The 2018 Rangers precedent 49ers could now follow as Russell Martin sack calls grow
Russell Martin has had such a poor start to life at Rangers that some fans are already calling for him to be sacked
Martin was appointed as Rangers manager this summer, but a draw against St Mirren on Sunday added to his poor string of results.
Martin is the first Rangers manager to only win three of his first nine games – a truly damning statistic.
There have already been questions about Martin’s Rangers team selection, his tactics and his recruitment.
His next league game is the Old Firm derby on 31 August, and some have suggested that a poor result against Celtic could make Martin’s position untenable.
Martin’s difficult start brings back memories of Graeme Murty sacking in 2018
Rangers have progressed to the playoff stage of the Champions League, but they are on verge of being eliminated by Club Brugge.
The Gers have also drawn all three of their opening league games against teams they would normally be expected to overpower comfortably.
That’s the reason why Martin is under so much pressure so early in his managerial stint.
- Read more: What Russell Martin has said about two Rangers players ‘just doesn’t add up after Ibrox shambles’
The result against Celtic carries extra emotion, which is why some have suggested could lead to Rangers parting ways with their manager as soon as this weekend.
The situation brings back memories of Graeme Murty, who was experiencing a poor run of results as Rangers boss leading up to an Old Firm game at Celtic Park in 2018. Celtic won 5-0, and Murty was sacked two days later.
The 49ers could very well go down that same route if Martin’s Rangers are beaten by Celtic this coming weekend.
Early sacking for Russell Martin seems unlikely despite poor league form
Joe Rothwell has described this week as “season-defining” for Rangers.
They face Club Brugge in the second leg of their Champions League playoff on Wednesday before Celtic visit Ibrox on Sunday.
However, in reality, it remains unlikely that Martin will be sacked if Rangers lose both of these games.
Rangers’ new owners aren’t living in Glasgow. They’re not Rangers fans. They’re less affected by the boos and the sour atmosphere engulfing the fans.
| Russell Martin’s record at Rangers | |
| Wins | 3 |
| Draws | 4 |
| Losses | 2 |
| Goals scored | 15 |
| Goals against | 11 |
Martin is their chosen manager. They’ve acknowledged the major task of rebuilding the squad and culture.
Pulling the plug after weeks or months seems unlikely given the scale of the project. Replacing him now would mean upheaval, extra costs and disruption. They’ll likely give their man a lot more time to turn things around.
However, he will need to show some signs he is capable of that turnaround, and a result against Celtic on Sunday would be the perfect sign.
Sign up for the Ibrox News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Rangers news sent straight to your phone.