Russell Martin questioned the commitment of some of his Rangers players after revealing he couldn’t bring on Hamza Igamane during the 1-1 draw with St Mirren because the forward told him he was injured.
Igamane was named on the bench for the trip to Paisley but didn’t make an appearance, despite the fact the visitors looked short of ideas in attack for much of the game.
Eighteen-year-old Findlay Curtis would end up coming on and scored shortly after to salvage a point for Rangers, who are without a win in their first three league games of the season for the first time since 1989.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Substitute Findlay Curtis grabbed the equaliser for Rangers moments after coming off the bench
However, Martin couldn’t hide his frustration over the situation after the final whistle and told Sky Sports he felt some of his players had one foot out the door.
“Hamza told me he was injured,” explained the Rangers boss.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights from the Scottish Premiership match between St Mirren and Rangers.
“We had a bid this week for Hamza, we rejected it. All was fine. Trained fine yesterday [Saturday], warmed up fine. I turned around to him at 60 minutes because I wanted two strikers on the pitch. Hamza told me he was injured.
“I don’t know [if he refused to play.] I have to trust him but we’ll see. The issue is that the transfer window is still open. There are a lot of people, one eye out the door and one in and we need people to be all in all the time in this football club.
Igamane claimed to be injured while on the bench against St Mirren
“We really need that. At the minute there’s still too many people uncertain or still trying to think, ‘maybe there’s something there for me’. The window needs to shut quickly.
“In-house we need to make sure that we have people who really want to be here, so the people that come in and the people that stay really want to be here. We’ll see.
“I think there’s a few areas we’re looking to strengthen. I don’t think anything’s imminent being really honest. We’ve spoken to a few people. I know it’s a boring answer but it’s me being honest with you. I don’t know what the Hamza situation will be after today.”
Boyd questions legitimacy of Igamane’s injury
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Kris Boyd was not convinced Igamane refused to play due to an injury
Sky Sports Kris Boyd:
“I think I said it a couple of weeks ago, I think the players have been running the club for far too long. Listen, if he’s injured, he’s injured. I highly doubt it.
“If that is the case, if I’m Rangers Football Club I’d drive him to the airport and say goodbye. If you’ve not got people who are willing to knuckle down and help this team at this moment of time, then see you later.
“If you don’t there’s a real danger. It’s at boiling point right now with the fans. If Russell Martin is not strong, and doesn’t see this through, he’s going to join Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale, Philippe Clement out the door.
Russell said Rangers rejected a bid for Igamane last week
“He needs to get the right type of characters in this dressing room and quick. I do question if Martin is a little too honest. After a game, emotions are still high and if you’ve turned to your bench for a striker that the fans think is the blue-eyed boy; I’ve not seen what everybody thinks.
“On a consistent basis, Hamza Igamane hasn’t done what everyone thinks he’s done for Rangers. He’s another one who is inflated and everybody thinks is better than he is.”
Is Martin deflecting from poor performances?
Martin was accused of deflecting from a poor performance by Chris Sutton
Before the game, Martin demanded more energy from his players than what was on display in midweek against Club Brugge in the Champions League. And long before he turned to Igamane to potentially make an impact off the bench, they were off the pace.
Martin admitted post-match that his players struggled to deal with setbacks during games and was critical of their immediate response to going behind. However, attention was quickly shifted to Igamane’s injury, which led Chris Sutton to ask whether Martin was deflecting from another poor performance.
After the draw against Motherwell on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season, Martin warned his squad that there would be people “left behind” if they didn’t want to be part of turning the club’s fortunes around.
Much of that rhetoric was on display again from the ex-Southampton boss, as he continued to question the attitude and dedication of his playing staff. The reality, though, is that after nine games in charge, he has created history – the wrong kind of history – becoming the first permanent manager in the club’s history to win just three times over that period.
While question marks will no doubt fall on Martin, with season-defining games on the horizon, the Rangers boss may need to change his tune or further risk losing the dressing room and the Ibrox faithful.
