Rangers: Russell Martin proves he was never right for Ibrox with tone deaf new comments
Russell Martin will have stirred up anger from Rangers supporters once again with his tone-deaf new comments on the Scottish Premiership title race.
Martin was sacked last October after just 17 matches in charge at Ibrox, despite being handed a lucrative three-year deal the previous summer.
The Gers did not win a top-flight game until late September, while they were thumped 9-1 on aggregate by Club Brugge in the Champions League qualifying play-offs.
The 40-year-old departed after a stormy 1-1 draw with Falkirk, which left the Light Blues eighth in the table and 11 points behind leaders Hearts.
While Danny Rohl has led Rangers back into contention, the dust has barely settled on Martin’s ill-fated tenure, and his latest interview is proof he was never the right fit.
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What did Russell Martin say about Rangers?
Speaking on BBC 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, Martin was surprisingly blase while admitting he had effectively derailed Gers’ title aspirations before they had even begun.
“I think Celtic and Rangers fans will consider themselves very lucky that they’re still in with a title chance, considering they’ve had really poor seasons,” he said.
“One of them is all my fault, obviously.
“But apart from that, I genuinely think it’s such an interesting season. Hearts shaking it up has been really good for Scottish football as a whole. People are talking about it way more.”
These comments do not reflect the severity of the situation he was made to step away from.
Trusted by new owners in the summer, Martin was given just 123 days in the job, arguably far more than he deserved, while he recorded only five wins in his 17 matches.
However, despite this dismal record, he insisted: “I don’t regret anything.”
While publicly sticking to his guns may be admirable, it did not show the penitence that Rangers supporters would have been looking for.
It also didn’t show the level of humility expected from managers in the modern era, and future employers will certainly have taken note.
Danny Rohl deserves more credit
Martin’s eyebrow-raising comments shine an even more positive light on Rohl.
The 36-year-old inherited a squad low on confidence and lost tactically, but, bit by bit, he has helped them compete again, even if they haven’t quite got over the final hurdle.
Since his arrival, a new-look Rangers have moved up to third in the Premiership, a point below Celtic and three behind Hearts, with eight games remaining.
Simply, Rohl has got more from the overhauled dressing room, and inspired a fighting spirit and quality that Martin never looked capable of nurturing.
Martin, therefore, can say what he likes, but Gers should take no note.
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