Latest news with #RUSSELLMARTIN
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Russell Martin says I've won people over at EVERY club I've been at – and tells Rangers fans we can win trophies NOW
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RUSSELL MARTIN has revealed Rangers were ALWAYS his first choice. And that's despite the fact his agent told him to play DOWN his interest in the role. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 2 Russell Martin has been unveiled as the new boss at Rangers Credit: PA Martin, 39, was confirmed as the Ibrox club's new head coach this morning. The former Norwich City, Scotland and Gers defender had been out of work since being sacked by Southampton in December 2024 after their disastrous Premier League run. Martin decided to take a break after his dismissal from the south coast club and passed up on opportunities to immediately return to the dugout. A few months later, Philippe Clement was sacked by Rangers and Martin knew straight away that he wanted the job. He's had to bide his time, first as Barry Ferguson came in as interim boss and then as the club created a shortlist that included Davide Ancelotti and Steven Gerrard. In that time, Martin became linked with the Leicester City job. But it wasn't enough to change Martin's mind that Rangers were the outstanding club for him. And it just so happened that he was the outstanding candidate for both chief executive Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell. Martin said in his first press conference today: "I'll be really honest, there were a few opportunities since I left Southampton, early on. "Then I had a bit of a break, I was keen to get back into things around February and March time. What next for Rangers after American takeover is confirmed? "I had some tentative approaches but I wanted to reflect on what I've learnt as a coach, a leader and that time was important. "As soon as the Rangers job came up, this was the one I really wanted. "I wanted it because of the expectation, the size of the club and what it means to people. "Rangers is something completely different to anything else in football and I felt that when I was here as a player. "That comes into my mind too, that the one thing that hurt me when I look back on my career is that it didn't go well here. "I'm desperate to show a different version of myself here than I did previously. "So with all that in mind I was really honest from the outset that I wanted to be the Rangers manager and that this was my first choice. "My agent kept saying to me to play my cards close to my chest but I was really open and honest and now I'm delighted to be here." Martin told fans how he wants his team to play but knows his main priority is to win. And, he believes he can turn the Light Blues into title challengers this season. He said: "We've managed three clubs and the teams were all really different, but we had the same concept of the game. "We wanted to be aggressive on the ball and without it. You can't have one without the other. "But I've used different formations, shapes and personnel. "We are here to WIN and we'll do that in the best way we possibly can. "I think we can have a team that is better, wins more points, wins more games. And competes, really competes to win trophies." Some Rangers fans are lukewarm on Martin's appointment to say the least. And to those sections of the support, Martin delivered a personal message - insisting that he's won fans over before at EVERY club he's been at. He said: "To the fans, I have to win. I don't think I've been the number one choice at any club I've been at. "At MK Dons to go from a player to become a manager is a bit of a surprise to the fans. "At Swansea they were being linked with all sorts, they had lost in the play-off final then we turned up from League One. "At Southampton the same, they had just been relegated from the Premier League and I'm sure there were loads of names linked with the job. "But by the time I've left every club I've felt a real connection with the fans, they are right behind us, and definitely the players and the playing staff. Hopefully this will be the same. "And I hope the fans judge me on this moment, not on my playing career here, because that was very different." 2 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I know what this club demands' – new Rangers boss Russell Martin's first words as he opens up on Ibrox ‘privilege'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RUSSELL MARTIN has described the feeling of being named the new Rangers boss as a privilege. He insists he knows the demands of the club and its fans (having played briefly for Gers in 2018) - and in turn he'll make certain demands of his players. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 3 Russell Martin has been confirmed as the new Rangers head coach Credit: Alamy 3 Martin in 2018 when he signed for Rangers on loan from Norwich Credit: Willie Vass The ex-MK Dons, Swansea City and Southampton manager was confirmed as the head coach of the Light Blues this morning. We told you yesterday that Martin, 39, would be unveiled at Ibrox within 24 hours and would be signing a three-year deal. In that time he aims to bring success back to the blue half of Glasgow, with Celtic having entrenched as the dominant force in Scottish football. And for all the talk about style of play this, philosophy that, Martin knows there's one thing that matters above all. Winning. The former Norwich City, Scotland and Gers defender said: "It is a privilege to be named head coach of Rangers Football Club at the beginning of this exciting new chapter. "I know what this club demands. From my time here, I had a taste of how special this club is, the expectation, the passion and the history. "Now, as I return, I'm determined to bring success back, for the supporters, the players, and everyone inside this club. "I'm here to set standards, work hard and do my very best to earn the respect of the Rangers fans. "There's a lot to be done, but the goal is clear: win matches, win trophies, and give Rangers fans a team that they can be proud of. What next for Rangers after American takeover is confirmed? "We want to play with bravery, to take the ball, to be aggressive, and to stand up in the big moments. "Preparations for pre-season are already underway. I look forward to meeting the players and building a squad that our fans can believe in." 3 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
The six burning issues Russell Martin faces as Rangers boss including Tavernier as skipper and Butland's future
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RUSSELL MARTIN is on the brink of being appointed Rangers' new boss. The one-time Ibrox defender looks set to replace Philippe Clement — almost four months after the Belgian was axed and Barry Ferguson installed as caretaker. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 2 He is set to be named the new manager Credit: Alamy SunSport first revealed on February 24 that 29-cap ex-Scotland defender Martin was in the frame to land the job. Now we look at six burning issues the new manager will need to address as he seeks to turn around the fortunes of the team. THE GOALKEEPER This time last year, Clement claimed every player in the Rangers squad was for sale — apart from Jack Butland. It wasn't a statement which aged well. Clement was sacked in February as Gers trailed Celtic in the league. And former England No 1 Butland was guilty of several high-profile errors. After one mistake too many — in a 2-0 home defeat to Hibs in April — the 32-year-old was dropped to the bench by interim boss Fergie. Liam Kelly grabbed the gloves, only to miss the last two games of the campaign through injury. But who will start between the sticks for the first Champions League qualifier on July 22? It's a big call. THE CAPTAIN James Tavernier has won the Premiership title, Scottish Cup and Premier Sports Cup — as well as skippering Gers in a Europa League final. He's scored more than 100 goals, provided more than 100 assists, and earned a place in the Ibrox Hall of Fame after a decade of service. But he still splits the Rangers fan base and those impressive numbers took a decided dip last season as Gers toiled and Tavernier moved beyond his 33rd birthday. An untimely injury to Dujon Sterling probably means Tav will start next term at right-back — but the next boss must decide how long he can go on. Rangers fans react as 49ers takeover completed THE DEFENCE Leon Balogun has been released, Robin Propper looks set to be returning to FC Twente, and loan stars Neraysho Kasanwirjo and Rafa Fernandes are back at their parent clubs. It leaves John Souttar as the only recognised first-team central defender — and the Scotland ace has just one year left on his Ibrox contract. With Ridvan Yilmaz again linked with a return to former club Besiktas and Jefte yet to convince, left-back could be another area of concern for the new boss. Gers shipped way too many goals last term, just one clean sheet in their last 14 domestic games, so the backline clearly needs some repair. THE MIDFIELD Ferguson finished the last campaign with on-form Nico Raskin in the engine room, alongside Mo Diomande and Connor Barron. On the face of it, the new man in the dugout could elect to stick rather twist — as Raskin's form has swept him into the Belgium team, while Barron could make a Scotland debut over the next four days. But Everton are keen on Diomande, while that good form could attract interest in the Belgian. Given the new broom sweeping through Ibrox, the club's American owners are sure to look closely at their player trading model. Lyall Cameron is arriving from Dundee and will inject attacking impetus, so maybe this is one position where Gers have less work to do than in others. THE FLANKS Vaclav Cerny was a roaring success last term but, like Abdallah Sima 12 months earlier, he's done so well that he's moved beyond Gers' reach for a permanent deal. 2 Vaclav Cerny became a fan favourite at Ibrox Credit: Willie Vass Ianis Hagi and Tom Lawrence also left at the end of their deals, and Nedim Bajrami scarcely endeared himself to the Ibrox faithful. Gers have a £4.5million obligation to sign Oscar Cortes permanently from Lens, but that would account for almost a quarter of the £20m being handed over by Andrew Cavenagh. Time to look for escape loopholes. In short, Gers need pace in wide areas and the kind of penetration they lacked last term as they toiled to break down low blocks. THE GOALS Maybe the most intriguing decision of all will come in the most important position of all — No 9. Cyriel Dessers left topped the Premiership scoring charts with 18 goals, netting more in the league than Daizen Maeda, Sam Dalby and Simon Murray. Rookie Hamza Igamane impressed in flashes with 16 in all competitions, including that spectacular late winner at Celtic Park in March. But Danilo didn't do anything to justify his £4m price tag, and every new manager tends to want his own striker on the premises. Watch this space. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Rangers to confirm Russell Martin within 24 hours as he cuts short holiday to seal deal with contract length revealed
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RUSSELL MARTIN has struck a deal to become new Rangers boss. SunSport can reveal the 39-year old has verbally agreed a three-year contract to take charge at Ibrox. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 1 Russell Martin will be the next Rangers manager Credit: Getty Martin will now cut short a Spanish sunshine holiday to travel Glasgow to close the deal. Barring any eleventh hour hiccups he'll be paraded in the next 24 hours. We were first to break the news on February 23 that the ex-Southampton boss was in the frame to replace Philippe Clement. Now - after a series of talks with the club's new hierarchy - he's now been told the job is his. Italian coach Davide Ancelotti was interviewed along with a number of others including Steven Gerrard. But Martin has convinced new Gers chairman Andrew Cavenagh he's the man to lead the club's revival. Cavenagh became involved in the process after 49ers Enterprises advisor Gretar Steinsson and Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell did the initial groundwork. It became a battle between Martin and Ancelotti with many Gers supporters hoping the Italian would be named. But the bold decision has been made to give the former Scotland defender his next chance in management. Martin knows the club having had a short loan stint with Gers in 2018. Southampton manager bust up But it's his ambitious vision for the future and clear football philosophy that made him a candidate from the outset. The appointment is now expected to be confirmed before the weekend. Martin will be able to name his own backroom staff with longterm No1 Matty Gill set to join him. Ex-Ibrox defender Mo Ross could also be part of the new-look coaching team. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Incoming Rangers manager Russell Martin on his ‘extreme' philosophy and harsh lessons he learned facing Prem's big guns
RUSSELL MARTIN says if anything his philosophy has got MORE extreme after the trauma of being sacked amid Southampton's Premier League relegation campaign. The former Ibrox central defender has emerged as the clear frontrunner to replace Philippe Clement as the next permanent manager of Rangers. Advertisement 3 Southampton manager Russell Martin Credit: Getty 3 Russell Martin after a demolition job for Rangers at Celtic Park Credit: Kenny Ramsay - The Sun Glasgow Things unravelled badly for newly promoted Saints in the rarefied air of the Premier League - he was sacked immediately after a defeat against Spurs which was their 13th in the league this campaign from 16 games. But one of Marting's main selling points as a head coach for Rangers is the possession-heavy (and high pressing) game that he likes to play - having set the Championship record of a remarkable 566 passes in the first half of a league match against Sheffield Wednesday. And he stands by that - even making it more EXTREME - even if he did learn one harsh lesson through his Premier League ordeal. Martin outlined his football philosophy in a recent The Rest is Football podcast with Gary Lineker. Advertisement He said: "I'm not miles away from where I started if that makes sense. "I speak to a lot of managers and they have this idea at the start ... but I'm not far away from where I started off at all. "In fact I've probably gone a bit more extreme than I would have done at the start. "You work things out during the process - what works. what's good. Advertisement "There things we can definitely do better and I need to do everything I can to get to a level where I scan showcase that again. And show that it DOES work and not just with the best players." So why did things go so wrong in the top flight south of the border? Rangers fans react as 49ers takeover completed Well, for starters he reckons the team he had at Southampton in the Premier League was actually WEAKER than the one he had in the Championship. And secondly, he reckons he changed his formation too much geared on who is team was about to play against. Advertisement He certainly sees no contradiction in teams who can play a possession based game but also press high. He said: "To dominate the ball, you need to press high and you need to get the ball back quickly or else you can't have 60% possession like I've had. "For some reason, when I get questioned about it a lot, it is like you can't do both but I really believe you can. "To have the ball you need to be able to press high, and counter press a lot. Advertisement "People will say you can maybe be a bit more pragmatic in the build and play from there. My feeling is that I have learned a lot but would I do things differently? No. 3 Russell Martin, Manager of Southampton, reacts during the Premier League match Credit: Getty "I changed formation too much. Although the concept doesn't change, it needs to be this way or that way. "But for me that's a concept of the game, it's not formulaic. The problem was we weren't winning, rather than being really consistent with the shape, I was overthinking a bit. Advertisement "Like your chasing your tail again, we're going to City away so we are going to play a back five, once we broke through the city press which we did a lot, Pep Guardiola was very complimentary - we had two full backs playing wing back at the top end of the pitch and we couldn't finish off. "Yeah I think [I should have changed less] think it would have given us something more tangible to look back on "Cultural context is really important. People forget that in football a lot. The culture of the club, what it's about, what it has been used to. I'm not sure there's certain clubs I could go into and ask for real patience when the goalie is standing on the ball for 25 minutes and they're wanting it put forward because that's what they're used to. "So I realised I limited my options." Advertisement Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
