Russell Martin Reflects on Early Football Passion and Coaching Ambition

Southampton manager Russell Martin recently discussed his formative football experiences with former Premier League striker Glenn Murray on a special installment of BBC Radio 5 Live’s Football Daily podcast. Martin shared his early memories: “My older brother played. I grew up going to games from an early age, some of my earliest memories are playing football and I loved it, being around the smell of the dressing room, the deep heat, the burger stall. I loved it. My mum and everyone else told me that from 18 months I always had a ball with me. All I wanted to do was play football.” Describing his family environment, Martin stated: “I’m the second youngest, the penultimate child. There were four of us and we had two foster brothers as well, so there were a lot of lads in the house.” He recounted their childhood activities: “We were constantly in the garden, in the park. I remember a game where you’d put the ball in the middle of the front room and run from each wall and end up smashing [into each other].” Regarding his initial exposure to watching football, Martin recalled: “I used to watch my older brother play a lot and then when I wasn’t playing I’d go watch my little brother’s team that my dad coached. I started to helping coach them when I was 14 or 15.” Martin elaborated on his career path, stating that by the age of 18 or 19, he anticipated a future solely in coaching rather than playing professionally. He recounted: “At 18-19 years old, I thought I’d only have a career in coaching, not playing, I was desperate to be a professional. I felt I maybe missed the boat and then I agreed to go to America to a place called Fairfield in Conneticut, where most of it entailed playing, the scholarship was a full scholarship playing soccer over there, but whilst coaching.” He continued: “It was the next best alternative to keep playing and play full-time while coaching and learning and then before that I had a trial at Wycombe [Wanderers]. I wrote to every club and I got three replies back.” Martin concluded: “Swansea and Bristol Rovers were too far away and I was skint. I ended up at Wycombe and stayed there for four years. At that point I thought I’d pursue coaching more than I would playing, obviously I hadn’t given up, but it was last chance saloon. I always knew I wanted to coach.”