Martin already faces Rangers ‘career ender’ after what happened to Van Bronckhorst
Rangers are gearing up to take on Viktoria Plzen in the next round of qualifying for the Champions League on what will be another huge night for Russell Martin.
Martin’s side will be hoping to replicate the success they had against Panathinaikos over two legs against the Czech side at Ibrox on Tuesday evening (5 August).
A major response is needed after Rangers were lucky to escape their opening day clash with Motherwell with a point.
Since that game, Martin has already been in the firing line for the way he slammed his side, but the Ibrox faithful will be hoping that everyone is on the same page for their game against Plzen.
Martin two ties from guiding Rangers into Champions League proper
While some were not a fan of Martin’s scathing words delivered to his Gers team, others certainly were, including Simon Jordan.
For far too long, the same culprits have been allowed to underwhelm year after year in G51, and Kris Boyd is another of those who echoes Martin’s sentiments.
With Celtic’s recent stranglehold on the Scottish Premiership title, Martin has to undergo a drastic rebuild in order to bridge the gap.
Many new faces have walked through the door at Ibrox, and journalist Keith Jackson fears that if Rangers were to eventually qualify for the Champions League group stage, then it would be too big of a step this early on in the project.
Despite the lucrative riches awaiting Gers if they were to qualify, reaching around the £30-40million mark, Jackson questioned whether it would even be worth it due to the likely beatings they would face at the hands of some of Europe’s elite sides.
Jackson pointed to former manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst as an example of how drubbings his side received in the competition ultimately played a factor in him losing his job.
“Right now Russell Martin might have reason to believe fast-tracking this Rangers rebuild into the most dangerous competitive environment on the planet could turn out to be a career ender where his own long term aspirations for Rangers are concerned,” Jackson wrote for the Daily Record (5 August).
“Winning games of football is the ultimate priority of any manager’s job, after all, and – after his team was jeered off the pitch at Fir Park on the opening day of the league season – he could do with a validatory performance to get a suspicious home support back onside.”
Jackson added: “But, from a purely football perspective, Martin could be excused for thinking a season in the Europa League might be the safest place for him and his players to grow together.
“Just ask Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who is only just getting over the scars inflicted upon his reputation from successfully leading Rangers into the Champions League the last time around three years ago.”
Rangers must persist regardless
Although the Europa League would undoubtedly be more of a suitable competition for Martin’s side to try their hand in, at the end of the day, winning either competition is unlikely.
The focus under the new ownership, led by Andrew Cavenagh, will recognise the financial benefits of reaching the Champions League and how this increased financial firepower will help Gers be more competitive on the pitch in the long run.
- Van Bronckhorst’s Rangers were on the end of a 7-1 defeat at the hands of Liverpool
Whether it costs Martin his job is irrelevant; qualifying for Europe’s premier competition is a good thing and something that, over time, Rangers can grow into competing in over the coming years.
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