn has been great. The lads have taken to him really well, as we knew they would. He’s a fantastic character – one of the best I’ve worked with.

“It’s nice to see him smiling and enjoying himself."

How is Che Adams? Will he be involved on the weekend?

“The situation is ongoing and it is really fluid. The one thing I’m 100 per cent sure of is how good of a character Che is and how good of a professional he is.  

“I’ve really enjoyed working with him and I hope we can continue. We have offered him a new contract amidst all the chaos.

“We have rejected a couple of bids for him, one recently and one a couple of weeks ago.

"While there is not a bid on the table that doesn’t meet the club's valuation nothing will change.

“But it will be down to the situation and how Che feels about it. Ideally, we will have him in the team tomorrow, but if he’s not, it’s likely because the situation has developed a bit.

“We have to be aware that something might happen in the next 24 to 48 hours.

“Hopefully he is really weighing up the contract offer from us because despite what’s gone on previously, hopefully, (he) feels a bit differently now with what we are trying to build.

“Hopefully that will help us be able to tie a few of them down. If it doesn’t, then we will have to go and replace Che and other people.

“I’m not trying to blag you. I’m being really honest. We spoke this morning, we spoke last night and I’m sure we will speak again at some point this afternoon.”