Martin 'won't make promises' - but Rangers must win early

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Russell MartinImage source, SNS

Clive Lindsay

BBC Sport Scotland

Russell Martin says he is "not going to make immoderate promises" aft becoming Rangers' caller caput coach but insists they must "win early and triumph while developing".

The erstwhile Scotland defender, 39, has signed a three-year statement to go 1 of nan cardinal early appointments astatine commencement of a caller era astatine Ibrox.

A US-based consortium, led by Andrew Cavenagh and including nan finance limb of nan San Francisco 49ers, completed a takeover of nan nine past week.

And erstwhile Southampton and Swansea City leader Martin - who had a short stint arsenic a subordinate astatine Ibrox - was nan "standout choice" to lead nan squad aft a prolonged recruitment process.

"Winning is really you person group - players, unit and supporters," he said astatine his unveiling astatine Ibrox connected Thursday.

"We had to do that astatine Southampton - we had to triumph successful amongst a batch of change."

Rangers vanished past play trophyless nether first Philippe Clement, past interim caput coach Barry Ferguson.

They vanished a region 2nd successful nan Premiership, mislaid nan League Cup last to Celtic and suffering an abject Scottish Cup exit astatine location against Queen's Park. They besides exited nan Europa League astatine nan quarter-final stage.

Asked whether occurrence would mean silverware successful his first season, Martin replied: "I'm not going to beryllium present and make promises, because I don't deliberation that helps anyone.

"The committedness I tin springiness is that we will beryllium each successful to make his nine and this squad better. I deliberation we tin amended successful each areas."

Martin's domiciled is arsenic caput coach alternatively than head - successful keeping pinch Rangers' caller group up, pinch erstwhile sporting head Kevin Thelwell now successful station alongside his erstwhile Everton colleague, Dan Purdy, arsenic method director.

He will beryllium joined astatine Ibrox by adjunct Matt Gill and capacity coach Rhys Owen, pinch nary further additions to nan coaching unit having been confirmed.

Martin revealed that he had "a fewer opportunities" aft leaving Southampton but that "this was nan 1 I really wanted".

He added that he was attracted to "the expectation", nan size of nan nine and is besides "desperate" to show a amended type of himself aft not "physically" being successful nan "right place" to execute arsenic he wanted for nan nine arsenic a player.

Why person Rangers picked Martin?

Rangers main executive Patrick Stewart, who led nan caput coach hunt on pinch Thelwell, said Martin was nan "standout candidate".

The Ibrox nine said to erstwhile Real Madrid adjunct head Davide Ancelotti and erstwhile Feyenoord head Brian Priske, while erstwhile head Gerrard and ex-Ajax caput coach Francesco Farioli were among those besides linked pinch nan post.

"We've been identifying a clear shot style and personality and, successful Russell, we've sewage a caput coach that aligns pinch that," Stewart said.

"We're looking for a caput coach who will amended our culture, create our squad and yet triumph matches. We expect occurrence and Russell knows that."

Giving an penetration into what a Rangers squad nether Martin will beryllium like, Thelwell added: "His teams play ascendant football, power nan ball, dictate nan tempo and enforce themselves physically. They property aggressively and activity relentlessly.

"He's had a beardown profession now - complete 250 games - and we tin each spot he's sharpened his approach, not only from a method and tactical position but besides a individual perspective."

What will Martin bring tactically to Rangers?

05/06/2025

What are Martin's stats arsenic a manager?

Martin began his managerial profession pinch League One nine MK Dons successful 2019, finishing 19th successful his first - Covid-curtailed - play and 13th successful nan pursuing one.

He won 30 and mislaid 31 of his 80 matches, giving him a triumph grounds of 37.5%.

That was capable to seduce Swansea City to entice him to nan Championship nine successful summertime 2021.

His 99 games successful complaint yielded 36 wins and nan aforesaid number of losses - a triumph ratio of 36.4%. The Welsh nine vanished 15th successful his first play and 10th successful nan second.

In June 2023, Martin switched to convention rivals Southampton, wherever he led his broadside to a 25-game unbeaten tally that culminated successful a play-off triumph complete Leeds United and promotion to nan apical flight.

However, he was sacked successful December aft only 1 convention triumph successful 16 matches and his broadside sitting bottommost of nan convention - giving an wide grounds of 33 wins and 26 losses, a triumph complaint of 45.2%.

Russell Martin

Vegan diets, cleaning toilets & sticking to principles

Colin Moffat

BBC Sport Scotland

Anyone who saw Martin play tin attest to his steely competitiveness.

A gentle Sussex accent and awesome articulacy belie a turbulent upbringing, pinch his precocious father's unit and gambling starring to upheaval.

Martin has spoken candidly of a analyzable narration pinch his Scottish dad, who vacillated betwixt doting and controlling and pushed him and his brothers difficult arsenic their first shot coach.

"My full world revolved astir proving him incorrect and making him proud," he told The Times successful November 2023.

He cleaned toilets earlier schoolhouse and worked nighttime shifts successful a supermarket anterior to his move into nan master ranks astatine nan comparatively precocious property of 18.

He besides had to conflict ulcerative colitis during his career, changing to a vegan fare to combat inflammation aft experiments pinch acupuncture and Chinese herbal remedies.

Martin has ne'er been acrophobic to spell his ain way. Could it beryllium nan correct measurement for Rangers?

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Media caption,

Match of nan Day 2: Southampton sack Russell Martin