Southampton have confirmed the appointment of Russell Martin as their new manager following relegation from the Premier League. Martin will be given the urgent goal of guiding the team to the Premier League by way of promotion from the Championship the following year. Following a nine-game undefeated streak that includes victories against West Brom and Norwich City, Martin’s Swansea team finished 10th in the second division last season.
“Accepting this chance at Southampton is an honor because the club has such a long and rich history,” new Southampton boss Russell Martin said. “My goal is to reinstate this club in the English Premier League, where it belongs. I’m up for the challenge and will do all in my power to accomplish this goal and provide the fans with a team that they can be proud of. I’m ecstatic to be here and am eager for the job to start.”
“We are overjoyed to have Russell here in Southampton. Russell stood out among candidates during our hiring process, and we are certain that his solid track record, along with the knowledgeable guidance of our new director of football, Jason Wilcox, will produce excellent outcomes,” chairman Henrik Kraft said.
In a statement released by the club, it was said that announcements about the coaching staff and preseason schedule will be announced as soon as possible. Martin verbally committed to go from Swansea to the Saints in May, but compensation negotiations between the two teams took a while. Swansea’s disagreement over whether Southampton should be categorized as a Premier League or Championship team when they made their bid contributed to this in part.
“The club will keep working carefully and intelligently to advance the club’s interests because we firmly believe that we are entitled to full recompense for Russell,” a Swansea statement read. “Swansea City would like to officially express its gratitude to Russell for his services while he was employed by SA1. In due course, the club will provide supporters with an update on a new first-team coaching staff.”
According to reports, Swansea is almost ready to name Barnsley’s Michael Duff as Martin’s replacement. On Friday, the athletes resume to preseason practice.
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