Russell Martin issues update as Leicester City and Rangers circle | OneFootball

The 42-year-old has had the opportunity to go back into management since leaving Southampton in December.

Russell Martin has revealed that he has already turned down multiple opportunities to get back into management amid interest from Leicester City and Rangers.

The former Southampton, Swansea City and MK Dons boss has been away from the men's game for the longest time since he became a professional footballer more than two decades ago, following being sacked by the Saints earlier in the season.

Despite his fairly pitiful attempt to produce a competitive Premier League side, there is no shortage of clubs who may like to bring in Martin to be their next head coach. The 42-year-old is a reported target for Leicester and Rangers, according to respective reports from Sky Sports and The Sun.

He has options on the table, seemingly, but Martin is not going to rush back into management purely for the sake of it. He and his team need to go into an environment that will suit them as much as they will suit the club, according to the man himself, which is what has made him reject a number of offers already.

Russell Martin's multiple job rejection revelation

"I had a good break after 20 years or so of playing and then straight into management, so it's been a nice time to enjoy," Martin admitted on Match of the Day. "I think wherever I go in next, whenever I go in next, I'll be much better for it."

On how crucial where he goes next will be, he admitted: "Yeah, I think so. I think it's really important.

"We've turned a few opportunities down because it just didn't feel quite right, and it's about the opportunity that it gives us, how we feel about it, the people you're working for - all of it comes into account. And also, like, the cultural context, how the style of play will fit, how the work that we do will be with the club's (work)...

"Not necessarily how they play now, but, maybe, what the fans have been used to, maybe what has brought them success previously. Definitely how convinced the ownership are and the people in charge are with how we do things, the methodology, whatever you want to call it. But I'm really excited about whatever comes next."

Russell Martin must go to a club and level that will be receptive to his methods

Just as the former Southampton boss said, choosing his next destination is a very big decision. His time at St MAry's was very much a hit but then a major miss, so, although he has success on his resume, it preceded a steep drop-off.

It quickly became apparent that he wasn't going to be able to effectively play his brand of football in the Premier League with the pieces that he had available to him in his squad. They just weren't at the requisite level, all of them, and that's why Martin ultimately went.

Why it initially worked for him there, as well as with Swansea and MK, was because the club wanted someone to implement a system like he has. If you're going to be a fairly dogmatic manager, the people in the stands and in the boardroom need to be wholeheartedly behind what you're trying to do.

There'd be no point in Martin trying to win the fans of The Den over in some wild version of reality where he became Millwall's boss: it just simply wouldn't wash with them.

So the right club is going to be important for him, but also the right level. His style of play is conducive to having better players than most of the competition and being able to out football them. Trying to do that with a bottom-end Premier League team, for example, evidently doesn't work.

The good thing for him is, if Leicester and Rangers are the two best options, they are both likely to be towards the top of their respective leagues next season, making them a better fit for him.