Simon Jordan a big fan of something Martin’s already done at Rangers
Russell Martin slammed his Rangers side after their 1-1 draw against Motherwell.
After his side conceded a late equaliser at Fir Park, Martin accused some players of “picking and choosing when they want to play football properly”.
He suggested that Motherwell outfought Rangers and were braver than his players, insisting that his side were lucky to come away with one point.
His interview has certainly ruffled some feathers in the media, although it remains to be seen how his team will respond to the criticism.
Simon Jordan praises Martin for scathing comments after Motherwell draw
It has been suggested that Martin’s scathing comments could backfire so early in his reign as manager. Some say they were made to overshadow the tactical mistakes made against Motherwell.
However, Simon Jordan has praised Martin’s decision to call out the players after the match.
The former Crystal Palace chairman suggested it could pay off for Martin to publicly set his high standards now, even if it meant losing the backing of certain players.
After being questioned about the Rangers manager’s comments on talkSPORT (4 August), he said: “This is what he does, Russell Martin. I remember him doing it after Southampton lost to Cardiff or somebody in the playoff build-up.
“I think he pretty much called his entire team out, but this was a team that he’d built and had a relationship with, so he knew the peculiarities of the individuals and what buttons he could push.
“Going hard now has its consequences because perhaps you’ll lose somebody. Perhaps he wants people to understand ‘I’m going to go hard and you’re going to go home’. I quite like what he said there.
“Also, the fact that they’re playing Motherwell is lesser opposition than playing Panathinaikos. He’s calling that out for what it is.”
Martin will expect a reaction from his players against Viktoria Plzen
Rangers’ inconsistency against the weaker teams in the Scottish Premiership has cost them dearly in recent seasons.
Many have accused them of lacking the grit and determination needed to win games against these lower-placed sides, particularly away from home.
Martin is simply the latest person to make these accusations. The difference is: he’ll need to fix this problem if he wants to stand any chance of competing with Celtic for the league title this season.
Rangers take on Viktoria Plzen in a crucial Champions League qualifying match on Tuesday. They’ll be favourites to progress through this two-legged tie, but nothing is guaranteed for the Light Blues.
| Date | Competition | Opponents |
| 5 August | Champions League qualifying | Viktoria Plzen (H) |
| 9 August | Scottish Premiership | Dundee (H) |
| 12 August | Champions League qualifying | Viktoria Plzen (A) |
| 16 August | Scottish League Cup | Alloa (H) |
| 23 August | Scottish Premiership | St Mirren (A) |
They’ll need to match the Czech side in terms of effort and dedication, as well as technical ability, and that will be the case throughout the season against the ‘lesser sides’ in the Scottish Premiership.
Martin needs to instil a strong work ethic in his Rangers starting against Plzen, otherwise he could find his tenure as Rangers manager to be very challenging.
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