NafisaRussell Martin is reportedly preparing to make an early impact at Leicester City by attempting to bring members of Rangers’ backroom team with him.
The former Ibrox boss is already shaping plans for his upcoming role at the King Power Stadium, with attention turning towards familiar staff he previously worked alongside during earlier spells in his managerial career.
Martin’s time in Glasgow was short-lived, lasting just 17 matches before he was dismissed in October.
During that brief spell, he managed only five victories and struggled to establish any real connection with the Rangers support, with his tenure quickly drifting away from the fanbase before it had even properly taken shape.
Now, however, he appears set to revisit familiar territory as he looks to rebuild his coaching setup in England.
Who is Russell Martin trying to poach from Rangers?
Martin is believed to be targeting Rangers’ sports science lead Rhys Owen as a potential addition to his Leicester coaching structure, with the Foxes currently operating in League One following their relegation.
A report from the Daily Record on 7 June suggests that senior Rangers officials are braced for the possibility of their performance chief departing to reunite with Martin, although no formal request has yet been communicated.
The pair previously worked together at Swansea City and Southampton before their short-lived collaboration in Glasgow, which ended with Martin’s exit from the Rangers dugout.
Why Martin could disrupt Rangers again
Danny Rohl would be forced to fill the gap left by Owen should he depart, with his position considered a vital part of the club’s high-performance structure in Govan.
His responsibilities span across conditioning, recovery, nutrition planning, psychological preparation and performance analysis, all of which play a key role in maintaining squad fitness throughout a demanding season.
For Rangers, this comes at an inconvenient moment, with the club already preparing for a busy summer of squad rebuilding as they attempt to close the gap on Celtic and challenge more consistently at the top end of the table.
After a frustrating campaign, the expectation is that multiple areas of the first-team squad will be strengthened, with improvements needed across several positions to avoid another underwhelming season.
The possibility of losing key off-field personnel only adds another layer of complexity to an already demanding rebuild, forcing the club to split focus between recruitment on the pitch and stability behind the scenes.
Martin’s influence continues to linger long after his departure from Ibrox, and this latest development risks pulling Rangers into yet another unexpected reshuffle at a crucial stage of planning.
For a club looking to move forward under new leadership, distractions like this are far from ideal, especially when continuity and structure are seen as essential parts of their long-term strategy.
If Owen does follow Martin to Leicester, it would represent another reminder of how managerial changes can ripple far beyond the dugout, potentially creating ripple effects that Rangers could do without as they prepare for the challenges ahead.
Nafisa
