Martin delighted as Rangers announce two more new faces at Ibrox
Rangers have already welcomed plenty of fresh faces to Ibrox ahead of next season.
Russell Martin has taken over the Gers as he looks to be the man to re-establish Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Quality signings such as Max Aarons and Joe Rothwell are sure to aid Martin in his first season in charge.
Thelo Aasgaard has also been linked with a move to Glasgow, with the Danish attacking midfielder looking to leave Luton despite only joining in January.
Mike Williamson and Salvatore Bibbo join Martin’s staff
It is not just players who are joining Rangers so far this summer, as Martin has added two new members of staff to his team.
Mike Williamson has joined the club as a first-team coach, whilst Salvatore Bibbo has joined as a goalkeeping coach.
Williamson made over 400 senior appearances during his playing career, with 150 of those appearances being in the Premier League with Newcastle United.
Bibbo featured for the likes of Reading and Bath City in his playing career before transitioning to coaching.
As a coach, he has had roles at Brighton, Arsenal and most recently Sheffield Wednesday.
Rangers announced their arrivals with a post on the club’s website on Thursday (3 July).
In the announcement, Martin reacted to both coaches’ arrivals by saying: “I am delighted to have Mike and Sal join my team ahead of the new season.
“I played with Mike at Wycombe Wanderers so we go back a long way, and I know the qualities he can bring to this group. As a player he played at the very top level and is an experienced coach having been a manager himself.
“I am also really happy to bring Sal into the team, he has a lot of experience and a strong track record of developing goalkeepers. After speaking to him it was clear that his knowledge and character will be a real asset to the players and the staff, and I am looking forward to working with them both.”
Sporting director Kevin Thelwell commented: “I would like to welcome both Mike and Sal to Rangers. They are both experienced coaches who will bring a lot of knowledge to the club.
“Their addition strengthens Russell Martin’s coaching team and reflects our continued commitment to building the best environment capable of delivering success on and off the pitch.”
Backing Martin is necessary for Rangers
For Martin to stand the best chance of succeeding at Ibrox, he must be backed in the transfer market and be allowed to get his preferred staff in.
Despite missing out on quality players such as Lennon Miller in recent times, Rangers seem determined to continue to strengthen their squad.
The signing of Emmanuel Fernandez will undoubtedly help as Rangers look to stop Celtic securing their fifth title in a row.
Martin getting his preference of staff in could also be overlooked, but it is arguably just as significant.
Martin is known for his unique style of play, which he deployed at Southampton.
We saw with Southampton in the Premier League that Martin does not compromise his coaching philosophy, so all the players must know their roles under the new manager to give everyone the best chance to succeed.
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