There is a certain type of appointment that always sounds clever on paper. Russell Martin fits neatly into that category. He speaks well. He has a clear idea of how the game should be played. He looks like a modern coach. But football has a habit of stripping away a glossy veneer very quickly.
If Leicester City are serious about getting back to the Premier League and staying there, then this is one move they should be wary of making.
Martin’s reputation in England was built in the Championship. At Swansea, he improved performances and gave the side an identity. At Southampton, his team dominated possession week after week and racked up enough points to secure promotion via the play-offs. That part of his CV is solid. Nobody can argue otherwise.
The problem comes when the stakes rise
His Premier League spell with Southampton exposed the limits of his approach. Opponents knew exactly what was coming. They pressed high, forced mistakes, and punished the stray pass when it came. Martin's system did not change, even as defeats mounted. By the time he was replaced, the damage was already done.
Some of Martin's promotion-winning team are still at the club. Of the team that beat Leeds United at Wembley in the play-off final, James Bree, Jack Stephens, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes, and Adam Armstrong all started at Portsmouth on Sunday.
That same theme followed him north of the border.
Rangers is not an easy job, but it is a revealing one. Martin arrived with big ideas and left after just a few months, having failed to convince supporters or achieve results. Under Martin, Rangers won only five of 17 competitive matches, fell behind early in the title race, and looked short of answers when games turned against them.
What stood out was how familiar the problems looked. Possession without bite. Defensive uncertainty when pressed. A sense that the plan stayed the same even when it needed rethinking.
Leicester are not looking for a philosophy experiment.
They are looking for solutions.
This is a club that has lifted the Premier League trophy, won the FA Cup, and played European football in recent memory. Their expectations remain high, even after relegation. The next manager has to handle pressure from day one and adapt on the fly.
Martin may get there one day. He is still young for a manager and clearly committed to his craft. Plenty of coaches improve after difficult spells. But there is a difference between learning on the job and learning at a club that cannot afford the time.
Leicester need someone who already understands how to survive when control disappears and chaos creeps in. Someone who knows when to compromise without losing direction.
Right now, Russell Martin’s recent history suggests that step is still ahead of him.
For a club with ambition, this would feel like a risk dressed up as progress. It could be argued that Southampton have done exactly the same thing by appointing Tonda Eckert.