New head coach Martin says 'I know what Rangers demand'

Russell Martin is Rangers' new head coach, with the former Southampton boss signing a three-year contract saying "I know what this club demands" at the start of a fresh era at Ibrox.

A US-based consortium, led by Andrew Cavenagh and including the investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers, completed a takeover of the club last week.

Martin emerged as the leading candidate from a recruitment process that also included former Real Madrid assistant Davide Ancelotti and former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard.

The 39-year-old former Scotland defender, who spent time at Ibrox on loan as a player, said: "From my time here, I had a taste of how special this club is, the expectation, the passion and the history.

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

"I'm here to set standards, work hard and do my very best to earn the respect of the Rangers fans.

"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. We want to play with bravery, to take the ball, to be aggressive, and to stand up in the big moments."

Joining Martin in Glasgow will be assistant Matt Gill and performance coach Rhys Owen.

The former Scotland defender lost his job at St Mary's in December, after just one win from 16 in the Premier League.

He had taken Southampton up to the English top flight via the Championship play-offs in the previous campaign.

However, after his side struggled with the step up to the Premier League, Martin attracted criticism for sticking with a possession-based approach before losing his job.

Before that, he had spells in charge at MK Dons and Swansea City.

Martin's role is head coach rather than manager, a nod to Rangers' new set up with former sporting director Kevin Thelwell in post alongside his former Everton colleague, Dan Purdy, as technical director.

Rangers finished last season without a trophy and were runners-up to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership for the fourth successive year.

Phillippe Clement was sacked in February before former captain Barry Ferguson took over as interim boss until the end of the season, as Rangers finished 17 points off the pace.

Martin, who played 29 times for Scotland and 17 times for Rangers during a loan spell in 2018, now has the task of making the club more competitive amid a busy summer.

Will Martin be a success as Rangers manager?

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