Southampton are on the verge of appointing former Swansea manager Russell Martin as their new head coach. Swansea and Southampton are still in talks on compensation, but it is believed Martin will be named the new manager of the Saints within the next 24 hours. Martin, who has just one year remaining on his Swansea contract, postponed a trip to the US when he was scheduled to meet with the club’s American owners to seek a contract extension. Enzo Maresca, the assistant manager of Manchester City, and Martin were both vying for the position at Southampton, but Maresca has now decided he wants to continue working with Pep Guardiola.
This season, Martin’s Swansea team placed 10th and finished the Championship strong, going nine games without losing and picking up victories over West Brom and Norwich City. Ralph Hasenhuttl, Nathan Jones, and Ruben Selles are the three managers who have held the hot seat at St. Mary’s this season, and none of them have achieved more than three league victories. Since Nathan Jones was fired in February, Selles has been in charge, but he has been unable to prevent the Saints from being relegated from the Premier League. The Spaniard, who was hired for the remainder of the season, has shown a desire to hold the position on a long-term basis.
“First of all, I would never want to continue coaching if I wasn’t the manager. You can clarify it there if someone is uncertain, and if they are unaware of it via me, they can learn about it in the media. If feasible, I’ll try to pursue a job as a manager here; if not, I’ll look elsewhere,” Ruben Selles said before Southampton are on the verge of appointing Russell Martin. “It is what it is, and if I don’t want people to talk about it, I should win more football games. I don’t think it’s insensitive; I understand the business, and that’s how it is. After the Liverpool game, we will speak with the club and do a review, and that is what I am anticipating. Then I anticipate that the club will consult with me before making any public moves, whether they include me or not.”
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