SAINTS manager Russell Martin insisted the only opinion that matters is that of his bosses and colleagues as he addressed outside noise.

Speculation has already begun in outlets elsewhere, suggesting Sport Republic owner Dragan Solak is "concerned" with the team's start to the season.

Martin's Saints, who sit 19th in the table, have been beaten in five of the first six fixtures and drawn the other with Ipswich Town at St Mary's.

However, the boss insisted he is not concerned by the reports and the focus has been on picking up a positive result away at Arsenal on Saturday.

In his pre-match press conference, Martin said: "I think you have to accept everything as a manager. I genuinely don't listen to very much of it.

"We have enough noise in our own minds as managers trying to pick the right team, trying to make sure we give the right info, watch the opposition and all of that.

"I don't really pay any attention to any of that. I didn't last year. We went 25 games unbeaten and I don't now. That's part of my growth as a human being.

"As a player, you listen and in the early stages of social media, you have a look and see what people are saying - a very, very long time ago.

"Then you realise actually what it's going to be and what it's turning into and what it's used for and how valuable that is. It's not very valuable."

Saints boss Russell MartinSaints boss Russell Martin (Image: Stuart Martin) He added: "Everyone will have an opinion. The people's opinions that matter are my bosses, the owners of the club and the people inside that I work with every day.

"As long as I am aware of that and what they feel and we're all working together, then everything else is really noise and irrelevant to my position right now."

Martin, who signed a new three-year contract this summer, said he has open communication with the likes of CEO Phil Parsons and owners Sport Republic.

He admits everyone is frustrated with their early-season concerns but insists the club is in a better place than where it started under his management.

Martin said: "I think we're all frustrated. We're all winners and we all want to win whether it's in football or in business and other areas of life.

"We have an ownership group that are very much winners and have been very successful and want this football club to be so successful.

"They also have a real awareness of where the club was at. When we first walked into the door, I don't think they identified with the club that they had at that point.

"They'd been fairly new here. Now we're a bit further down the line is the club in a much better place than it was culturally? Yes, definitely.

"Do we have some real things to build on and some fundamentals on and off the pitch that we're really clear on? Yeah, we do. 

"They want to work through things together in the same way as they did last year when it was going really well and when it wasn't.

"The communication line is always really open and honest and I really enjoy being here. And hopefully they enjoy having us here."