Martin & Foxes must 'find own way' after struggles

Russell Martin has previous experience working in League One, having started his managerial career at that level with MK Dons in 2019

Leicester City manager Russell Martin says history should not be used to judge what he can achieve with the former Premier League champions.

Back-to-back relegations have left the 2021 FA Cup winners rebuilding in League One just 10 years on from that famous 5,000-1 top-flight title triumph.

Martin, who guided Southampton to promotion to the Premier League a little over two years ago, has also dropped into the third tier to try to revive his reputation after a turbulent 123-day spell as Rangers boss last term.

"I know the club got relegated but, prior to that, that club had amazing success over a sustained period of time – like, huge – and of course maybe you get judged based on that," he told BBC Radio Leicester.

"We have to find our own way and then be judged on that, because I can't judge people on the last couple of years.

"Hopefully I'll be judged on the job I do here and not on my previous job and all that stuff. It's the same for me."

Ex-Rangers boss Martin appointed as Leicester manager

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Martin's appointment was the first major decision taken at King Power Stadium sice James McCarron took on the job of sporting director last season.

McCarron's role sits below that of chief football officer, a position held by Jon Rudkin – who, along with owner and chairman Khun Aiyawatt 'Top' Srivaddhanaprabha, has become one of the most heavily criticised figures at the club during years of recent decline.

When Martin was asked about his dealings with the club's hierarchy, he praised them for being forthright about "problems faced".

"There was real honesty about what's gone on, but now there's real honesty and openness and willingness to move forward," Martin said.

"I can't judge anything that has gone on before because I've not been here.

"You watch it from the outside, and people will make assumptions, but I've been really open to being surprised since I got here and people have been great."

What has come as no surprise is the target Martin has been set ahead of what will be just the second season Leicester have spent in England's third tier in the club's 142-year history.

"It's to get promoted, first and foremost," he said.

"[And] to play in a way that everyone understands and believes in, feels connected to and makes the fans proud."

What sort of side he will have to make such ambitions a reality remains a major work in progress.

The summer so far has been spent offloading some of the club's highest earning and highest profile members of the side that suffered successive relegations.

Among them has been Denmark international Jannik Vestergaard, who had his contract terminated by mutual consent, while former England midfielder Harry Winks was sold to Italian side Cagliari and £20m was generated from Abdul Fatawu's transfer to Ipswich Town.

Leicester's struggles to comply with spending rules, which led to a points penalty last season for historical breaches, have also meant that selling on some of the Foxes' most promising young talents - namely 17-year-old Jeremy Monga to Manchester City - has been a focus during the latest transfer window.

An end-of-season clear-out, which saw 10 out-of-contract players moved on, left Leicester without a senior striker on their books after Patson Daka and Jordan Ayew were among those to leave.

Conor Chaplin, the former Ipswich Town forward who top scored for the Tractor Boys when they were promoted from League One just four seasons ago, is one of just two players the club has signed since being relegated.

Martin said the aim is to bring in more firepower up front with a selection of players who "offer different things".

"Ideally, we'd have two or three strikers," he said. "We don't just want one of the same, and it's the same with wingers.

"Whatever we are looking at, whatever profile it is, it has to be right for us. They need to be desperate to come here and play, they need to be desperate to help us to be successful."