Russell Martin in ‘very choppy waters’ at Rangers as early sack verdict emerges
Russell Martin could already be in deep trouble at Rangers after an indifferent start to his tenure.
Martin started Champions League life emphatically, with a statement win over Panathinaikos.
Indeed, the Gers have since progressed to a play-off after getting past Viktoria Plzen, but were beaten 3-1 by the savvy Club Brugge in the first leg at Ibrox on Tuesday.
After Martin addressed the media at Ibrox, Tom English is already concerned for the manager’s future in Glasgow.
Tom English questions Russell Martin actions after Rangers loss
Martin may well be out of his depth at Rangers after what unfolded against Club Brugge at Ibrox.
The Scottish side headed into the clash as underdogs, but they did not do themselves any favours against a lethal Belgian outfit.
Nasser Djiga was singled out for his woeful defending in what has been a worrying trend in Glasgow.
| Match statistics | Rangers | Club Brugge |
| Expected goals (xG) | 1.44 | 0.88 |
| Shots | 15 | 10 |
| Shots on target | 1 | 7 |
| Touches inside the opposition box | 34 | 20 |
Indeed, the Bears’ defending against Alloa Athletic in the Premier Sports Cup was equally as embarrassing.
Martin said that Rangers responded “brilliantly” when 3-0 down to Club Brugge, despite the awful play on show to get to that point.
Now, English has stated that the manager is already in very choppy waters after just eight games in charge.
He wrote: “Russell Martin said Rangers responded ‘brilliantly’ when 3-0 down. The Rangers manager is already in very choppy waters.”
Read more: Rangers player ratings vs Club Brugge: Jayden Meghoma shines, 1/10 star awful
Martin must choose his words wisely at Ibrox amid English criticism
The former Southampton boss has been vocal during his short tenure as Rangers manager.
After their disappointing draw with Motherwell, he questioned the performances of some of his players without naming names.
Now, he has seemingly backed his men after saying that they responded brilliantly when 3-0 down.
Of course, the Gers did pull a goal back through Danilo, but they now have it all to do in the second leg.
Martin’s choice of words is baffling, and although his intent is clear, he must be careful with what he says, especially if they crash out of the Champions League, as expected.
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