Exclusive: Lee Hendrie makes encouraging Russell Martin, Leicester City claim | OneFootball

Lee Hendrie believes Russell Martin would be a good fit for the Leicester job.

In recent weeks, Russell Martin has emerged as a candidate to replace Ruud Van Nistelrooy in the dugout at Leicester City next season.

With the Foxes’ relegation to the Championship now confirmed, recent reports have suggested that the East Midlands outfit have drawn up a three-man shortlist to replace their current boss, with Martin, Lee Carsley and Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Rohl all coming under consideration, as well as Sean Dyche.

Martin has been out of work since he was sacked by Southampton back in December.

Although it could be assumed that Saints’ miserable season could be a reason to avoid Martin, the 39-year-old’s stock is still high, as a result of the success he enjoyed in the second tier with Southampton.

Lee Hendrie believes Martin could be a good fit for Leicester

While his style of football received criticism for its success at Premier League level towards the end of his Southampton reign, the style of play that Martin brings still has plenty of appeal to clubs.

The side that he led to promotion at Wembley played an expansive and free-flowing attacking style, that was easy on the eye and tore Championship defences apart.

While many people thought that style was unachievable with players of that quality in the Premier League, Martin showed that he was settled in his ways, and that can also be a big attraction for club hierarchies in the modern game.

With Leicester appearing to be closing in on a potential appointment, we spoke to EFL pundit Lee Hendrie to find out whether he believes Martin would be a good fit for the Foxes.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, the former Aston Villa and England midfielder said: “Russell Martin has admirers at Leicester, it’s obviously because of the way he plays. Van Nistelrooy’s job there hasn’t gone the way he would have wanted it to go. I do think he will get the sack.

“That’s a squad that needs strengthening. They’ve sold a lot of key players and players who are getting to an age where they might not be able to fulfil the role. It needs a revamp, that’s for sure.

“I think that’s when you need someone who has potential, and Martin has got that. He proved that while he was at Southampton in taking them up. The model he likes to play, the football, the style, it would probably suit the players that are already in the building at the moment.

“I think for all the clubs that are coming out of the Premier League, Russell Martin will definitely be one of the top candidates for any roles there and Leicester would probably suit him with the personnel and the squad they have there at the moment.”

Leicester seem to want a young and progressive manager

With the appointment of Van Nistelrooy going massively wrong and the Dutchman appearing set to lose his job imminently, Leicester seem reasonably clear on which style of boss they are targeting with their next appointment.

All three of Martin, Carsley and Rohl are young and progressive bosses, and they are all tipped to have a big future within the game.

Martin’s reputation has been tarnished a little by Southampton’s woeful bid for survival this season, but that cannot totally overshadow the fact that they were an excellently coached side when Martin was at the helm in the second tier.

Meanwhile, Rohl, who has had to work under notoriously difficult circumstances on Wednesday, has done a fantastic job with a squad that isn’t overly strong. Therefore, the thought of seeing what he could do with resources like Leicester have is clearly an exciting thought for the Foxes board.

Carsley is perhaps the most surprising candidate of the three, considering he has never had a permanent managerial role in senior club football. However, his work with the national team’s Under 21s set-up has really caught the eye in recent years.

On the other hand, Dyche, who is slightly more pragmatic in his ways, is very much a promotion specialist in the second tier, having led Burnley into the top flight on two separate occasions.

Whoever they opt to bring to the club, they will have to start well, as expectations will be high at the King Power Stadium next term. Last time they fell into the second tier, Enzo Maresca immediately led them to the title and an instant return to the big time.