Amid reports of a potential return to Rangers, former Southampton manager Russell Martin is pretty realistic about his future prospects.
Despite being the man to take The Saints back to the Premier League in the first place – they beat Leeds United at Wembley in last year’s play-off final – the 39-year-old’s spell on the South Coast will forever be tainted by the nature of it’s conclusion.
Russell Martin was sacked in December with Southampton already well adrift of safety and amid growing fears of Derby County’s record as the top-flight’s worst-ever team would finally be beaten.
Four months on, The Saints are still two shy of Derby’s infamous points tally of eleven.
Yet, Russell Martin has been linked with the Rangers job in recent weeks. Former Ibrox stalwart Andy Halliday has talked up Martin’s potential return to Glasgow, feeling that his possession-obsessed style would translate well into one of Scotland’s top clubs.
Though, when asked about those Rangers links during his Sky Sports interview on Monday Night Football, the former Scotland international opted to focus on the jobs he won’t get rather than the jobs he could.
Former Ibrox loanee Russell Martin responds to Rangers links
“I think I’m realistic and I don’t think I get another Premier League chance right now,” Martin admits, stonewalling the Rangers part of the question pretty quickly.
“I think like most managers that come from the Championship, its like they get there and are not quite good enough for the Premier League.
“Which is maybe unfair on the managers that get there at times because you’re there with a squad that has been so successful a year before but it is not maybe not quite ready for the Premier League.
“But I think there’s only two managers have been taken out the Championship for a long time – Nathan Jones and Graham Potter – and the others have to get there and try and stay there and then be deemed a success.
“So I really don’t know. I’m really open to working abroad in England again. I want to work back in the Premier League after having a taste of it.
“I want to get back there and I believe I can, so we will just have to wait and see.”
Steven Gerrard talks underway as San Fransisco 49ers eye Ibrox return
There would be no mention of Rangers, then, for a man who spent the second half of the 2017/18 season on loan at Ibrox from Norwich City.
Alongside Martin, Rangers have been linked with Rafa Benitez, Kevin Muscat, Derek McInnes and many more since the departure of Philippe Clement.
Rangers News understands, however, that the chances of an Ibrox return for Steven Gerrard is gathering pace. Members of the San Francisco 49ers – their takeover of Rangers is edging closer to completion – are big fans of bringing Gerrard back to the club where he claimed their only Scottish Premiership title in the last 14 years.
Talks are underway. Gerrard is understood to be keen on retracing his steps, meanwhile.
The Liverpool legend left Ibrox in 2021 for a fresh start at Aston Villa but now finds himself out of work – and in need of rebuilding his reputation – following a year and a half in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq.
