‘What I meant…’ – Russell Martin clarifies contentious Rangers remark in new Sky Sports interview
Russell Martin still being employed by Rangers is utterly bewildering at this point.
Rangers continued their woeful European standards under Martin, with a 2-1 loss in Austria to Sturm Graz on October 2.
The former Southampton boss has struggled in G51 ever since he arrived and Martin has been branded unfit for the position.
The Rangers squad is finding it hard to deal with persistent protests, but that won’t cease until the results flip on their head.
The difficulties on the pitch have been well-documented, but Martin is digging his own grave with his inconsistency off the grass.
Russell Martin attempts to take back scolding midweek comment
Thursday’s fixture saw the Gers lose their second Europa League game in a row; the loss was a serious blow to the financial department at Rangers.
Martin questioned his team’s mentality after the game, with those comments being widely picked apart.
However, in a new interview on Sky Sports News on Saturday morning from the Auchenhowie training base, Martin tried to clarify his brutal assessment.
He said: “It depends on how you define language. What I meant was our mentality when the ball goes dead. We got hurt from a throw-in, which was ours, and a set-piece. We just have to be a bit more alive and alert.”
Martin went one step further in his endeavour to resurrect his relationship with the players after he initially threw them under the bus.
“The mentality of the players has been great. Their spirit and togetherness, how much that’s improved over the last few weeks. You saw that even in the game, desperately trying to win and not just a draw,” he added.
“On another day, we score a few more, but not in terms of the mentality of the group as a whole, just in them moments, and that’s my responsibility to make sure they’re there in the aspect of the game.”
“Desperate” is certainly the key word to take from the Rangers boss’ comments.
Rangers have to bounce back or Russell Martin is gone
The Bears continue their run of games away from Ibrox at the weekend as they travel to Falkirk, in desperate search for a consecutive win in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.
Falkirk are back in the top flight for the first time since the 2009-10 season, and sit in 11th, one place off the bottom of the table, yet still just two points off Rangers.
| Last five results |
| Falkirk 0-4 Rangers |
| Rangers 4-1 Falkirk |
| Falkirk 3-2 Rangers |
| Rangers 1-0 Falkirk |
| Falkirk 2-1 Rangers |
This is nothing other than a scrap for Martin to save his job. ‘Must win’ arguably doesn’t do the situation justice.
It’s back to the artificial pitch for Rangers in Stirlingshire, and it has to be back to winning ways, too.
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