Russell Martin given win-or-bust warning by Rangers legend as sack pressure increases
Rangers manager Russell Martin has been warned that he must beat Hearts if he wants to keep his job at Ibrox.
Martin has faced a troubled start at Rangers with a winless start to the Scottish Premiership and a humiliating Champions League exit to Club Brugge.
Rangers’ 0-0 derby draw against Celtic brought Martin some time after failing to beat Motherwell, Dundee and St Mirren previously.
14 new players were added to the squad over the summer as Martin rebuilds Rangers after years of discontent at the club for failing to topple Celtic at the top of the table.
Barry Fergson weighs in on Russell Martin future
Rangers’ task in the Scottish Premiership does not get any easier as they welcome unbeaten Hearts to Ibrox, who sit joint top of the table alongside Celtic.
Hearts have won three of their opening four games under former Aberdeen and Kilmarnock boss Derek McInnes who joined the Tynecastle club in the summer.
Barry Ferguson, who Martin preceded in the Ibrox hot seat, has warned the fixture is one Rangers need to win.
As per the Daily Record [5 September],Ferguson said: “The next big one is Hearts, because Hearts are sitting top of the league, Derek has got off to a good start. That is the one that you have to make sure you get the three points in.”
Ferguson said Rangers’ opening fixtures should have resulted in more points: “Look, I know Motherwell and St Mirren are difficult places to go, because you have to roll your sleeves up and make sure you fight to get that three points – but it was a decent start.
“There is a lot of frustration. I’m sure the manager is frustrated with not getting the results. Now he has this international break where he can let the dust settle a bit.”
Russell Martin future hinges on Hearts clash
Football Insider Verdict
With an international break to recover from a hectic and pressurised start to life in Glasgow, Martin needs to ensure his side put in a performance against Hearts.
Rangers have been lacking much goal threat or defensive stability since Martin walked through the door, with his possession based approach yet to come to fruition.
| Russell Martin | Stats |
| Games Managed | 11 |
| Games Won | 3 |
| Games Drew | 5 |
| Games Lost | 3 |
Hearts will arrive at Ibrox full of confidence, and unafraid of the task ahead of them, and the pressure will be on Rangers to win the match.
Going five without victory is undisputed territory for a manager of either Glasgow club, and that could be disastrous for Martin.
The match against Hearts is simply one Martin must win at any cost despite the backing of the club’s new ownership.