Russell Martin will take charge of Rangers against Celtic after the Ibrox board backed the under-fire head coach after their humiliating thrashing by Club Brugge.
Sky Sports News understands his position is not under consideration ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm clash at Ibrox – live on Sky Sports.
Fans in the away end in Belgium were heard calling for him to depart the club after just 84 days in charge.
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A ‘get him out’ message was left for Rangers after they were dumped out of the Champions League
Rangers have won just three of their 10 matches under Martin, who has made the worst start as a permanent Rangers manager.
The Ibrox side have drawn all three Scottish Premiership matches, and a defeat on Sunday would leave them nine points adrift of their rivals.
Sunday 31st August 11:00am
Kick off 12:00pm
It is believed the US ownership group, including chairman Andrew Cavenagh, were already planning to attend the Old Firm match.
The result across the two legs is the joint-third biggest margin in Champions League history and also extends his record to just three wins from 10 games at Ibrox – the worst of any manager in the club’s history. Yet Martin, who watched as the remaining away supporters called for his sacking at full-time, has no fear of any immediate repercussions.
“I have nothing to say but really apologise to the fans that travelled and the fans back home,” Martin told TNT Sports post-match.
“The job of head coach and manager is to make sure it doesn’t happen again and respond properly. We didn’t respond well enough to an early setback tonight. It shouldn’t happen, it’s such basics. Now we have to show a big response on Sunday.
“Patrick [Stewart] and Kevin [Thelwell], I’ve had a chat with them already, they’re amazingly supportive. They knew this would take time, they understand the club’s position.”
Rangers crashed out 9-1 on aggregate
Martin would also go on to continue his rhetoric about a lack of commitment from certain players, a sentiment he also ushered following the 1-1 draw with St Mirren that saw Hamza Igamane allegedly refuse to come off the bench.
“There’s not enough harmony or care for each other quite yet. But I knew that coming in, we have to build that, heal and get stronger through it,” he said.
“There aren’t enough players who want to fight for each other and the club yet. The window shuts on Monday. The harmony has been disrupted.
“I’m not talking about individual players, I’m talking about the group as a whole. The harmony of us. It’s not an excuse, we need to be much better.
“For us, it really hurts, it’s really humiliating tonight and we have to make sure we respond in the right way on Sunday.”
Boyd: Rangers fans will want Martin gone tonight
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Kris Boyd hilariously replaces himself in the Sky Sports studio with a cardboard cut-out during Rangers’ disastrous game against Club Brugge
Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd:
“There will be an investigation into this. So bad, so, so bad. It looks like a group that has absolutely chucked it.
“Inside just weeks of a new manager coming in, it’s worrying.
“I know a few people said – myself included – that Russell Martin wouldn’t lose his job off the back of a Champions League defeat. Because there’s no disgrace in losing to Club Brugge.
“But the way Rangers have lost – there will be a lot of Rangers fans wanting Russell Martin removed.
“I don’t disagree [that he needs more time]. That’s football – but it’s totally different in Glasgow. If you’re losing 9-1 to a team in the Champions League, it’s bad enough.
Rangers’ Max Aarons is shown a red card during the Champions League play-off second leg against Club Brugge
“You can say you’re going to be given time – with new owners coming in that’s what they will look to do. But you have to see signs of improvement and that’s not been the case.
“The reality is: you have two huge football clubs domestically, but when they go to Europe, they are shown up for what they are. Both are obsessed with winning domestically.
“Celtic had more success than Rangers in recent times. but Celtic have their own issues – their fans are not happy with the board not spending money.
“But domestically they will be fine. You wouldn’t rule out Celtic winning another treble with the way this Rangers team are. Rangers will be hoping another team – a Hibernian, Hearts or Aberdeen – putting up a fight to stop Celtic winning a cup, because Rangers ain’t going to do anything the way things are now.
“It is getting worse. That is really impossible to happen inside six or seven weeks into a new season. But Rangers have found a way.
“You speak about performances that could get managers the sack – this is heading in that direction. I will struggle to see a way back for Russell Martin after this.”
Tavernier: We all have to take responsibility
Rangers were humiliated in Belgium
Rangers captain James Tavernier refused to outright back Martin when speaking with TNT Sports after the final whistle, but did admit that he and his teammates had to take responsibility for their poor start to the season.
“For what we want to do as a team and as a club, we didn’t represent the club in any good shape or form there.
“We had aspirations to get into the Champions League. We’re in the Europa League now but it’s still early in the season. But we have to make sure this is the last night or the last game that we feel like this will put in a performance like that.
“Myself and the senior boys have had a good chat in the dressing room. We all have to hold our hands up and be responsible.
“The gaffer gives us a game plan. But you look at the goals that we conceded. We all have to be responsible individually and collectively.
“We can’t concede easy goals like that. We have to showcase and prove to the manager and to the fans that we belong on the pitch. We didn’t do that tonight.”
