Andy Townsend ‘staggered’ by what he’s seen from Russell Martin at Rangers
Russell Martin doesn’t have many fans in the terraces at Rangers.
The Scottish manager was appointed by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises recently, after Barry Ferguson’s departure as the interim head coach.
However, the new owners may soon need to make a drastic decision, as Martin’s record so far has not inspired many at Ibrox, having gotten off to their worst start in the William Hill Premiership since 1989.
It will undoubtedly be a tall order for Rangers to beat Club Brugge in the Champions League, but even if they pull off that miracle, the former Southampton boss has questions to answer.
Rangers style of play slammed under Russell Martin
Andy Townsend cannot believe how Martin has decided to approach games at the Gers.
The former Chelsea and Aston Villa ace is “staggered” to see the Scottish manager’s style at Ibrox rely on passing the ball between the defenders and the goalkeeper.
With passionate fans lining up to watch their teams play week in, week out, the ex-Southampton boss may be approaching his job in G51 in the wrong manner.
Speaking on talkSPORT on 27 August (16:14), Townsend said: “Martin has gone into Rangers. Whenever you watch their games, you can see the fans’ gritted teeth where they’re so passionate about their club and what they want.
“And yet he wants to roll it around from one defender to another, back to another defender, back to the goalie and back to another defender. I’m sort of staggered a little bit at the way some of these guys are approaching the jobs they do.”
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Russell Martin risks sack at Ibrox before Christmas
Martin will be expected to beat Celtic in the William Hill Premiership at home on 31 August as the Gers already sit six points behind their rivals in the table.
Supporters in G51 face the prospect of being excluded as contenders to win the league title after just four games if they lose the Light Blues lose the Old Firm derby.
The Scottish manager was brought in to bring instant success to the Glaswegian outfit, but things haven’t worked out for him.
- The Gers have won just three games under Martin.
- In the last three matches, the Light Blues have conceded six goals.
- Some fans at Ibrox have already turned against the new manager.
Martin has some tough fixtures coming up at Rangers in the coming month, and an inability to get positive results could potentially turn the atmosphere in G51 more toxic.
While Cavenagh and the 49ers may want to give the 39-year-old head coach time to prove his worth, fans may force their hand to make a change in the dugout.
The Scottish manager should reconsider his setup at the Gers if he wants to regain the fans’ support.
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