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Posted
9 hours ago, HarvSFC said:

"When you can feel some of the lads' energy is not all there, because they feel like their future is somewhere else, it's difficult."

8 of the Rangers starting 11 today were signed this summer. Are some of them looking for moves already? The other three being Jack Butland, goalkeeper so not much influence on a noncommittal display, John Souttar, who captained the side, so should be committed and Nicolas Raskin, who may well be thinking about elsewhere, but I doubt one player had that much of an impact on the other players lacking energy.

"We're making it hard for ourselves, conceding poor goals is so disappointing," he said. "We turn the ball over a lot without having conviction in our actions.

"When we have a difficult moment, the response is not good enough. We need to stick to the plan always. But I loved the intent in the second half."

How many times did we hear this exact response here. His press conferences are as predictable as his playing style.

They actually looked better when they didn't stick to the plan

  • Like 3
Posted (edited)

Although predictable, fair play to Rangers fans for not putting up with his bollocks already. They see right through him!

I wonder if he has used the term / phrase “scar tissue” yet?!

Rangers are a ginormous club. I know Scottish football is nothing like it was, but what were they thinking in hiring Martin - just plain fucking weird.

i bet Martin won’t sarcastically clap / gesture to their fans like he started to do at St Mary’s towards the end.

i may treat myself to the Old Firm game on the telly at the weekend, not usually bothered, but this one I am more curious.

Edited by AlexLaw76
  • Like 3
Posted
2 hours ago, Harry_SFC said:

They actually looked better when they didn't stick to the plan

They're still at the stage where their natural instincts haven't been coached out of them yet.

Martin hates that as it doesn't follow The Plan. But it means he has to find solutions, as he won't be able to count on it getting him out of a tactical hole.

Posted

Not sure why some fans are still worried what Martin does.

He came in did a good job and got us promoted, giving us a great day out at Wembley in the process. 
 

like most things Dragan and his crazy mates do, was not good enough for the premier league. 
 

The anger / questions should be directed to our owners.

  • Like 2
Posted
20 hours ago, coalman said:

Proper Russell Martin goal that. 1 pass and straight through on goal.

Just saw the St Mirren goal. Rangers on the attack, gave it away on the edge of their opponent’s area who were waiting for it to happen, two passes into the wide open spaces left in behind and the entire team turned around for a 1 v 1 - goal. 

How many times is he going to give that exact same goal away? It happens time and time again. The opposition are just waiting for the opportunity to spring it. Swansea fans talked about it and we saw it over and over again but he still doesn’t change it and clearly none of his coaching staff have got the balls to challenge him on it. It’s absurd. 

  • Like 1
Posted
3 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Just saw the St Mirren goal. Rangers on the attack, gave it away on the edge of their opponent’s area who were waiting for it to happen, two passes into the wide open spaces left in behind and the entire team turned around for a 1 v 1 - goal. 

How many times is he going to give that exact same goal away? It happens time and time again. The opposition are just waiting for the opportunity to spring it. Swansea fans talked about it and we saw it over and over again but he still doesn’t change it and clearly none of his coaching staff have got the balls to challenge him on it. It’s absurd. 

If you stick to the plan then nobody gives the ball away. This is a players problem.

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Posted
3 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Just saw the St Mirren goal. Rangers on the attack, gave it away on the edge of their opponent’s area who were waiting for it to happen, two passes into the wide open spaces left in behind and the entire team turned around for a 1 v 1 - goal. 

How many times is he going to give that exact same goal away? It happens time and time again. The opposition are just waiting for the opportunity to spring it. Swansea fans talked about it and we saw it over and over again but he still doesn’t change it and clearly none of his coaching staff have got the balls to challenge him on it. It’s absurd. 

If the attacking players did what they were told they wouldn’t have lost the ball and the goals would have been avoided. It’s the players for not being good enough or not following the system 

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Posted
20 minutes ago, IFHP said:

Not sure why some fans are still worried what Martin does.

He came in did a good job and got us promoted, giving us a great day out at Wembley in the process. 
 

like most things Dragan and his crazy mates do, was not good enough for the premier league. 
 

The anger / questions should be directed to our owners.

I can't speak for others, but I'm interested in what he does, not worried about it.

We're all very familiar with his style and tactics. So, it's an opportunity, from a safe distance, to see how it unfolds at another club.

Looking at the rest of your post, shows just how polarising he was.

One one hand he got us promoted, with a Martinball goal, got us a record unbeaten run, and seemed popular with the players, playing with a different approach. Like every manager since they took over, SR also didn't give him all the key recruitment roles to properly compete.

On the other, his PL results put him as one of our least successful, who finished fourth in a three horse promotion race, and whose record run didn't close gaps due to lots of draws, playing an extreme system that often had no answers.

So, interesting to watch.

  • Like 6
Posted

Just seen he had a player refusing to come on and play for him. Also getting really prickly with the interviewer asking questions. Guys got a massive chip on his shoulder, it's no wonder he has an obsession with bearded British lads as it seems like he can't man manage anyone that isn't a clone of himself.

Posted (edited)

I’d love to know what his coaching team really think/say when he’s not around. 

Obviously he gets them all nicely paid jobs by taking them with him to each new club but are they true believers in what he’s trying to do, or do they just go along with it to get paid and because they know it’s a waste of time challenging it? 

Pretty much any football fan off the street could set up a team to successfully counter a Martin side at this point. They are professional coaches, they must be able to see the glaring issues that repeat themselves week in week out. Are they just pure yes men looking to rinse a meal ticket for as long as they can at this point? 

Anyone on here ever coached at a decent level and experienced anything similar where you have to decide whether to challenge it and possibly get bombed out, or just keep quiet and get paid for as long as possible even though you can see how flawed it is?

A penny for ‘Gilly’’s thoughts. Which is a phrase I never thought I’d say. 

Edited by Midfield_General
Posted
11 minutes ago, Saint_clark said:

Just seen he had a player refusing to come on and play for him. Also getting really prickly with the interviewer asking questions. Guys got a massive chip on his shoulder, it's no wonder he has an obsession with bearded British lads as it seems like he can't man manage anyone that isn't a clone of himself.

Rangers turned down a bid for him. The players has then gone on a massive sulk. Apparently, his warm up was poor, and didn't give any indication of having an injury.

This one has the hallmarks of squad churn and want away players, rather than a Martin thing.

Posted
6 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

I’d love to know what his coaching team really think/say when he’s not around. 

Obviously he gets them all nicely paid jobs by taking them with him to each new club but are they true believers in what he’s trying to do, or do they just go along with it to get paid and because they know it’s a waste of time challenging it? 

Pretty much any football fan off the street could set up a team to successfully counter a Martin side at this point. They are professional coaches, they must be able to see the glaring issues that repeat themselves week in week out. Are they just pure yes men looking to rinse a meal ticket for as long as they can at this point? 

Anyone on here ever coached at a decent level and experienced anything similar where you have to decide whether to challenge it and possibly get bombed out, or just keep quiet and get paid even though you can see it’s flawed and possibly how to fix it?

A penny for ‘Gilly’’s thoughts. Which is a phrase I never thought I’d say. 

It seems that, as a manager takes the same backroom staff along with him all the time, that they don't significantly challenge anything.

I think the one coach that stayed on said something along the lines of not liking possession football much anyway. But under the manager, they'll keep such thoughts to themselves.

That will extend to other staff. They provide information, but won't risk a job for a fleeting manager. Otherwise our data analysts would be on strike in the PL. 🙂

  • Like 1
Posted
56 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

I’d love to know what his coaching team really think/say when he’s not around. 

Obviously he gets them all nicely paid jobs by taking them with him to each new club but are they true believers in what he’s trying to do, or do they just go along with it to get paid and because they know it’s a waste of time challenging it? 

Pretty much any football fan off the street could set up a team to successfully counter a Martin side at this point. They are professional coaches, they must be able to see the glaring issues that repeat themselves week in week out. Are they just pure yes men looking to rinse a meal ticket for as long as they can at this point? 

Anyone on here ever coached at a decent level and experienced anything similar where you have to decide whether to challenge it and possibly get bombed out, or just keep quiet and get paid for as long as possible even though you can see how flawed it is?

A penny for ‘Gilly’’s thoughts. Which is a phrase I never thought I’d say. 

Well, who would ask Gilly to be his assistant coach other than Russell Martin? Russboy is currently the meal ticket for these guys though I can't see that lasting much longer as the snake-oil routine is wearing very thin now.

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

It seems that, as a manager takes the same backroom staff along with him all the time, that they don't significantly challenge anything.

I think the one coach that stayed on said something along the lines of not liking possession football much anyway. But under the manager, they'll keep such thoughts to themselves.

That will extend to other staff. They provide information, but won't risk a job for a fleeting manager. Otherwise our data analysts would be on strike in the PL. 🙂

Dean Thornton wasn't a disciple of playing out from the back in 2019, as seen from the below Tweet. Although, he has had to find work at Millwall this season and stayed on after Martin's sacking. I think it is only Gill that's followed him up there. But, yeah, I always wondered why the coaches never told Martin what he was doing wasn't working, especially in the Premier League. What were they talking about, because nothing was changing from week to week. I apply the same question to Jack Stephens. Captain and the centre-back, so in the most volatile position in a Martin team. It's always talked about how he's such a great leader, but he never had the difficult conversation with Martin to say the tactics weren't working for him, nor the team.

 

 

  • Like 1
Posted (edited)

Slim Joe 'Slothwell' Rothwell chosen to run the midfield in a must-win game. 

Setting up in a 4-3-3 with no proper defensive midfielders in a match in which they can't afford to concede. 

Looks like caution to the wind, shit or bust. Fans going mental already. 

It's a bold strategy Cotton, let's see if it pays off for him. 

Edited by Midfield_General
Posted
20 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Slim Joe 'Slothwell' Rothwell chosen to run the midfield in a must-win game. 

Setting up in a 4-3-3 with no proper defensive midfielders in a match in which they can't afford to concede. 

Looks like caution to the wind, shit or bust. Fans going mental already. 

It's a bold strategy Cotton, let's see if it pays off for him. 

image.gif.fa68c1c8392bbde49ac4bc122905a369.gif

 

let the hate watch begin

  • Haha 2
Posted

Comments on their lineup are unanimously furious with Martin for dropping Raskin and Tavanier.
 

Maybe there’s a mutiny going on, don’t think he’ll last past the weekend when they’re out of Europe and get pumped by Celtic 

Posted

Brugge passing it about effortlessly around the half way point, to launch their attacks. 

RussBall lumbers around their own penalty area.

Brugge passing pings it into the full back gap that Martin deliberately leaves vacant. They cross and score.

 

Martin will blame the Rangers player for playing it long, giving possession to Brugge for them to pass it about and score from. And the defender for not marking properly. But the root of that goal is the system.  

Posted
Just now, S-Clarke said:

Wasn't Max Aarons one of Martin's picks for us? We tried to get him, I'm sure.

Aarons was one of two very attacking fullbacks that Farke used to play out from the 'keeper to. It worked really well, getting them promoted. 

By that time there was not only the quality step up needed, but also everyone knew how they would play. 

So Norwich got beaten a lot. Aarons went from attacking full back that clubs fall over themselves for, to defensively suspect in a losing team. Bayern were linked with him at one point. 

Years later, he's a shadow of himself. It took me a long while to not think he'd be good for us, based on his earlier form. 

  • Like 1
Posted
45 minutes ago, Midfield_General said:

Slim Joe 'Slothwell' Rothwell chosen to run the midfield in a must-win game. 

Setting up in a 4-3-3 with no proper defensive midfielders in a match in which they can't afford to concede. 

Looks like caution to the wind, shit or bust. Fans going mental already. 

It's a bold strategy Cotton, let's see if it pays off for him. 

 

Ghostbusters-Stay-Puft-Marshmallow-Man-Soft-Vinyl-Figure-16-1200x628.jpg

Posted
On 24/08/2025 at 20:37, Midfield_General said:

BBC Scotland going in two-footed.

'Another day, another debacle for Martin':

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cn0275y3ey8o

For balance, Tom English puts the boot into Celtic as they drop out of the CL too. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c8denljlv64o

Same delivery style, same pet peeves, some relevance, much moaning and a Daily Record substitute. 🙂 

Posted
1 minute ago, S-Clarke said:

They just spent almost 5 mins passing from the CB's back to the GK, and twice almost mis played the pass into the goal.

His style sucks arse.

You mean “keeper to left back, left back to keeper, keeper to right back, right back to keeper”?

  • Haha 3
Posted
7 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

They just spent almost 5 mins passing from the CB's back to the GK, and twice almost mis played the pass into the goal.

His style sucks arse.

Bravely defending down to that last passing triangle. 

As Butland and their bar keeps them form being further behind. 

 

Spoke too soon... that's two now. 

Posted (edited)
11 minutes ago, S-Clarke said:

His style sucks arse.

This should be the first thing mentioned whenever anyone says his name.

2-0

So, tell me about Russell Martin.... Well, they call him the mad Felcher.

Edited by Colinjb

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