Yesterday evening Rangers announced the expected capture of Norwich City defender Russell Martin.
The 32 year old comes in on loan until the end of the season and he leaves Norwich having made 309 appearances during his time at Carrow Road – many of those appearances coming as captain of the side – and he comes in with four years of Premier League experience from his nine years with them.
Having began his career at Wycombe Wanderers, after four years with them he made the move to Peterborough United in 2008 and in 2009 he made an initial loan move to Norwich, before making a permanent transfer in 2010.
Whilst with Norwich he received his first call up to the Scotland squad and he’s been capped 29 times in total by the side, last featuring in the one nil victory over Slovenia back in March last year.
Most of his appearances for Scotland have come at centre half, but he’s often featured as a right back at club level so he gives Graeme Murty options.
Speaking to the Official Site Martin explained that the lure of Rangers was simply too good to turn down and having known Murty from their time at Norwich together, that made it an even easier decision.
‘I am delighted to be here to be honest, it has been in the pipeline for a couple of weeks but not knowing whether it is going to happen or not. Finally, thankfully, it has gone through so I am really excited to be here. I spoke to my agent from the off and it was the one I really wanted to happen, there were offers from the Championship in England as well so I am pleased to get it done. I picked Rangers because of the size of the football club, I think everything it is about, the tradition, the history and the position it is in at the minute and obviously the manager as well.’
Speaking more about Murty who was Norwich’s old youth coach.
‘I have worked with the manager a little bit before at Norwich but it is just really the opportunity to come and play here in front of this crowd on a regular basis. The facilities are amazing and everything about it is huge, it is a huge football club and at this stage in my career to come here really excites me, it is a challenge as well. I hope I can come in and help them, help the manager and keep on progressing. I saw the work he did with the youth team at Norwich, he is a really really good coach and he has done a good job here in the short time he has been in charge.’
Adding.
‘You want to work with good people and the manager`s a good person, I will be here to help him as much as possible, on and off the pitch, help drive things for him. Hopefully we will both be happy come the end of the season. I saw him a lot because I have been doing my coaching badges so I used to watch quite a few of his sessions and I took his squad on occasions as well. Also speaking to the other coaches down there as well when this was a possibility, a lot of people have been asking me about it and I am still in touch with a few of them. Just from speaking to people they all thought he was a really top coach which is why he got the job here in the first place doing what he is doing and why he has been asked to manage to the football club.’
