Rangers Fans Turn as Club Brugge Defeat Piles Pressure on Russell Martin

Rangers Fans Turn as Club Brugge Defeat Piles Pressure on Russell Martin

Russell Martin's record in his short time in Scotland so far reads as three wins, three draws, and two defeats. In most jobs, this wouldn't be too bad a start, but at Rangers, this is not good enough, as the former Southampton manager is now finding out.

Before last night's Champions League qualifier against Club Brugge at Ibrox, the pressure was beginning to simmer. Twenty minutes in, with his side already 3-0 down, the pressure was reaching boiling point.

Ultimately, the Gers fell to a 3-1 defeat, and whilst Martin said he was "proud" of his side's performance, the chorus of boos ringing around the stadium suggested the fans did not share this sentiment.

Russell Martin to be given two seasons at Rangers

Summer and Autumn

— Neil Renton (@RentsFaeLeith) August 19, 2025

Martin's Slow Start

The sheer enormity of the Rangers job cannot be understated; their storied rivalry with city rivals Celtic is not for the faint-hearted. This season in particular has extra enormity, as both teams sit level on 55 Scottish Premiership titles apiece, and each team is desperate to hold the outright lead.

Rangers' pursuit of the 56th title under Martin has started with a whimper. Both league games have ended in dismal draws, including a 1-1 draw at home to Dundee FC that required a 92nd-minute James Tavernier penalty to rescue a point.

Dundee and most likely Motherwell will be bottom six. We won’t face much worse than Dundee this season and this is them without their best player. Both have tactically done Russell Martin. Alarm bells ringing all over the place.

— 👤 (@FacelessRanger) August 9, 2025

Across the city, Celtic have started perfectly and already hold a four-point lead over their old enemy.

So, with his side on the verge of a Champions League exit at the qualification stage, and a worrying gap already emerging to Celtic. Can Martin win back the fans before it's too late?

Can He Win The Fans Back Around?

Typically, the way to make amends in this part of the world is to get one over on Celtic. As luck would have it, Rangers are hosting the Old Firm on the 31st, in two games' time, but many fans want him gone before then.

Martin's style is based on his sides being patient with the ball, and now he needs the fans to be patient with him. His tenure at Southampton ended in a similar vein when fans became aggrieved at his lack of tactical flexibility.

In the immediate future, Russell will be praying his side produce performances that are worthy of title-challengers, starting with an away trip to St. Mirren, and then a respectable showing in Belgium, in a tie that, admittedly, looks out of sight.

Failing this, Martin may never get the chance to lead his side out in an Old Firm, if reports are to be believed.

After last night's game, Martin delivered the line, "Before change, there is pain."

At least Russell Martin doesn't have to play Celtic, Brugge, Hibs & Hearts in 4 out of his next 5 games

Wait... pic.twitter.com/YubVgkBszG

— . (@liamcsc) August 19, 2025

The Shortest Managerial Stints at Ibrox

We do not want to tempt fate for the former Scotland international defender, but the manager with the shortest tenure as Rangers manager is Paul Le Guen, who managed just 31 games in 2006.

With Martin on the receiving end of a toxic reception from the Ibrox faithful after eight games, it seems increasingly likely that he may become the recipient of an unwanted record if things don't change quickly.

We’ve gotten a lot of managerial appointments wrong in the last 2 decades. McCoist, Warburton, Pedro and Beale especially since I understand why we appointed Le Guen, Gio and Clement.

But my god, no one has sunk quicker in this job than Russell Martin.

Miles out of his depth

— Baldy Bassey 😎 (@Baldy_Bassey) August 20, 2025