Martin hired as Rangers manager and handed a big task: Regain the Scottish title from Celtic

Six months after being fired by Southampton, Russell Martin crossed the border to take over as manager of Scottish giant Rangers on Thursday, tasked with regaining the league title from fierce Glasgow rival Celtic.

Martin guided Southampton to promotion to the Premier League last year but left in December following just one win from the team’s first 16 games.

The 39-year-old Martin has secured a quick return to management at Rangers, going back to a club where he spent a half season on loan in 2018.

“From my time here, I had a taste of how special this club is, the expectation, the passion and the history,” Martin said.

“Now, as I return, I’m determined to bring success back, for the supporters, the players, and everyone inside this club. 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.”

Rangers has seen Celtic draw level with its record haul of Scottish league championships — both now have 55 — by winning the Premiership in 13 of the past 14 seasons.

Rangers won the only other title in that period, under Steven Gerrard in the 2020-21 season.

Parse.ly - related stories

By The Numbers: How this might be the weakest bottom three in Premier League history

 

Ivan Juric out at relegated Southampton for his 2nd firing of the season

 

Martin said he enters one of world soccer’s biggest rivalries with “a lot to prove,” especially given the way Southampton performed in the Premier League last season. Under Martin, the Saints were regarded as being naive in the way they tried to play out from the back and made errors under pressure, leading to conceding cheap goals.

“My whole career has been based on proving people wrong, really. At every level, I’ve been questioned,” Martin said.

“There’s always some names in football management that are always a bit more exciting than others. But I feel after 5 ½ years as a manager, a coach, a leader in this environment, I love doing it and I’m going to be all-in here with my energy and my love for it. Hopefully that’ll reflect on the pitch.”

Rangers finished last season under the caretaker management of its former captain, Barry Ferguson, after firing Frenchman Philippe Clement in February.

Appointing Martin — an Englishman who played international soccer for Scotland — is the latest big move by Rangers after a U.S.-based consortium, which includes an investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, purchased a majority ownership stake in the club. Health insurance entrepreneur Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises led a consortium of investors to have bought a 51% stake.

A new sporting director, Kevin Thelwell, officially began work at Rangers on Monday and he oversaw the appointment of Martin.

“There were a few opportunities since I left Southampton,” Martin said, “but I wanted to take time to reflect and review what we’ve learned as a coaching staff and what I’ve learned as a leader and a coach.

“That time was really important. When this one was first suggested, this was the one I really wanted.”

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer