Russell Martin has been out of job since Rangers fired him in October, marking the club’s shortest reign in history. The former Swansea City and Southampton manager has enjoyed some success in his short managing tenure, however.

It earned him a move to Swansea City in August 2021, where he took the Swans to 15th and then 10th place in the Championship while establishing his ball-dominant style of play and developing younger players as assets.

In June 2023, he was named Southampton manager. It was a major move for him, with a team receiving parachute payments and the goal of returning the club to the Premier League. He won the 2024 play-off final against Leeds United, scoring a lot of goals in an entertaining style.

Despite his difficulties in the Premier League, his desire to be a strong possession team drew Rangers’ interest. It may not have worked out in Scotland, but his stock is still high.

Russell Martin connected to Columbus Crew role following Rangers tenure.

Martin’s football style is reminiscent of Vincent Kompany’s at Burnley, with a focus on control and patient build-up. At Swansea, this evolved into a fluid, aggressive identity that combined possession and pressure. However, his Southampton team was more gung-ho and conceded a lot on their road to promotion.

Conceding remained an issue in the Premier League, but this possession-centric style prepared him well for the Rangers job on paper, even if the reality was vastly different. Martin’s stock may have decreased, but he is still coveted elsewhere.

Interestingly, Ben Jacobs reports that Martin is a candidate for the Columbus Crew position. That comes after Wilfried Nancy left Rangers for Celtic, leaving the MLS team in need of a successor.

Russell Martin’s perspective on his style of play

Martin’s theory should work effectively when his team has a technical advantage over its opponents. However, this may have been the case in Southampton, but not north of the border.

When Martin joined the Saints, he articulated his thoughts. It may provide some insight into what the Columbus Crew should expect, even if he was unable to communicate his views with the Rangers. He stated on the Southampton website, “It’s to try and control the game.”

“Or as much of the game as possible with all the variables in football,” he stated about the style of play he intends to introduce. “To dominate the ball as much as we can, to be the aggressor with the ball and without it.”

Can he do what he did for Southampton, MK Dons, and Swansea? Or will he crash and burn, like with the Rangers? The other concern is whether Martin is interested in taking a job in America or whether he would look for another chance closer to home.