Ally McCoist and Rangers fans form alliance with damning Russell Martin claim
Rangers’ Europa League campaign kicked off in the worst way possible after losing to Genk at Ibrox.
Former Celtic striker Oh Hyung-gyu’s second-half strike clinched the win for the Belgian side, with Russell Martin falling under more pressure at Ibrox.
Mohamed Diomande’s reckless red card did not help matters at all, with Rangers producing yet another uninspiring performance this season.
Rangers are now winless in both the Scottish Premiership and the Europa League as we approach October, and Ally McCoist has made a damning verdict on Martin’s future in Govan.
Ally McCoist can’t see Russell Martin turning things around
Rangers fans are calling for Martin to be sacked, as the Bears sit 11th in the Scottish Premiership.
Speaking on TNT Sports after the match, McCoist spoke about the mood around Ibrox and what it means for Martin’s future.
He said: “Rangers fans are totally justified because it’s not good enough. Coming into the ground tonight, it was nothing like a normal atmosphere of any game, let alone a European game at Ibrox.
“There was an apathy, there was no life about the place on and off the pitch, which is really concerning.
“The manager is in trouble because something has to change dramatically, and on the current evidence, I can’t see it happening.
“You can get backing from owners, you can get backing from the board, but if these people around the stadium don’t support you, then something will have to give.”
Over 12,00 fans boycotted the match versus Genk, with protests also taking place ahead of the 2-0 win over Hibernian on 20 September.
Light Blues fans have the power to put more pressure on the board, with Andrew Cavenagh aware of the financial repercussions should supporters continue to boycott matches.
| Games managed | 14 |
| Wins | 4 |
| Draws | 6 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Win percentage | 28.57 |
Martin’s record at Rangers is awful, especially considering £22.3million was spent on reinforcing the squad in the transfer window.
Whilst he has had to deal with the Nico Raskin and Hamza Igamane sagas, September has been a month where no excuses can be made.
However, there’s no real improvement in the style of play that is being implemented to suggest that things may change under Martin.
With the morale so low, every Rangers match feels like a dogfight for Martin, and there doesn’t seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel.
Russell Martin must be sacked if Rangers lose to Livingston
Livingston is always a tough place to go, yet Rangers have not lost against them since 2018.
Livi currently sit ninth in the Scottish Premiership, and have had a tough run of opening fixtures against Celtic, Hibs, and Hearts.
A loss for Martin and Rangers on Sunday would be simply inexcusable, and with it marking Rangers’ first away match since the 6-0 hammering to Club Brugge in August, there is a fear that scenes could become ugly.
Bojan Miovski is expected to come back into the fold, whilst the side that looked demoralised walking off the pitch versus Genk will have to pick themselves up and approach this tricky test with confidence.
However, with the mood in G51 at an all-time low, a loss on Sunday would surely mean that Martin’s reign as Rangers manager would come to a swift end.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Rangers news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @ibroxnews247