Russell Martin is next Rangers head coach.
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00:00Good morning and welcome to this special edition of the Scotsman Football Show. Some breaking
00:06news for you on Thursday. Russell Martin is confirmed as the new Rangers head coach. The
00:1339-year-old finally ends months of searching for the Rangers hierarchy. He is Philippe
00:20Clement's permanent successor at Ibrox under a new regime spearheaded by Andrew Kavanagh
00:26and 49ers Enterprises. There's been so many names linked with Rangers over the past few
00:32months. It looked like at one point Debbie De Ancelotti was going to get the job. Former
00:36Rangers minor Stephen Gerrard also heavily linked. But in the end the new hierarchy had plumped
00:41for Martin, a 39-year-old former Scotland internationalist who actually had a brief spell on loan at
00:46Rangers as a player when he was a centre half. Martin's been out of work since December. He
00:52was manager of Southampton in the English Premier League. He left them bottom of the table having
00:56won just one match in 16 games in the season just gone. Before that though he had guided the Saints
01:02back to the top flight playing a brand of football that was loaded by many people. But in the Premier
01:08League he didn't have the players nor the tactical flexibility to change things as Southampton found
01:14life really difficult. The time of Martin was one of the hottest properties in English football. He
01:20started his managerial career at MK Dons then going to Swansea in Southampton. His ascension was pretty
01:26steep before it started to go a little bit wrong at St Mary's. His appointment naturally greeted with
01:34mixed responses from Rangers fans. Some willing to give them a chance, others not quite as keen. I think
01:40what's important to say is that Rangers have finally got their man in the door. Their Champions League
01:44qualifiers start in mid-July. There's a lot of squad remodelling and rebuilding to do as they try
01:51and become capacitive again at the top of the Premiership. And now that the new regime has got their man in
01:57they'll have to work extremely hard to give him the support and the players he requires to get Rangers
02:04closer to Celtic. Martin, due obviously to speak to the media in the coming days now that he's finally
02:10been appointed, it'll be fascinating to hear his thoughts on it all. But he's back in Scottish
02:14football. He's back in management for the first time in six months. Russell Martin is the new Rangers boss.