Asking Russell Martin's former No.1 what he wants from Rangers goalie

In the weeks and months to follow, it will be said many times. It will be seen in action, too. Indeed, it already has been during a summer where Rangers have embarked on a fresh start.

The decision to approach Russell Martin about becoming head coach was a risky call to make. The same could be said for the man himself opting to take the role in the face of public doubt. Both parties were bold on day one.

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Time is tight for Martin to make his mark at Ibrox and there will be prevalent themes throughout his first weeks at the helm. His players will be encouraged to be fearless, but not reckless, on the ball, to dominate possession and to stick to a blueprint that forms his outlook on the game and how it should be played.

That does not just involve ten men. Rangers will defend from the front and attack from the back. The role of the keeper is about to change at Ibrox.

“He lets his goalies be quite free to be honest with you,” Laurie Walker, who worked with Martin during his first managerial role at MK Dons, told the Rangers Review. “He wants a very commanding goalie. He wants someone who's going to organise and really get hold of his defensive line, keeping them in check.

“But the main thing he looks for is bravery. He wants goalies to be brave on the ball. He almost wants him to play as an added centre-half and obviously giving the team an overload in play.

“But he's very free with what he does. He says to them ‘just go out and be brave’. He can accept mistakes if you're trying to do the right things, but being brave at the same time. It is mainly that, really.

Jack Butland endured a mixed second term at Ibrox (Image: Craig Williamson - SNS Group)

“Obviously, as everyone wants, he wants that commanding goalie who's going to come and take crosses and deal with everything and make saves. But he does just literally give his goalkeepers licence to be free on the ball and express themselves and get involved in the play a lot.

“He wants them to be, in the majority of the build-up play, at the start of it. It is very good because he's very trusting and he works a lot with you on that. It's not as if he goes ‘right, you do this' and just leaves you to it. He'll work tirelessly with you in training for it and really hit home on what it is he's looking for.”

Walker was only given the chance to put the theory into practice on one occasion during Martin’s time at MK Dons. Andy Fisher and Lee Nicholls were ahead of him in the pecking order on match day but the role of back-up at his hometown club allowed Walker to watch and learn from a manager who was making his own way and doing it his own way.

The principles that Martin sticks to are non-negotiable and well established. Those that have watched his teams and played in his teams speak about the need for patience at first but then point to the evolution of the ideas and the perfecting of the processes.

Walker enthuses about the working week under Martin. His sessions are technical and tactical, engaging and enjoyable. The patterns of play are repeated time after time. When they come off during the 90 minutes, there is a sense of pride to accompany the elation.

“What he sees it as is keeping possession of the ball because games are won and lost with or without the ball,” Walker said of the approach that Martin went on to utilise at Swansea and Southampton and will now look to implement at Ibrox. “He's not a massive believer in just sending it out the pitch and playing from there like some old-school manager. He believes in keeping the ball, creating spaces, overloading. 

“It does create a bit of a headache for teams sometimes because it doesn't always work. He then has ways to adapt his style of play to make it work as well, which is why he's such a great manager.

“He believes in keeping possession of the ball, building from the back, having that overload, creating that extra player so there's always an out-ball somewhere. When your goalie is involved in that almost centre-half role, it creates a different problem for the opposition team because they then have to work out how to press. As soon as they jump with that, there's going to be a spare man somewhere.

“As a team, they will know where that man is and where he's likely to be, which then creates an issue for the opposition team because when they jump as a press, if they haven't all gone, there's going to be spare men and you're going to get out from it.

"It is massively important to have that. Anyone that Russell has will definitely be able to adapt to that role. He'll bring that belief out.

"If there's any sort of doubt at the start where they're like ‘oh God, this is a bit different’ that will soon change. Over pre-season, you'll definitely see that.”

The first test of Martin’s credentials at Ibrox comes in the shape of Panathinaikos and a Champions League qualifier that presents a daunting challenge. The fear is that it will come too soon into this new era and that Rangers will endure a Greek tragedy in the second qualifying round.

The to-do list is lengthy for Martin. One of the most pressing issues is to pick a number one. Does Jack Butland regain his place in the side and regain the faith of the fans? Does Liam Kelly merit a run with the gloves? Or will the first name on the team sheet be a new one this term?

The Butland question must be answered before the others. Martin will be defined by the decision. Again, he will need to be brave.

“I think he's going to be more than capable,” Walker said of the former England keeper, who endured a difficult second campaign at Ibrox. “Where he's been brought up and how he's played, I think it's going to be very easy for him to adapt. I know that Russell will definitely give him the time and the assistance to do that and set up and play how he likes.

“It does take a little bit of time to get familiar with it. You do sit there and think ‘oh Jesus, I'm not sure on this’.  I was on the ball on the halfway line. It just feels so surreal. 

"You just wait for that pass to become available. I know obviously the more games you play, teams aren't just going to let you have it like that and they are going to press you.

Liam Kelly returned to Rangers last summer (Image: Andrew Milligan)

“It does take a bit of getting used to but I think someone of Jack's calibre who's played for England, he's definitely going to be able to adapt to it. Russell will definitely get the best out of him and help him to do that.

“He works on those patterns tirelessly with his goalkeepers. He is massively confidence based but he gives you that confidence and belief. The best thing about him is he doesn't take your head off if you make a mistake because he knows you're doing the right things. He's very aware that you don't go out to intentionally make a mistake.”

The one match that Walker played for Martin was an EFL Trophy win over Northampton five years ago. It was not capped with a clean sheet, but a 3-1 victory was an occasion to savour for a keeper who has moved up and down the leagues and across the country over a varied career between the sticks.

Martin revealed after that match that Walker was applauded by his teammates in the dressing room as he finally made his debut at the age of 30. The words from the boss to his player were sincere. The relationship man-to-man is important for Martin.

“You can talk to him, you can have conversations with him,” Walker said. “He's very, very honest and very raw with it, which I think is what players look for.

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“Players look for that honesty and that transparency because then everyone's on the same page. He's a manager that you can approach, you can chat to. You can also have a laugh with him.

“He's very knowledgeable and very educated in the game. He had a great career. He's someone that you can learn from, whether you are a young player or an older player.

“He helped me adapt very well, helped me a lot, built a little confidence up in myself. I would say his man management skills and the way he goes about and carries himself is definitely a very good quality that a new school manager does have. 

“Let's say he's very raw in what he says, he's very straight to the point. He will just be black and white with it so everyone's on the same page and there's no confusion.”