It is rarely a good sign when a national football podcast makes your club one of its headline talking points in the early weeks of a season. For Leicester City, that is precisely where things stand. The BBC's 72+ podcast, featuring Aaron Paul, Jobi McAnuff and Tranmere Rovers manager Darrell Clarke, dedicated a portion of its latest episode to asking a fairly pointed question: will Russell Martin be given the time to turn Leicester's League One campaign around?

It is a reasonable thing to ask. The early weeks of any season carry a disproportionate weight when you are a club of Leicester's stature operating at the third tier. Expectations, whether those around the club voice them publicly or not, are considerably higher than they are for most sides in the division. When results do not arrive quickly, the scrutiny follows just as fast.

What the source does not supply, and what we should be careful not to assert, is a specific run of results that has prompted the concern. What we do know, from our own coverage, is that Leicester have dropped points in a number of early fixtures, including a 2-1 defeat to Burton Albion and a pair of drawn matches in and around the opening weekend. That is not a catastrophic return, but for a club with Leicester's resources, points dropped at home and against sides they would be expected to beat are the kind of thing that turns talk to managerial patience before October arrives.

Martin himself has acknowledged the squad is still in a state of transition. He was bracing publicly for further exits as the summer window moved on, and the Northampton Town move for Opoku was one of several outgoings that thinned the group he has available. Building a competitive League One side while the ownership situation at the club remains unresolved is not a straightforward task. King Power's attempts to find a buyer add a layer of uncertainty that tends to make long-term planning difficult at any club.

The 72+ panel raising the question of managerial tenure so early is worth noting, though it should not be mistaken for a verdict. Podcast discussions and national commentary can sometimes get ahead of the actual situation inside a club. Four games is four games, and while the table is not exactly flattering for Leicester at this stage, the division is long enough for well-resourced clubs to recover from slow starts. History in this division is littered with examples of sides who were fifth or sixth in September and won automatic promotion in May.

That said, the conversations that happen in public often reflect conversations happening in private. If broadcasters with good contacts across the EFL are raising the question of Martin's position, it is at least worth taking seriously rather than dismissing as noise.

What Leicester need, more than reassuring statements, is a run of results. The fixture list will provide the clearest answer to the questions being raised about Martin's future. A manager whose side can string three or four victories together tends to find that national podcasts move on to talking about someone else's problems fairly quickly. The reverse is also true.

For now, the early-season concern is real and the scrutiny is justified by the context. Whether it translates into anything more consequential depends almost entirely on what happens on the pitch over the coming weeks.

Frequently asked

Is Russell Martin under pressure at Leicester City?
According to the BBC's 72+ podcast, questions are already being asked about whether Martin will be given time to turn Leicester's early League One struggles around. No official comment from the club has confirmed any managerial review.
How have Leicester City started in League One this season?
Leicester's early League One campaign has included a 2-1 home defeat to Burton Albion and drawn matches around the opening weekend, leaving them below expectations given the club's resources and stature in the division.
What is happening with Leicester City's ownership?
King Power, Leicester's owners, have been looking to sell the club. That ongoing uncertainty over ownership makes long-term planning difficult and adds pressure to an already scrutinised managerial situation.