(Credit: Imago/Sky Sports)
(Credit: Imago/Sky Sports)

Russell Martin 'never right for Rangers' as Jamie O'Hara makes Man United comparison

Rahul Lakhani

Rahul has covered Rangers on Ibrox News since joining Breaking Media in March 2025. He has previously written for Goalkeeper.com, Planet Football, Snack Media, GRV Media and others since graduating from the University of Edinburgh in 2021. During his time in Edinburgh, Rahul would regularly trek across to Glasgow to watch Rangers in action at Ibrox, during the days of Pedro Caixinha and Steven Gerrard's managerial spells.

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Russell Martin has been hounded by Rangers fans who want him to be sacked, and it is clear that it was a mistake to hire him.

Rangers fans reacted negatively from the very moment that Martin was hired, after previous links with Davide Ancelotti.

The manager is under serious pressure, and former Premier League star Jamie O'Hara has now slammed his appointment as doomed from the start.

Russell Martin watching his Rangers side at Ibrox
Martin could be sacked soon (Credit: Imago)

Jamie O'Hara slams Rangers' appointment of Russell Martin

The new Rangers owners clearly misjudged the difficulty of the job and the ferocity of the fanbase when Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises hired Martin to be the first manager of their project at Ibrox.

O'Hara has now compared the Rangers job to the difficulty of the Manchester United job, and has explained why Martin was never going to be a good fit.

"What credentials did he have to go and get the Rangers job? He only did half a decent job at Southampton," O'Hara stated on Sky Sports News.

Matches12
Wins3
Draws5
Losses4
Goals15
Conceded19
Points per game1.17
League position10th
Martin's record at Rangers

"Rangers are one of the biggest clubs in the world. As soon as you walk in there, it's like being the Man United manager.

"Scrutiny instantly, and you've got to win every single week. He ain't been used to winning, they [Southampton] got pumped in the Premier League when they came up.

"They played some alright football, but that's not what Rangers need. They don't need to play tippy tappy football. They need winners, they need leaders, they need fight and spirit.

"I don't know if Russell Martin's that guy. I think it's a huge decision that they've made, and one that they've got all wrong."

Rangers manager Russell Martin smiling on the touchline
Russel Martin was sacked by Southampton last year. (Credit: Imago)

Rangers hierarchy must take blame for Russell Martin appointment

A concern at Rangers is that even if Martin is sacked, the same people who hired him will be in charge of finding his replacement.

Having gotten it so wrong the first time, it feels unlikely that the Rangers hierarchy will start operating with more sense overnight, and both Kevin Thelwell and Stewart need to take the blame.

Fans want Stewart out as well, and while Thelwell has not been in the job for that long, his recruitment can also be seriously questioned.

Rangers fans rejected the idea of Martin from minute one, but rather than proving them wrong, Martin and the club hierarchy have shown that the critics were spot on throughout.

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