Russell Martin told to complete Rangers ‘clear-out’ amid dressing room reveal
Russell Martin has been urged to complete a Rangers clear-out after his side’s poor start to the Scottish Premiership season.
The Glasgow giants are yet to record a win in the league, drawing both of their first two games of the new campaign.
On opening day, the Gers were frustrated by Motherwell, as James Tavernier’s first-half header was cancelled out by a late Emmanuel Longelo strike.
It was a similar story the following weekend (9 August) as Rangers were again held to a 1-1 draw, this time by Dundee, and it took a stoppage-time penalty from Tavernier to salvage a point.
Aberdeen’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004, had lengthy spells as the chief of Everton and Aston Villa and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that Martin has to move on some of the older heads in the squad.
‘Rangers old guard have to go, there’s too many of them’
This article contains exclusive comment from Keith Wyness, former Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen CEO.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted that Martin must have an intense clean-out of his Gers squad, and that there are still too many of the “old guard” involved.
Despite their poor domestic form, Rangers are through to the Champions League play-offs, where they will face Club Brugge for a place in the league phase of the competition.
Wyness added that Martin has to turn the dressing room around to help prevent the European hangovers.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “They’ve done well in Europe, but that hangover has continued in the Scottish Premier League season. They got booed off the pitch against Dundee at the weekend.
“There are still too many of the old guard, if you like, some of the older names still in the squad right now. I think Russell could have had a more intense clean-out, and he may still do that.
“That is what’s going to be needed, is to really try and shape a new group coming in. I know he’s trying to do it verbally, and he’s said a lot of things in the media already.
“I like Russell’s style. He’s got that challenge; he’s got to turn it around. But I think he’s also got to turn the dressing room around a little bit more than he has done.”
Rangers expect offers for striker
Meanwhile, Rangers are expecting to receive a number of offers for Hamza Igamane in the closing stages of the transfer window, sources have told Football Insider.
The Glasgow giants were expecting a lot of interest in the 22-year-old this summer, but there has been no official bids for him so far.
Everton are one of the teams linked with Igamane, as they look to bolster their attacking ranks ahead of the upcoming campaign.
However, sources say that the interested clubs are waiting for the Moroccan’s asking price to drop before making any formal approaches.
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