Russell Martin to Rangers latest: Manager sent pinpoint message over Ibrox move
Russell Martin is a candidate to take charge as the next Rangers manager after Barry Ferguson’s deal expires at the end of the season.
Rangers tasked Ferguson with holding the fort until the end of the season after sacking Philippe Clement in February amid a takeover by a US consortium involving Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe.
The new owners expect to come into power by the end of the season and will then decide the managerial situation.
Ferguson has staked his claim to become the Gers’ next permanent manager after beating Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in the UEFA Europa League last-16, but his reputation took a hit after losing three consecutive home games.
Peter Grant warns Martin about Rangers
One manager Rangers could look to rope in is Martin, who has been linked with a move to Ibrox since Clement was sacked.
The 39-year-old, who has been without a job since being sacked by Southampton in December, recently became a talking point in Glasgow again after addressing his future amid links to Rangers live on air.
| Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals | Points | Points per Match |
| 73 | 34 | 13 | 26 | 126:118 | 115 | 1.58 |
Peter Grant, though, is uncertain if Martin would succeed as the Light Blues manager, as they do not have the personnel to execute the Scottish tactician’s playing style.
The Celtic icon went on to warn Martin that a club like Rangers could exhaust him.
“Rangers can eat you up, Celtic can eat you up, if you don’t understand what these clubs mean”, Grant said on the Go Radio Football Show (9 April).
“And if you go in there and play a certain style of football, Martin would like to play out from the back, and Rangers have proven with the group of players at this moment of time that’s not possible.”
Gers must swerve Martin
Rangers must give Ferguson until the end of the season to prove if he is capable of leading the team forward, for starters.
Even if the Gers decide to move on from the former captain, they should avoid hiring Martin as their next permanent boss.
The young tactician has certainly shown a lot of promise at both Swansea and Southampton, but the size of the job at Ibrox may be too big for him after being sacked by the Saints.
While the quality of football in the Premier League may be significantly higher compared to the Scottish Premiership, there is no denying that managing Rangers is one of the most high-pressure jobs in European football.
That is why Martin may not be the right candidate to take the Bears forward, particularly under new ownership.