Rangers title win over 'disintegrating' Celtic possible if not for Russell Martin after latest collapse
Russell Martin's popularity at Rangers is at an all-time low following their defeat to Hearts, and he may not have long left in charge.
Boos rang around Ibrox after Rangers were beaten by Hearts on Saturday, in what was billed as a must-win game for Martin after a winless start to his tenure.
Fans unequivocally want Martin out, with Rangers suffering their worst start to a season in the modern era, and are now 10th in the Scottish Premiership.
Rangers spent heavily in the summer window, and this should have led to a title challenge, but Martin has now cost the Gers dearly in what was a good opportunity.
Rangers miss title opportunity amid Celtic crisis
In recent years, even when Rangers had a team performing well, Old Firm rivals Celtic would beat them to the title, and the Gers have not won the league since 2021.
However, Celtic are also in a crisis of their own after a disastrous transfer window saw key players such as Adam Idah and Nicolas Kuhn depart with limited replacements.
Hearts are now top of the Scottish Premiership after their win at Ibrox, while Celtic have still managed three wins in four despite fan anger.
| Matches | 12 |
| Wins | 3 |
| Draws | 5 |
| Losses | 4 |
| Points per game | 1.17 |
In his column for the Scottish Mail on Sunday on 14 September, Gary Keown pointed out that Rangers could have taken advantage of Celtic being in disarray to push for the title, but Martin has prevented this.
"Across Glasgow, Rangers followers look at the mess unfolding at their biggest rivals - their disintegrating blancmange now dripping off the dining table, ruining the carpet and taking the dog's diabetes to breaking point - and talk about how a most unlikely title would be there for the winning if not for the fact that Russell Martin's in charge," he wrote.
Rangers have to sack Russell Martin immediately
Rangers could be nine points behind Celtic after failing to win any of their first five matches, and this is not an impossible deficit to come back from over the course of the season.
However, if Rangers are to stand any chance of winning the title, Martin needs to be sacked and replaced as soon as possible, with fan toxicity reaching a new level at Ibrox.
Under Martin, Rangers have been woeful in all aspects of their play on the pitch, while the ongoing feud between Nicolas Raskin and Martin has only caused further anger.
If Rangers can quickly recover under a new manager, they could build some momentum to challenge for the title, but if Martin stays, the damage this season may become irreversible.