Former Southampton boss Russell Martin linked with vacant Championship job

Former promotion-winning Southampton manager Russell Martin is close to joining fellow Championship club Watford.

Currently, Southampton and their faithful eagerly await the EFL’s verdict on the infamous Spygate incident, due on 19th May. While that anticipation has kept everyone engaged, there has been plenty going on behind the scenes of the playoff final as well.

In one such update, ex‑Southampton boss Will Still is close to landing his first job since being relieved of his duties at St. Mary’s. What’s more is that Still isn’t the only former manager in contention for a new role.

That’s because former Saints boss and promotion winner Russell Martin has also emerged as a managerial option for Watford. Talks have advanced to the stage where Martin is extremely close to becoming the next Hornets boss ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

The Saint Centre quoted the progress of Russell Martin to Watford, mentioning: “Former Southampton FC manager Russell Martin is in advanced talks to become the next head coach of Watford FC, according to Daniel Maolruanaidh”

Russell Martin’s managerial career after leaving Southampton

It has gone from bad to worse for most of the former Southampton managers after they were removed from the club. Russell Martin’s case is no different as the promotion winner endured a sacking in the 2025/26 campaign, like his Saints successors Ivan Juric and Will Still.

Martin was appointed Rangers boss ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. Although he had an impressive start by helping the Gers beat Panathinaikos in the Champions League second qualifying round, things soon went downhill once the Scottish Premiership began.

Martin was brought in to disrupt Celtic’s dominance and lead Rangers to the title, but he managed three draws in his first three league games. Things were far from smooth already, and a 9‑1 humiliation at the hands of Club Brugge in the Champions League qualifying round left Rangers fans fuming.

By the time Martin secured his first Premiership victory, he had already lost the supporters. Ultimately, a draw against Falkirk saw him sacked, and he had to be escorted with special safety measures from the stadium amid fan fury over his disastrous spell.

Watford’s history of short managerial tenures will pose a challenge for Martin

Russell Martin’s Rangers spell ended within four months of his arrival. But if that tenure set a new low in his managerial career, the Watford role he’s linked with comes with even greater scrutiny.

That’s because Watford have historically been harsh with their managers. Unable to secure a Premier League return after dropping to the Championship in the 2022/23 season, the Hornets have shown little tolerance with their gaffers.

For instance, only Tom Cleverley has remained in the Watford dugout for a continuous stretch of over 50 games since the 2021/22 season. During the 2025/26 campaign alone, the Hornets used four managers, the last of whom was Will Still’s brother, Edward Still.

While Watford managed some decent results under Ed Still initially, his spell ended with five defeats. Succumbing to humiliating results like 4‑0 and 5‑1 losses, Still was relieved of his duties within 24 hours of the final matchday.

Needless to say, the Watford job is expected to be more than challenging for Russell Martin if he is to survive past his career‑low four‑month tenure at Rangers. While the Scot has previously won promotion to the Premier League with Southampton, it will take more than just player management to help Watford achieve their long‑standing promotion dream.

Watford need a massive rebuild, and the club’s intention to appoint Martin ahead of the upcoming transfer window explains their intent. It remains to be seen how the former Saints manager will fare if he ends up at the Hornets in the coming weeks.