Revealed: This is how many games Russell Martin is from Rangers sack
Russell Martin may be given just three games to save his job at Rangers before the board are forced to make a decision about his future.
Rangers fans have called for Martin to be sacked after going five league games without a win and being knocked out of the Champions League 9-1 on aggregate by Club Brugge.
Football Insider revealed on 19 September that Martin is facing a “monumental” task at Rangers to turn around his fortunes, and a defeat against Hibernian could be the final straw.
As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the boss will need wins against Hibs, Genk and Livingston to give himself a chance.
Sources say negatives results in any of the next three games would make Martin’s dismissal inevitable, and he is targeting wins in all three.
Russell Martin given three games to avoid Rangers sack
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider on 15 September that Martin is a “dead man walking” at Rangers with his departure seemingly inevitable.
However, the board remain hopeful that he can turn their dismal early-season form around and eventually win back the faith of the supporters who have begun to turn.
The Premier Sports Cup clash against Hibs at Ibrox will be his first opportunity to turn things around, with the next three games set to be crucial to his future.
Speaking on the Inside Track podcast, I explained: “This Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals against Hibs at Ibrox, if that was to go wrong, you would say it’s going to be hard for Martin to turn things around.
“If he could get a win against Hibs, get them into that semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup…
“Then their Europa League campaign starts as well at home to Genk, and then they’ve got to play Livingston away in the league.
“They are three games that Russell Martin needs to be targeting to get wins because wins will be the only way that’ll silence the fans and get them back on the side.
“But if there’s any more results, poor performances, it just seems inevitable that Rangers will have to part ways with Martin.”
Calls for the manager’s head have been almost non-stop in recent weeks, but he has now been told he must fight to win back the trust with results on the pitch.
Pressure building on Martin as Nicolas Raskin update emerges
It is not only the results on the pitch adding pressure to Martin’s position, as he has once again been questioned over a bust-up with Nicolas Raskin.
Ally McCoist has called on Martin to explain Raskin’s exclusion after he was dropped from the squad for the 0-0 draw against Celtic and 2-0 defeat to Hearts.
Rangers‘ form this season has been a major concern and further discontent among the squad is not believed to have helped.
Football Insider revealed on 14 September that Russell must make a decision about Raskin’s future soon to resolve the ongoing speculation surrounding his future.
However, while the discontent remains unresolved behind the scenes, questions will continue to be asked about the manager’s role in their disagreement.
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