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Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Russell Martin has a different Rangers title than all his predecessors and Kevin Thelwell outlines why
Martin became the 20th man to take charge of the Ibrox club after being unveiled as Philippe Clement's successor Russell Martin's return to Rangers has raised eyebrows amongst the Ibrox support. Not only because some are unconvinced by his managerial record. But also because, for the first time, Gers unveiled the ex-Southampton boss as their new 'Head Coach' rather than 'Manager'. Martin, 39, became the 20th man to take charge of the Light Blues as he was unveiled as Philippe Clement's permanent replacement on Thursday. However, under the new regime and football department, Martin has been granted a different title than all of his predecessors. In an interview with Rangers TV, newly-appointed sporting director Kevin Thelwell explained why, as he said: "Yeah, it's a really interesting question. It's a question that gets asked a lot, doesn't it? "But from my perspective, the job of a manager is a very, very difficult one. It's clear from my perspective that managers or head coaches need a lot of support. "We wanted Russell to focus on the most important bit, which was the preparation of the team, the performance of the team and fundamentally the results. "And then for the sporting director, me, to work on all of the bits that surround that team to make it as successful as it possibly can. All of those support services, medical, sports science, coaching, etc, etc. "And we believe that by working closely together in that way and having expertise that's very focused on those important bits will hopefully help us to be more successful." Martin was appointed after a thorough interview process, pipping rookie Italian coach Davide Ancelotti to the role. Steven Gerrard was also in the frame before deciding it wasn't the right time to return to Ibrox. Thelwell added: "I'll probably start by saying we went through quite a diligent and thorough process and tried to use the time that we had at our disposal to the very best opportunity. "And right from the very start, it was clear to me and the other guys who were involved in the process that Russell was the standout candidate. "He was outstanding, effectively. He's had a lot of experience now as a manager and a head coach. "And over the course of that career, I think it's clear to see that he's sharpened that approach and his method in terms of technical, tactical and also from a personal perspective. "I'm delighted that he's agreed to join us and I'm very, very much looking forward to working with him. "I'm also excited that the fans are going to see something that's going to be strong out on the pitch."
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Watch Russell Martin's first Rangers press conference LIVE as new manager paraded at Ibrox
Russell Martin is the Chosen One and the new Rangers manager is set to face the press for the first time. The ex-Southampton boss has put pen to paper on a three-year contract as he replaces Philippe Clement in the Ibrox hotseat. Martin has been tasked with leading Gers into a new era as the Light Blues aim to end Celtic's stranglehold on Scottish football. The 39-year-old - who spent six months on loan in Govan as a player - is poised to be unveiled in front of the press from 11:15am today. Speaking to the club's website, he vowed to transform the trophy-starved club's fortunes and make supporters proud again. Martin told the club's official website: "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. 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."
Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
What system is Russell Martin likely to implement at Rangers? Formation, philosophy and tactics examined
This is how Russell Martin is likely to set his Rangers team up following his appointment as manager Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Rangers search for a new manager has concluded after the club confirmed former Scotland international Russell Martin as the new man in the Ibrox dugout. Signing a three-year-deal in Govan, the ex-Southampton head coach has been out of work since his departure from St Mary's in December, but has now been named as the permanent successor to Philippe Clement who was sacked by the club 101 days ago following a 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Beating off competition from ex-Real Madrid assistant manager Davide Ancelotti, the highly-rated 39-year-old coach said it was 'a privilege to be named head coach of Rangers Football Club at the beginning of this exciting new chapter', before adding: "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.' While the appointment has been met with a lukewarm response by sections of the Rangers fanbase, many are curious to see how their former loanee will do in the Ibrox dugout, with Martin viewed as one of the UK's best young coaches. Here's how Martin is likely to set up his team, his preferred formation and style of play after being appointed as manager of Rangers... What formation will Russell Martin play at Rangers? Martin has tactical flexibility, and is able to adapt formations dependant on his squad, and the opposition he is facing. However, his tends to favour a system that will support his possession-based philosophy, with a 4-3-3 attacking formation implemented for the bulk of his managerial career. This appears to be the system he will most likely use at Rangers, dependant on what signings they make this summer. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He has been known to play 3-4-2-1, 3-5-2 and 4-1-2-1, all of which allow him to use inverted full-backs, and attacking midfielders in half-spaces. His choice of formation will be based around fluid build-up, possession, and high pressing. Russell Martin played briefly for Rangers. | SNS Group What sort of system is Russell Martin likely to implement at Rangers? 'Nine times out of 10 in Scotland, Rangers will play against teams sitting in, and it's about breaking them down. I think the philosophy of Russell is all about that. He wants his team to have lots of possession, push the opposition deep and then hurt them,' said ex-Hearts head coach Steven Naismith recently and, as is well documented, Martin intends for his teams to create chances by dominating possession of the ball. His MK Dons, Swansea City and Southampton sides often topped the charts for ball possession and retention, with his style has been described as 'ultra possession' by some football statistics sites. During his promotion-winning campaign with Southampton in 2023/24, his side averaged 65.7% possession, while his MK Dons side set a British record when they scored a goal from a 56-pass move during the 2020/21 season. In that same campaign , only Manchester City and Barcelona scored a higher average possession percentage in Europe than Martin's MK Dons outfit. Adding balance and pressing style While it can often be viewed as 'death by possession', with multiple backwards and sideward passes, his intention is to always find the spare man and is designed to dominate and exploit space, while his teams are also encouraged press aggressively in order regain possession quickly when the ball in lost. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, he may adapt this slightly, admitting his spell with Southampton in the English Premier League last season made him consider if they should have 'tried and dominate the ball but be aware there are times when we have to suffer', saying they 'needed to make a real focus on being really difficult to play against, as well as all the stuff with the ball', before adding: 'if you could bring the beauty with a ball, but also bring the darkness with that stuff, you need both." Use of a single-pivot He also likes to use a single pivot midfielder to help implement his style. The centrepiece of any Martin team, he relied heavily on Flynn Downes at Southampton, and Matt Grimes during his time at Swansea in those roles. He likes his pivot to dominate the game, in order to swing control into his team's favour. Width and particularly ball-playing defenders As attested to above, Martin wants his teams to dictate the tempo of a game, making ball-playing defenders (such as Rangers-linked Harry Darling) crucial to his system. His attacking midfielders or wingers are often pushed forward. Martin's philosophy, in simple terms, is perhaps best summed up by the man himself when he said: 'The more we have the ball, the more we can control the game and take the fight out of opposition teams', and he has a real commitment to it, saying previously: 'I cannot stand on the sidelines watching something I don't feel connected with or love.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Former Southampton manager Russell Martin has been confirmed as the new Rangers head coach. (Photo by) What has Russell Martin said about his style of play? 'Express ourselves' 'We want to dominate possession, play with courage, and control the tempo of the game. It's about expressing ourselves through the ball.' Aggressive high-press 'We press high to win the ball back quickly and keep the opposition under pressure. It's about being proactive and relentless.' Fluid formations at Southampton 'Our system is flexible. Fullbacks can invert, midfielders can push into attacking spaces. It's about creating overloads and exploiting spaces intelligently.' Taking risks and identity 'I'd rather we lose playing our way than compromise our identity. Mistakes will happen, but they're part of learning to be brave.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Player relationships 'The players need to trust the process. It's demanding, but when they see it work, it's incredibly rewarding.' Nicolas Raskin could play an important role in Russell Martin's system. | Getty Images Which Rangers players will fit into Russell Martin's system? It is clear he will have a big reliance on his Rangers players executing a possession-based, high-pressing style as he seeks to restore Rangers' dominance in the Scottish Premiership. This means Nicolas Raskin could play a huge role in his side, either as the pivot or a box-to-box midfielder. The Belgian international had an 86% passing rate in the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign, making him a prime candidate to start in Martin's midfield, with Raskin likely to be given the task of dominate the game with his passing and aggressive pressing. Cyriel Dessers could also play a big role in his system, with the Nigerian particularly adept at pressing. He will lead the Rangers press and look to squeeze the space against a low-block, while he'll also be the team's focal point in the middle of the front three. 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Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Kris Boyd dismisses Celtic points gap and claims Russell Martin can lead Rangers to title glory
Gers ended the Premiership campaign 17 points behind their rivals but Boyd is adamant Martin can turn things around quickly Kris Boyd believes Russell Martin is the man to end Celtic's dominance and make Rangers top dogs in Scotland again. Gers finally ended their 102-day search for Philippe Clement's replacement by handing the Ibrox reins to ex-Southampton boss Martin. The former Scotland international has been tasked with leading the Light Blues' revival and bridging the gap with their rivals across the city. Martin – who has also managed MK Dons and Swansea – led Saints to Premier League promotion in 2024 but was axed in December after just one win from 16 top-flight matches. The 39-year-old's mixed managerial record has heightened concerns among supporters as to whether he's the right man for the job. Trophy-starved Rangers ended another dismal campaign 17 points behind runaway champions Celtic but Boyd is adamant Martin has the right credentials to transform the Glasgow giants into title challengers. "Listen, it didn't make good reading for Rangers domestically last year once again", the legendary striker told Sky Sports News. "But we've seen it before. You go back to Dick Advocat's team, they totally wiped the floor with Celtic. Martin O'Neill arrived and they totally wiped the floor with that Rangers team, which was a good Rangers team. "I think that you look at Rangers' problems, they didn't come against Celtic last year, they were against everyone else. "So if Rangers can eradicate the results against everybody else and start to build momentum early, start winning the games against the rest, then the Old Firm games will take care of themselves. "And Rangers have shown that they can cause Celtic problems in one-off games. But it's finding that consistency, and that's going to be the challenge for Russell Martin from now on. "He needs to find a level of consistency to go and beat the rest that allows Rangers to challenge towards the latter stage of the season against Celtic. "I've seen bigger point gaps than this being turned around. It's not like in England where you might have one big team who's struggling, but there are another three or four who are doing okay, and you need to overtake the three or four. "For Rangers, they only need to overtake Celtic for it to be a success. But, it's going to be a lot harder than you think because Celtic, under Brendan Rodgers, have been a well-oiled machine now for a number of seasons. "They do look as if they will strengthen again in the summer. They've got an opportunity for Champions League football again. "I think that it's a tough ask, but I think Rangers have got the right man, and he's shown that he can improve players, he can improve teams, he can build a culture within the football club that will allow the club to flourish going forward. "So, for me, can that gap be closed? Of course it can. Rangers need to find that consistency against everyone else. "But also, we've all been part of squads where you know you're going to be playing, you know you're the first name on the team sheet, and that's not good. It's not healthy. "You need to have people pushing you every single day in training, and I'm sure if Russell Martin's to add six or seven players to that, the starters from last year will probably become substitutes, and then it's up to them to fight back to try and get on the team. "And that is a healthy squad." Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bite-sized chunks.
Scottish Sun
2 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
