Russell Martin enjoying Walsall project

The 32-year-old was snapped up by the Saddlers earlier this month and made his debut in the 3-2 victory over Wycombe on Saturday.

Martin has joined Walsall as a player-coach with the centre-back enjoying a long-standing friendship with manager Dean Keates.

But while he had more lucrative offers on the table from some big clubs in League One, the defender wanted to be part of what Keates is building at the Banks’s Stadium.

“A big factor in me joining was the relationship with the manager,” Martin said.

“I played with him a long time ago, I got on well with him and I’ve got a lot of respect for him.

“I share the same values as him, in terms of professionalism and what he expects from people.

“I left Norwich a while ago now and it was a case of assessing what I wanted to do next. I have got a young family, that comes into it as well.

“I could have travelled a long way and just concentrated on playing. And financially it would have been much better for me and my family.

“But it’s not about that now. It’s about being part of something I actually believe in and want to be a part of – with someone I like and someone I trust.”

While Martin is still hoping to play for the next three years, he admits he is excited by the challenge of joining Keates’ coaching staff.

“When the gaffer here mentioned coming in as a player-coach, that really appealed to me because he knows I have got aspirations to be a coach and one day be a manager,” the Scotland international continued.

“He spoke to me earlier in the summer – at that stage I wasn’t sure what the situation would be at Norwich.

“But it panned out how it did.

“I had quite a few offers, a few in this league as well.

“But in the end, this just felt right, it fits in with me and what I want to do.

“Now I’m here, I’m looking forward to getting stuck into and developing a relationship with the players and the coaching staff to see if we can be successful.”

Martin, who captained Norwich all the way from League One to the Premier League, now hopes he can be a link between the players and management staff.

“That kind of role is something I did at Norwich for however long,” he added. “I have always been a link between the players and coaching staff.

“I like to deal with people, I am all about dealing with people and having relationships and respect and trust.

“If I can be that for these players, if I can be someone who they can come to and ask a question, fantastic.

“Or if on the pitch I can give a little bit of help and information.

“I’ve seen a few things I think I can really help a few people with already. To help them improve as players which will help this club improve as well.”