Rangers head coach Russell Martin could add to his backroom staff.
Rangers are interested in adding a highly-rated former Arsenal coach to their backroom staff as head coach Russell Martin begins to assemble his new coaching staff at Ibrox.
According to an exclusive report from Sheffield Star journalist Alex Miller, the Glasgow giants are weighing up a move for Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeping coach Sal Bibbo as a replacement for the outgoing Allan McGregor, who returned to the club under interim boss Barry Ferguson in February.
The Basingstoke born former stopper is thought to be available without the need for compensation, with controversial Wednesday chairman Dejphon Chansiri having not yet dealt with the frontline coaching team’s contracts, which are due to expire at the end of the month, according to the Sheffield Star’s report.
Rangers head coach Russell Martin is looking to add to his backroom staff.placeholder image
Rangers head coach Russell Martin is looking to add to his backroom staff.
The 50-year-old coach enjoyed a modest playing career playing for the likes of Havant and Waterlooville and Bath City, but has found more success post-playing career, first signing for Reading as a goalkeeping coach on an initial part-time basis before signing full-time in 2006.
Following his spell at the Majeski Stadium, Bibbo was then poached by English Premier League giants Arsenal in the summer of 2019, and remained with the Gunners when Mikel Arteta was appointed as club new boss just a few short months later, working alongside Iñaki Caña, though he has spent the last two seasons at EFL Championship side Sheffield Wednesday working alongside German head coach Danny Rohl.
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During his time at the Emirates, he was given glowing praise for his work with German international Bernd Leno and Argentinian World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez, with the latter crediting the influence of Bibbo as a key reason for him making the move to the Gunners. “I really look up to Sal,” said Martinez. “He’s a great goalkeeper coach and a great man so he was a major influence in me coming here. When [Arsène] Wenger left, so many people were sacked at Arsenal. The fact that Arsenal wanted to keep him [Bibbo] in the club, it was for a reason. I’m very pleased that he’s still at Arsenal.”
More recently, current England Under-21 international and Owls loanee James Beadle has heaped praise on the 50-year-old, saying: “I know him very well. He’s an unbelievable goalkeeper coach, it’s mad to think he’s working at this level. He should really be in the Premier League, so for me to be able to be here, and still playing the games and still being able to improve with Sal, it’s really good.”