Russell Martin shares what ‘annoyed’ him despite Rangers 3-0 win v Viktoria Plzen
Rangers saw out a 3-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday in a sensational first-leg victory in the Champions League.
Barring a late collapse in Czechia, the Gers should progress into the playoff round against either Club Brugge or FC Salzburg.
Multiple players shone at Ibrox, with Oliver Antman being the pick of the Rangers side in an outstanding debut.
However, Russell Martin was not fully impressed with the performance, as he highlighted a weak point in the Gers’ display.
Martin ‘annoyed’ with Rangers’ passiveness late on v Viktoria Plzen
Early into his Rangers career, Martin has already established himself as a no-nonsense manager.
After Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Motherwell on the weekend, Martin ranted about the players’ attitudes in a poor display.
This led to Martin dropping several stars for the Viktoria Plzen match, a gamble which paid off in the end.
The Scotsman clearly has high standards and will not accept a below-par display.
- Rangers are looking to reach the league stages of the Champions League
- The second leg against Viktoria Plzen will be played on Tuesday, 12 August
- If their advantage is seen out, Rangers will face either FC Salzburg or Club Brugge in the playoff match
This was on show once again on Tuesday, with Martin expressing his distaste for Rangers’ passiveness late on against Viktoria Plzen.
He told BBC Scotland (5 August): “I’m really happy with a lot of it. A bit annoyed with the last 15 minutes since I felt we had the ball too much in our own half, but that’s my job to be demanding of the guys.
“I think from Saturday to today, they took everything on, amazing energy at the start of the game, and real moments of quality actually.
“It’s really difficult to learn a lot of detail and apply it with the right intensity and courage all the time, especially after a tough afternoon on Saturday, so I’m really proud of the team.”
Martin’s high standards are what is needed at Rangers
For too long, many of the Rangers’ squad have been passengers at times and have not pushed themselves to be the best they can be.
This has resulted in the Gers’ stagnation and decline in recent years, while Celtic have dominated in the Scottish Premiership.
If this is to end, Rangers need someone like Martin, who is going to push the squad to the limit.
At times against Viktoria Plzen, the Gers were sloppy, and that could well be punished by a better side.
A ruthless nature must also develop at Ibrox, as Rangers could well regret not going for a fourth against the Czech side next week.
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