Martin makes 'success' Saints admission in first Rangers press conference
NEW Rangers boss Russell Martin suggested his previous managerial jobs were more successful than his promotion-winning spell at Saints.
But the 39 year old insisted he felt a connection with the supporters at MK Dons, Swansea and at St Mary's when he departed each job.
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Martin has signed a three-year deal to take over at Glasgow giants Rangers and delivered his first press conference in post on Thursday.
Having spent time on loan at Ibrox, Martin, who has been out of work since his sacking in December, believes he understands the expectations.
"I wanted to take some time to really reflect and review on what we've learned as coaching staff and I've learned as a manager," said Martin.
"When this job was suggested and even with a couple of other opportunities on the horizon these last few weeks, this was one I really wanted.
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"We're here to win and we're here to do it in the best way we possibly can and also to help the club be sustainable with young players coming through.
"At MK Dons it was about survival first and then building something where we could sell players on because it wasn't gonna be their end destination.
"Swansea was very similar, the budget was heavily cut when we went there. I deemed them jobs with what the expectation of us was to be a success.
"They were probably a bigger success than Southampton was. Their first year in the Championship was the first time we were expected to win.
"We did and we did what we were expected to do to get promoted and then, of course, the challenge of the Premier League is very different.
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"I don't think I've been the number one choice at any club I've been at so as a player from MK to become the manager is a bit of a surprise.
"Swansea, they were linked with all sorts as they'd lost in the playoff final and then the budget was being cut and then we turned up from League One.
"Southampton had been relegated from the Premier League so I'm sure there was all sorts of names mentioned when I was interviewing for the job.
"But by the time we've left every club, I felt a real connection with the supporters, I felt they'd been really behind us - definitely the playing staff.
"The end product might not click completely overnight but we have to find a way of winning whilst building and we really accepted that at Saints."
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