Nico Raskin appears to take Russell Martin swipe in new Rangers exit admission
Nicolas Raskin has faced a difficult situation at Rangers in recent weeks, and manager Russell Martin is seemingly to blame.
Raskin was Rangers’ best player last season, but has found himself sidelined in recent weeks to no avail, as Martin’s side are still winless in the league.
The midfielder was left out of the squad as Rangers drew 0-0 with Celtic in a dismal Old Firm, and Martin’s decisions have been far from justified.
The 24-year-old has now opened up on his situation, with Raskin scoring his first Belgium goal in the International break, and he now appears to have fired a shot at Martin.
Nicolas Raskin opens up on Rangers situation
Martin has preferred the underperforming Joe Rothwell to Raskin, but the Belgian lined up alongside Kevin de Bruyne and Youri Tielemans for his national team.
Raskin scored and earned rave reviews for his performance against Kazakhstan, and he spoke to Belgian media after the game.
“My situation at the club… it’s a bit complicated,” he told Belgian outfit Walfoot.
“I’m going to go back, do the best I can to sort this out, get some playing time. But it doesn’t just depend on me, it depends on the coach, the club.
“I’ll do my best because I know it’s a very important year, and I want to continue to participate in this campaign.”
| Stat | Raskin |
| Appearances | 104 |
| Goals | 6 |
| Assists | 16 |
“That’s it! Since I wasn’t able to play the last match, coming here and receiving the coach’s trust is great. That’s why I was so keen to repay it,” he replied when asked if playing for Belgium was a breath of fresh air.
“That’s football, there are ups and downs. The truth is that I love this club enormously, I’ve had some wonderful times here and I have a very good relationship with the fans. I try to give back to them as much as possible.
“I still hope we can find a solution. A transfer? No, that’s out of the question.”
- Read more: Rangers early predicted XI vs Hearts – Nicolas Raskin returns, deadline-day signing starts
Russell Martin needs to reintegrate Nicolas Raskin immediately
Raskin’s comments may point the finger at Martin for his situation, with the player keen to stay at Ibrox despite the interest in him and his recent difficulties.
The midfielder also hinted that he was keen to repay Rudi Garcia’s trust, and that the Belgium manager is better to work with than Martin in this sense.
There is still a way back for Raskin as he prepares for talks with Martin, and with the 24-year-old still eager to stay at Ibrox, it will be a quick fix to simply reintegrate him as the best player at the club.
Rangers may have won the Old Firm had Raskin not been sidelined, and Martin was putting more pressure on himself by causing such a messy situation with Raskin, when there was no problem before he arrived.
Raskin also confirmed there is no exit on the cards, so hopefully he can knuckle down and let his football do the talking.
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