Rival boss launches passionate defence of Russell Martin as Rangers sack looms
Russell Martin has received the passionate backing of rival Hearts boss Derek McInnes after Hearts beat Rangers 2-0.
Martin was showered with boos from the stands at Ibrox as the Rangers fans made their feelings known towards the 39-year-old.
Rangers fell 1-0 down to a controversial Lawrence Shankland goal, a decision that was also greeted with discontent.
Shankland made it 2-0 to Hearts as the scrutiny place on Martin looks set to ramp up from Rangers’ fanbase and pundits alike.
Rival boss backs Russell Martin
Martin has been under criticism this week for his treatment of Nicolas Raskin, with fans disagreeing with how Martin has treated the midfielder.
Hearts boss McInnes spoke to the media after his side saw of Rangers to go top of the Scottish Premiership.
McInnes was asked if he had sympathy for Martin by the Daily Record, and responded saying: “Not a bit of sympathy. A whole lot of sympathy. It’s so unfair on him.
“This stage of the season, it is still early on and even if we were at the bottom end of the table and working towards our best form, I would be looking for that kind of patience and all the rest of it.
“Russell Martin is a good man and a fine manager. When clubs like Rangers aren’t winning games of football it is more than just the manager.
“I enjoyed my team and winning the game but I didn’t enjoy that part of it one bit. It’s so unfair that,” McInnes said.
Russell Martin at risk of the sack
Martin’s side have played out four draws to start their Scottish Premiership campaign, finding themselves 10th in the table after Saturday’s loss.
Three 1-1 draws were followed by a promising 0-0 draw against Celtic before the international break, but it appears that optimism has dwindled yet again.
| Rangers 2025-26 | |
| vs Motherwell | 1-1 |
| vs Dundee | 1-1 |
| vs St Mirren | 1-1 |
| vs Celtic | 0-0 |
| vs Hearts | 0-2 |
A humiliating 9-1 aggregate loss to Club Brugge in Champions League qualifying has been a cloud hanging over Martin, and it that cloud is growing darker as the weeks go on.
Martin will hope that he’s offered time from the Rangers hierarchy but this latest setback will ring alarm bells for those in charge at Ibrox.