Leicester City warned against hiring ex-Southampton boss - he's not 'the right fit' | OneFootball

FLW's Leicester fan pundit shares their thoughts on the club's links to Russell Martin

A catastrophic year ended in disaster for Leicester City, who will be playing third-tier football for only the second time in their history next season, with crucial decisions at the club needing to be made over the next few months.

Indeed, Leicester's fairytale journey of winning the Premier League title a decade ago seems like a million instead, with the Foxes enduring some ride since.

Three relegations in the span of four years sees the club damned to League One football next campaign, with the club's demise a stark reminder to all those in the top flight currently that nobody is exempt from plummeting down the divisions.

Neither Marti Cifuentes nor Gary Rowett were able to keep the club afloat, and following their relegation, Rowett departed at the end of his deal, with the Foxes on the hunt for his successor.

Whoever takes charge at the King Power Stadium will have the obvious task of guiding the club back to the Championship at the first time of asking, as Leicester have seemingly outlined a former Southampton boss who has a promotion on his CV.

Leicester City have outlined former Southampton boss Russell Martin as a potential option for the managerial vacancy

Russell Martin has been out of work since being dismissed by Scottish giants Rangers in October 2025, winning just five of his 17 games in charge.

The former Southampton boss guided the Saints back to the Premier League in 2024, defeating Leeds United 1-0 in the play-off final, but struggled to adapt to life in the top flight, and was subsequently dismissed from his post at St Mary's before taking the Rangers job six months later.

According to Alan Nixon via Patreon, Leicester have made one final lucrative bid to try and lure Martin to the club ahead of their League One campaign, with Football League World's Leicester fan pundit, Jamie, sharing their thoughts on the situation, and whether Martin would be a good fit for the Foxes.

Jamie said: "Russell Martin, new Leicester manager. Why, oh why, do Leicester keep going for players or managers with Southampton connections? We've tried with Vestergaard, we tried with Bertrand. Now Russell Martin is on the list again.

"We've looked at him, I think, a couple of times before Cifuentes, after Cifuentes. I think a lot of Leicester fans will be opposed to this if it happens.

"His style of football isn't what we need for League One, I don't think. We need more of a manager that's ready and willing to work hard in League One with a gut-busting performance to get us out of the league.

"I just don't think he's the right fit for us. You need to be at the right time at the right place, and I don't think it is. And as for these rumours, Leicester have offered him a lucrative contract. We haven't got the money for lucrative contracts.

"I think, like I say, a lot of Leicester fans will be opposed to having Russell Martin as their man in charge, unfortunately, and I think I'm one of them, to be fair. We need someone else."

Leicester City's next managerial appointment is crucial amid Russell Martin links

It goes without saying that the next appointment Leicester make is absolutely pivotal to the clubs immediate and long-term future.

The Foxes are in a heap of financial turmoil as it is, and failure to fire themselves immediately back to the Championship would signify another mountain of challenges.

In truth, they have never recovered since the departure of Enzo Maresca to Chelsea in 2024, with neither Steve Cooper, Ruud van Nistelrooy, nor the aforementioned Cifuentes or Rowett being able to stabilise the club.

Whether Martin can guide the Foxes back to the second tier at the first time of asking remains to be seen, with his specific style of play truly a double-edged sword which could go either way.