Rangers ‘tradition disrupted’ after Russell Martin reveal at Ibrox
Russell Martin’s appointment finally put an end to to Rangers’ four-month wait for a permanent manager.
Summer plans can now be initiated at Ibrox, with all of the off-field decisions now addressed, including that of the manager.
With the 49ers Enterprises takeover now complete and Martin’s appointment now finalised, the Light Blues have no distractions from a recruitment perspective, knowing just how important that will be in the coming weeks.
After such a disappointing campaign, they need to get that right, though, for now, the focus is on what Martin will bring to Glasgow, as well as one interesting note taken from his reveal.
Martin reveal deviates from Rangers norm
Despite only walking in the door this week, Martin will already be knee-deep in tasks that need to be carried out at Ibrox ahead of their pre-season.
There is a remarkable amount of work to do after his appointment was revealed, though the manner in which it was revealed sparked an interesting topic for one journalist.
Alan Patullo, via The Scotsman (5 June), said: “Rangers did something they don’t often do – they broke with a noble tradition.
| Martin | PPG |
| Southampton | 1.58 |
| Swansea | 1.35 |
| MK Dons | 1.38 |
“Normally, they hold a manager unveiling press conference in the wonderful Blue Room, scene of such cramped but unforgettable moments as Graeme Souness walking in through a door opened by secretary Campbell Ogilvie in 1986.
“For this latest unveiling, we were directed to the far less atmospheric media room. It didn’t feel as inspiring, although Martin did his best.”
Rangers now have no excuse for error
This summer is huge, and if the Gers are to have any chance of being able to compete with Celtic next season, they need to make the right decisions within it.
Recruitment at Ibrox is going to play a crucial role in the success that they can find under Martin, and it is imperative that players are brought in to suit his way of playing.
Anyone who has watched a typical Martin team will be aware of the pressure to play from the back and retain possession until an opening emerges, and Rangers need more players capable of playing that type of game.
Attacking football will be the focus at Ibrox, though after the frailties demonstrated at Southampton, Martin will be fully aware of the need to strengthen his defensive shape.
With everything now in place in Glasgow, there is a sense of optimism ahead of the new campaign, and Martin needs to deliver on that.