Archive June 3, 2025

“He’s an all-round lovely person and he’s very talented. He will be a manager one day because he’s just the right person to be a manager. “

Those kind and prescient words came from Delia Smith when Russell Martin parted ways with Norwich City in the summer of 2018.

Now the 39-year-old is looking for his fourth post as head coach and is reported to be the front-runner for the Rangers job as the club’s new American owners begin their reign.

One win in 16 and sacked before Christmas. It certainly doesn’t look great, but there’s more to Martin than a brief Premier League spell with Southampton last season.

His possession-based style took Southampton up via the play-offs a year ago – having been honed at MK Dons and Swansea City – and the former Scotland defender refused to compromise on his principles.

“To get to the Premier League and then change would be illogical,” he said after a narrow loss at Manchester City in October. “I cannot stand on the sidelines watching something I don’t feel connected with or love. I don’t see the point in that. “

Pep Guardiola was full of praise for the visitors’ bravery on the ball that day, going on to suggest he could learn from Martin’s approach.

The methodology ultimately backfired with a squad lacking in Premier League experience and Martin was jettisoned.

Under Martin, MK Dons set a British record with a goal scored from a 56-pass move in March 2021.

In that same season, only Manchester City and Barcelona had a higher average possession percentage in Europe than the League One side.

It was the same at Swansea, lots of plaudits for the system but no prizes, making strides while winning less than 38% of his games at both clubs.

Former Ibrox forward Steven Naismith, who played with Martin for Scotland and Norwich City, reckons Rangers would flourish with such an approach.

“He’s got a clear style, a clear identity and that, for me, is massive,” the former Ibrox forward told BBC Sport Scotland.

“Rangers need someone who can understand what they want and can implement it. Russell has done that now at three clubs.

“Nine times out of 10 in Scotland, Rangers will play against teams sitting in, and it’s about breaking them down. I think the philosophy of Russell is all about that.

“He wants his team to have lots of possession, push the opposition deep and then hurt them. “

Martin has previous experience of Ibrox, having been on loan at Rangers for the second half of an underwhelming 2017-18 campaign.

He made 17 appearances, scoring once, as his playing career began to wind down.

“If you don’t understand the league, if you don’t understand the club, that part can get overlooked and it can cause you big problems,” said Naismith.

“Russell has experienced it, although it was brief.

Martin was 32 when he made the switch to Ibrox and did not add to his 29 Scotland caps, the first of which came as a late substitute in a 3-1 win over Wales in 2011.

That international debut came under Craig Levein, while Martin was a regular pick for Gordon Strachan, playing in the home and away wins against Croatia in 2013.

The Brighton-born central defender enjoyed his peak years at Carrow Road, making more than 300 appearances for Norwich.

There, he achieved back-to-back promotions from League One with Paul Lambert in charge. He was captain when they returned to the Premier League in 2015.

Martin also captained previous clubs Wycombe Wanderers and Peterborough United and his leadership qualities also impressed Naismith.

“Communication is one of his strongest points,” added the ex-Hearts boss. “He understands the highs and lows and what it takes to get the best out of a player. “

Former Swansea City striker Lee Trundle echoed those sentiments, telling BBC Sport Scotland that man-management is one of Martin’s main strengths.

“Everyone at Swansea loved playing for him. He’s honest with his players, he tells them what he needs,” he said.

“He’s very clever. I don’t think he has a plan A or a plan B, it’s just the way he sees football. He thinks that is how the game should be played and he sticks with it. “

Anyone who saw Martin play can attest to his steely competitiveness.

A gentle Sussex accent and impressive articulacy belie a turbulent upbringing, with his late father’s violence and gambling leading to upheaval.

Martin has spoken candidly of a complex relationship with his Scottish dad, who vacillated between doting and controlling and pushed him and his brothers hard as their first football coach.

“My whole world revolved around proving him wrong and making him proud,” he told The Times in November 2023.

He cleaned toilets before school and worked night shifts in a supermarket prior to his move into the professional ranks at the relatively late age of 18.

He also had to battle ulcerative colitis during his career, changing to a vegan diet to combat inflammation after experiments with acupuncture and Chinese herbal remedies.

Would Martin be your choice as Rangers manager?

French Open 2025

Location: Roland Garros, May 25 – June

Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning world no. 1, defeated Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen to reach the French Open semi-finals.

On a gloomy Court Phillippe Chatrier, Sabalenka defeated China’s Zheng 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 to claim her first Paris title.

The Belarusian, who arguably holds the title, had to recover from a set-record break but displayed all of her fighting prowess.

“That was a real battle,” Sabalenka said, “I have no idea how I was able to regain control of that first set.”

“I was prepared to leave everything on the court to win.”

Sabalenka’s improved serve and movement have paid off at Roland Garros, and she hasn’t given up on that feat.

French Open 2025

Location: Roland Garros, May 25 – June

Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning world no. 1, defeated Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen to reach the French Open semi-finals.

On a gloomy Court Phillippe Chatrier, Sabalenka defeated China’s Zheng 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 to claim her first Paris title.

The Belarusian, who arguably holds the title, had to recover from a set-record break but displayed all of her fighting prowess.

“That was a real battle,” Sabalenka said, “I have no idea how I was able to regain control of that first set.”

“I was prepared to leave everything on the court to win.”

Sabalenka’s improved serve and movement have paid off at Roland Garros, and she hasn’t given up on that feat.

When Jack Draper talked about missing an opportunity after his French Open defeat, he was not just referring to missing out on a quarter-final spot.

Britain’s world number five was also frustrated at not setting up a chance to test himself against the man he wants to catch – world number one Jannik Sinner.

Draper’s fourth-round loss to 62nd-ranked Alexander Bublik meant he missed out on a chance to try and avenge his US Open semi-final defeat by Italy’s Sinner.

It also offered a sharp reminder of how the 23-year-old Englishman still has to bridge the gap to Sinner and world number two Carlos Alcaraz at the Grand Slams.

“Draper is on the cusp – he has to keep doing what he’s doing,” British former world number four Greg Rusedski told BBC Sport.

“Jack has not had a full year where he has been healthy until now.

Over the past year, Draper has made monumental progress to become one of the most feared players on the ATP Tour.

His Grand Slam breakthrough came at the US Open and was backed up by runs to the last 16 of the Australian Open and now in Paris.

But Sinner, 23, and Alcaraz, 22, have a stranglehold on the majors, having won the past five Grand Slams between them.

The British number one conceded it was “really difficult” not to get the opportunity to assess his level over five sets against his good friend Sinner in Paris.

Draper has much less Grand Slam experience than the leading stars, while also having only 168 Tour-level matches under his belt compared to Sinner’s 356 and Alcaraz’s 300.

“I’m a long way behind those boys. I still have lots to learn,” Draper said.

“They’re probably a year or two years ahead of me and have obviously achieved a lot more.

“If you look at how many ATP matches they’ve played, they’ve played double the amount I have.

Draper was ranked 39th in the world at last year’s French Open and went out in the first round to Dutch qualifier and world number 176 Jesper de Jong.

His rise has been underpinned by winning Indian Wells – one of the biggest tournaments outside of the majors – and reaching the Madrid final, both ATP events played over three sets.

Better fitness has seen him climb the world rankings, and he could move to fourth after the French Open.

He has already leapfrogged American Taylor Fritz in the live rankings, although Roland Garros quarter-finalists Novak Djokovic, Lorenzo Musetti and Tommy Paul can still overhaul him.

“My level is getting better all the time, but it’s not just the tennis. It’s the consistency of what they’re doing,” Draper said of Sinner and Alcaraz.

“Even though I’ve been more consistent, it’s doing it when it matters, and these are the tournaments that matters.

Draper now turns his attentions to the grass-court season which, of course, culminates at Wimbledon.

He has the game to thrive on the grass – particularly with his potent first serve – but has yet to go beyond the second round in three appearances.

“The shorter, sharper points will suit him and the leftie serve – which has so much variety – helps him achieve that,” said former British women’s number one Annabel Croft.

“It swings out wide on the ad side, he can swing it into the body, the kick away from a right-hander is a nightmare – he’s got every kind of serve you can imagine.

Draper’s high seeding will also help his chances of a deep run.

The left-handed Englishman warmed up for Wimbledon last year by winning his first ATP title on the Stuttgart grass.

Draper does not intend to defend his title in Germany next week, instead planning to take a week off the match court and focus on practise, before playing at Queen’s Club.

“I’ll be happy to get on a faster surface and one I’m much more comfortable moving on,” said Draper.

It is the second time Draper arrives at Wimbledon as the British number one, but he will face even more scrutiny this time around.

Draper, who faced testing atmospheres against home favourites at the Australian Open and French Open this year, believes he will thrive with the crowd support behind him.

“Dealing with expectation when you’re playing well is quite easy because you use the crowd to fuel you,” Rusedski said.

“It’s when you’re not playing well, that’s what becomes difficult with pressure.

“You end up trying too hard and that never works work out well. You have to organically allow it to happen if you’re putting in the work, and Jack is doing that.”

Draper has struggled with anxiety in the biggest moments of his career and vomited on court during his New York semi-final against Sinner.

He sought advice from a breathing coach and now believes the sickness was not down to stress.

“I found out it was to do with the fact that I was taking lots of painkillers for an injury that I had. That wasn’t the anxiety,” he added.