Russell Martin hasn’t learned from key Southampton problem as Rangers job ‘hanging by a thread’
Russell Martin is on increasingly thin ice at Rangers as he struggles to turn matters around at Ibrox.
Rangers were beaten 1-0 by Genk in the Europa League on Thursday, 25 September, as Martin failed to utilise the beginning of his European campaign as respite for the Light Blues’ increasing domestic woes.
Mohamed Diomande was sent off in the closing stages of the first half, but the Ibrox outfit had already struggled to impose themselves on the Belgian club before being reduced to 10 men.
Thanks to their increasingly poor form, Rangers have been forced to review potential replacements for Martin.
Russell Martin has been the architect of his own downfall at Rangers
Thanks to Rangers’ Europa League defeat to Genk, Martin is now closer to the sack than ever before, ahead of his side’s trip to Livingston in the Scottish Premiership.
The 39-year-old previously achieved success with his former club Southampton, when he guided the Saints from the Championship to the Premier League.
However, once he was managing in the top-flight, his decision to continue instilling his philosophy of playing out from the back majorly backfired, and the Hampshire club were relegated after he was sacked.
Martin has clearly not learned his lesson, as his own stubbornness has led Rangers to a lowly 11th position in the Scottish Premiership.
Speaking live on CBS Sports on 25 September after the Glaswegian side’s loss to Genk, former Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker said: “It’s hard to see any road left for him. He’s hanging on by a thread.
“A club of Rangers’ stature should not lose to Genk. Yes, they did play with 10 men and they showed a bit more fight and character towards the second half.
“But it should not be the case, they should have done that from the start and we didn’t see it. Genk actually had the better chances when it was all square, 11 v 11 in the game.
“So it’s hard to really take any positivity from this game, anything positive from a Rangers perspective. I think he’s hanging on by a thread.“
Livingston clash alone cannot save Russell Martin’s job
The most disappointing aspect of Martin’s Rangers tenure is that the Ibrox club have failed to earn a Scottish Premiership win in five attempts.
Therefore, the former Southampton boss must steer the Light Blues to a victory over Livingston in the top flight on Sunday, 28 September.
But beating one of the Scottish Premiership’s weaker sides will not be a saving grace for Martin, while his side sit nine points behind fierce rivals and league leaders Celtic.
Rangers’ Europa League clash with Sturm Graz on Thursday, 2 October, provides a better opportunity for Martin to prove that he can turn things around, if he is still in the dugout by then.
However, the 39-year-old’s exploits with both his current club and Southampton suggest that he is unwilling to deviate from his failing style of play.
Consequently, the Light Blues could even be beaten by Livingston on 28 September, which would heap further sack pressure on Martin.