Southampton have appointed Russell Martin as their new Head Coach on a three-year contract.
Martin’s appointment comes after a lengthy period of negotiations with Swansea, of which he led the Swans to 10th position in last season’s Championship after having taken charge at start of 2021-22 season which saw the club stutter to a 15th placed Championship finish.
Martin will replace Ruben Selles, who had been in charge of the Saints since Nathan Jones’ sacking in mid-February but couldn’t keep the club in the Premier League, amidst a shock Fifth Round exit to Grimsby Town in this season’s FA Cup.
In a short statement last month confirming Selles’ exit, Southampton commented: “Southampton Football Club can confirm that it has held conversations with Men’s First Team Manager, Rubén Sellés, and decided that his contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of the season.
“The club wants to place on record its thanks to Rubén for taking on the managerial position at a difficult time for the club and for giving his all as we attempted to stay in the Premier League.
“Rubén will take charge of the team for the final game against Liverpool on Sunday at St Mary’s. We wish him all the best for his future career.”
Southampton have since managed to conclude negotiations with Swansea which sees Martin join on a three-year contract until June 2026.
Speaking upon confirmation of his appointment as Southampton manager, Martin commented: “It’s a privilege to accept this opportunity at Southampton, a club with such a long and rich history.
“My aim is to get this club back where it belongs – in the top flight of English football.
“I am ready for this challenge and will give everything to achieve this aim and to give the supporters a team that makes them proud.
“I’m thrilled to be here and cannot wait for the work to begin.”
Chairman, Henrik Kraft added that the club “are extremely excited” to finally secure Martin as their manager, having identified him as “the stand-out candidate” throughout their managerial search and “are confident” that he can deliver impressive results with view to a promotion challenge.
Southampton’s new Director of Football, Jason Wilcox added that Martin has “fantastic qualities” to “thrive in the great environment we have here at Southampton.”
Wilcox also noted that Martin fits their plans to develop young talent as he added: “He is a fantastic fit for what we are trying to achieve, with a strong record of developing and nurturing young, talented players to fulfil their potential and deliver results on the pitch.”
Martin’s first competitive match in charge of Southampton will take place on the weekend of 4-6 August, with the full fixture list for 2023-24 season set to be unveiled on Thursday 22 June 2023 at 9am UK Time.