There were shades of Harry Redknapp's famously impassioned defense of Frank Lampard at West Ham United when Russell Martin met the Southampton fans at the start of this season.
The new manager was asked for reassurance that he would address the backbone of the team, including the goalkeeper position, after Gavin Bazunu had conceded four goals against Norwich City the previous Saturday.
Martijn was not impressed. "We have no problem with the goalkeeper," he shot back. "We have a full-fledged international - he is twenty years old. He will learn incredible lessons from last year when he played in a team that finished bottom of the Premier League. That is certainly not easy for a young goalkeeper. I have been made aware of this story involving Gav.
"He will be one of the best goalkeepers in the division. For how we want to play, if I were to look at a goalkeeper, I would want to sign Gavin Bazunu. On Saturday he couldn't do anything. Not his problem. Not at all. It's the guys in front of him. Gavin will be a huge asset to this club."
Six months and 35 games later - including a 25-match unbeaten streak - Bazunu arrives at Anfield with Southampton in the fifth round of the FA Cup, having vindicated Martin's confidence. Combining the influence of the Manchester City academy with first-team experience as a teenager at Shamrock Rovers, Rochdale and Portsmouth, Bazunu is one of an emerging group of goalkeepers whose impact can be tangibly measured at both ends of the pitch.
And so, in addition to his ten clean sheets in the championship, there are some more striking statistics. Like how this season he was directly involved in eight league goals and 55 passing moves that ended with an attacking shot. Both are the highest for any champion goalkeeper and you don't have to stand on the Southampton training ground for long to realize that this is no twist of fate.
"I've always been good with the ball at my feet," Bazunu explains. "The manager has given me the opportunity to be even more influential. He just tells me to stay brave. I like to be brave. I like to take risks the right way. Risks will always be part of the game, especially as a goalkeeper.
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"Every day we train to do the same thing in tighter spaces. Every day we do something that has to do with our feet. And during training it is more difficult than when we play. Sometimes we step outside of it and it feels easy compared to what we're used to. We know we have the support and trust of those on the sidelines.
"The most important is [still] being a good shot stopper... keeping the ball out of the net and then that distribution and composure comes into play. You also have to perfect that side of the game."
All this means that a typical day consists not only of a traditional goalkeeping session peppered with shots and crosses, but also of taking part in the kind of 'rondo' quick passing drills that Pep Guardiola has made famous. The post-match analysis also extends well beyond Bazunu's defensive contribution to his positioning, availability, distribution and even creative vision. This may mean consciously pulling an approaching player toward their target before waiting for the optimal moment to release. The stakes are high, but the rewards can be enormous.
It has also challenged traditional risk perceptions and players now believe that there is actually more danger looming if they retreat to a more conventional 'clear the lines' view. So there will be little chance of Southampton compromising on playing style, even against an opponent in Liverpool with arguably the most formidable attacking press in Europe.
"There are risks everywhere on the field. Only when you are in your own third can people become much more nervous," says Bazunu. "But as you have seen so many times this season, it really hurts teams. You can see the influence over a longer period of time.
"The most important thing is the movement and the timing for each of us. We try to stay close to each other to always help our teammate. It is taking on the responsibility of breaking the press or allowing teams to apply pressure so that you can hurt them in different areas. [It's] sometimes waiting for the ball as long as possible to attract the press... so we have an overload in another part of the field.
"It takes a lot of courage and patience. The defenders and the number six, whoever is playing, are the players who take the most risks, so we can put the attacking players in positions where they can score.
"When we are the most courageous, willing to take the most risks, playing with intensity, these are the moments when we usually score goals or hold teams [and] don't give away opportunities. The moments when we stepped off the pedal and chose the safe option instead of the right option... are usually the positions that get us into trouble. Staying brave is a big part of our game."
Also crucial is the way Martin has communicated his philosophy to the fans. It means there's now much more understanding if a player makes a costly mistake in a scenario where 'Row Z' might once have been the crowd's preference. Bazunu thinks supporters are now enjoying the style of football as much as the players - "if we do it right, it looks great" - but he also emphasizes the need for balance when assessing a team's highlights, just as good as the lows.
Bazunu is a prolific reader who uses social media only very selectively. He works extensively on his thinking and believes a psychological foundation was crucial in dealing with relegation. After becoming the youngest regular goalkeeper in Premier League history, Bazunu is said to have had four different managers in his first thirteen months at Southampton. "I have a close group of people around me that I really trust," he says. "When you're under pressure and criticized, having two or three voices from people you really trust - whose opinions you value - is extremely important.
"It was a perfect decision to come here. If I hadn't had those times of trying and testing, I wouldn't be in the position I am in today. It hurt at the time - it wasn't what I wanted - but it has put the club in a position where we are rebuilding so much stronger. It feels like a completely different place."
