Russell Martin sacked by Rangers: Ibrox side dismiss head coach following Falkirk draw after 123 days in charge | Football News

Rangers have sacked head coach Russell Martin after 123 days in charge.

It follows a 1-1 draw at Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership, leaving Rangers with just one win in their first seven league games, matching the club’s worst-ever start at this stage of a season.

Martin required a police escort away from Falkirk’s stadium as Rangers fans surrounded the team’s bus following a result that left Rangers in eighth spot, 11 points behind leaders Hearts and nine adrift of rivals Celtic.

“Rangers Football Club confirms that it has parted company with head coach, Russell Martin,” a statement read.

“While all transition periods require some time, results have not met the club’s expectations.

“Assistant head coach, Matt Gill, and first-team coach, Mike Williamson, will also be departing.

“Russell and his staff have worked exceptionally hard throughout their time at the club. We thank them for their efforts and wish them well for the future.

“Further updates from the club will follow in due course.”

Under Martin, Rangers also dropped out of the Champions League after their joint-worst European loss as they were thrashed 6-0 away to Club Brugge in the play-off, losing the tie 9-1 on aggregate.

The Ibrox side found themselves in the Europa League, which also started with two defeats against Genk and Sturm Graz.

Despite League Cup progress, where an Old Firm semi-final awaits, Martin won just five of his 17 matches, meaning he departs as the worst-ranked permanent Rangers boss.

Martin is also the shortest-serving manager in Rangers’ history and the fourth to be sacked within the last three years.

Next up, Rangers are at home to Dundee United after the international break on October 18.

What went wrong as backing turned to sacking?

It was an appointment that was met with concerns from day one, with Martin himself admitting he had to prove the doubters wrong.

The club’s CEO, Patrick Stewart, even said he was “not oblivious to the noise” from fans around the decision to hire the former Southampton boss.

Winning games was the only way to turn the dial. However, in reality, the opposite was served up.

Despite initial Champions League qualification progress against Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen, domestically things were not going as well.

Rangers drew away to Motherwell, plus at home to Dundee in the Scottish Premiership, before scraping past third-tier Alloa Athletic in the League Cup.

After that initial game at Fir Park, Martin hit out at some of his players, telling Sky Sports that individuals had to drop their egos and questioned their mentality.

That sent more alarm bells off amongst fans, after Martin had said similar about the mentality of his players at previous clubs. Was it an excuse, were his tactics wrong, or was it reality?

Either way, when it rained, it poured for the 39-year-old. Off the field, squad issues became public, with Hamza Igamane refusing to come on as a substitute during a draw against St Mirren, before the striker was eventually sold to Lille.

Then came a humiliating 6-0 defeat away to Club Brugge. It was Rangers’ joint-worst European result as the club lost their Champions League play-off 9-1 on aggregate.

Following that battering in Belgium, the calls for Martin to be sacked were unavoidable. Fans had made up their mind. A banner was displayed at Ibrox calling for change. The constant jeers became a feature for the remainder of his Rangers reign. However, Sky Sports News revealed his tenure was not under threat at the time, as he was backed to turn things around.

What didn’t help was another unpopular decision in the eyes of the supporters.

This time, fan favourite and last season’s standout player Nicolas Raskin was dropped from the squad ahead of the first Old Firm of the season and asked to train away from the first team.

Rangers played out a goalless draw at a nervy Ibrox, and Martin was jeered again, while fans chanted for Raskin to be reinstated into the squad.

The club continued to back the head coach, with Youssef Chermiti among those joining on Deadline Day in a £10m deal, the biggest fee paid by Rangers in 25 years.

Rangers’ outlay on transfers was around £34m as 12 new players were signed by Martin and new sporting director Kevin Thelwell, plus two others arrived on pre-agreed deals.

Whilst reflecting on the transfer window, Thelwell said Martin was “one of the best” he had worked with, as the Gers boss received further support from Ibrox chiefs.

Martin wanted Rangers’ season to start after the transfer window shut. He was “really excited” by his “stronger squad”. However, that next month marked the beginning of the end.

Rangers lost to Hearts at Ibrox in the league, but he was again backed to turn things around. There was then the infamous team bonding trip to Loch Lomond to go wild swimming.

The fans were not happy and held protests before and during their League Cup quarter-final days later.

He again questioned the players’ mentality and insisted his tactics were not the issue.

Following yet more dropped points, this time in the league at Falkirk, the Rangers hierarchy decided it was Martin who was the issue as he was relieved of his duties four months into a three-year deal.

The search for a fifth permanent boss in just under three years is underway. For the fans, it is a movie they have seen on so many occasions. Their hope si the next episode features a fairytale script, rather than the horror shows that have gone before.

Who do Rangers appoint next?

Rangers said their last search followed a “really rigorous process”. CEO Stewart even said it is the “most important hire” the club makes, adding that the one selected “can take a group of individuals and turn them into a winning team, or not.”

For Stewart and Rangers, they got the last one wrong. You’d imagine the club would be hard pushed to convince someone who was in the previous process that they are now the right fit – having opted for Martin instead.

The Ibrox hierarchy will want someone who can fulfil that ‘head coach’ title. Someone who can improve performances, results and win trophies. Not only that, they will need to develop players who can then be sold for a profit.

In truth, names have been getting linked for weeks and former Rangers striker Kris Boyd believes one of three Englishmen could be the answer.

“Steven Gerrard’s a name that’s never gone away,” he told Sky Sports News.

“Frank Lampard’s name was another one that was mentioned. I know he’s doing some wonderful things at Coventry City, but is that out of the equation now?

“The obvious one for me would be Sean Dyche. Kevin Thelwell worked with him in the past, and he seems to have a lot of say in the players that are coming in.

“So if that relationship with Dyche is still there, he would be someone that I would maybe look to because he’s shown that he can build football clubs up.

“Rangers need a strong character that’s going to build it not only on the pitch, but off the pitch at the training centre.

“It just seems to be so broken, disjointed, and they’re going to have to find a way to fix it.”

Rangers’ upcoming fixtures

• Dundee United (H) – Scottish Premiership – October 18
• Brann (A) – Europa League – October 23
• Kilmarnock (H) – Scottish Premiership – October 26
• Hibernian (A) – Scottish Premiership – October 29 – live on Sky Sports
• Celtic (N) – League Cup semi-final – November 2