Russell Martin: Leicester City’s former Rangers and Southampton boss named as manager

Leicester City have named former Rangers and Southampton boss Russell Martin as their manager on a three-year deal.

Martin’s 123 day spell The Scottish Premiership with Rangers ended in October and he dropped down to England’s third tier to revive his coaching career.

The 40-year-old takes charge of a Leicester side who find themselves in League One after repeated relegations.

He replaces Gary Rowett, who failed to keep the Foxes in the Championship during his short-term contract last season after taking charge of a side that resulted in a six-point deduction for an earlier spending offence.

“This is a club with a great history, strong support and high expectations and I’m looking forward to getting to know the club, the city and the supporters,” Martin said.

“My immediate focus is on the team: building strong relationships, setting clear standards and producing performances that Leicester City supporters can connect with and be proud of.”

Martin becomes the seventh permanent manager appointed at Leicester following the departure of FA Cup-winning boss Brendan Rodgers in April 2023.

Dean Smith, Enzo Maresca, Steve Cooper, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Marti Cifuentes and Rowett have all been in charge at the King Power Stadium in the chaotic years since Rodgers’ departure.

The Foxes have been relegated three times in the last four seasons and promoted once, with Maresca moving to Chelsea shortly after leading Leicester to the Championship title in his only season in charge in 2023-24.

The nadir for the Foxes came last season, dropping points to contribute to their relegation to League One in a campaign marking 10 years since the club’s famous 5,000-1 Premier League title win.

Martin, who guided Southampton to Premier League promotion with a play-off final victory over Leeds United in a season that saw Leicester emerge as Championship winners in 2024, takes the Fox job at a time when both he and the club need to rebuild their reputation.

“Russell will be supported by a football structure focused on alignment, accountability and high standards,” Leicester sporting director James McCarron said.

“Our role is to ensure the right environment around the team.”

The way Martin oversaw Southampton’s promotion – based on a possession-heavy, patient passing approach – mirrored that of Football Maresca, a manager now linked as Pep Guardiola’s replacement at Manchester City, while also playing for Leicester.

That’s why Leicester were keen to recruit Martin before he joined Rangers last summer and why he got the job this time around.

He moved to Leicester – a club playing in the third tier for only the second time in their 142-year history – with League One knowledge, starting his managerial career at that level with MK Dons in 2019.

It was there that the former Scotland international, who counts Norwich City, Rangers, Wycombe Wanderers and Peterborough United among the clubs he played for, hung up his boots to go into management.

After guiding MK Dons to a 13th-place finish in 2020-21, he was appointed boss at Swansea City, where he spent two seasons before taking over at Southampton.