RUSSELL MARTIN, manager of Rangers Football Club, appears precariously close to losing his job after a damning verdict from club chairman Andrew Cavenagh at Ibrox, sources say.
Since taking charge this season, Martin has presided over a dismal run of form: Rangers are currently winless in the Scottish Premiership, languishing near the bottom of the table, and have suffered humiliating defeats—most notably at Club Brugge. Despite a recent 2-0 win over Hibernian in the Premier Sports Cup, fan anger has only intensified.
Andrew Cavenagh, who became chairman of Rangers in May, has so far officially thrown his support behind Martin. However, insiders say that support is increasingly fragile. Cavenagh’s arrival in Glasgow amid growing protests—whistles, banners, vocal discontent—was interpreted by many as a sign that decisive action might soon follow.
The verdict from pundits and fans alike is that Martin is “toast”—the cost of further underperformance may simply be too high for the club to bear. Rangers’ owner is said to have “very low tolerance” for extended failure, and with seats going empty at Ibrox and morale dropping among the squad and staff, the pressure is relentless.
One source close to Cavenagh is quoted as saying that a defeat in Rangers’ upcoming Europa League fixture against Genk “would surely spell the end” of Martin’s tenure. Another says that while Martin remains in post, his margin for error is now razor-thin: every game is being judged not just on results, but on the manner of performance.
Not helping Martin’s case is the suggestion that his tactical approach is not resonating with some players, and that recent displays have been disjointed. Critics claim that promises of structure, resilience, and attacking football are yet to materialise in a consistent or convincing way.
For his part, Martin has tried to rally the club’s supporters, acknowledging the criticism but insisting there is belief in the dressing room and that improvement can come. Yet even these remarks are seen by some as damage control—designed more to steady nerves than to instil confidence.
If Rangers lose to Genk, or drop more points domestically, the consensus is that Cavenagh will have little choice but to act. The expectation is that a sacking is imminent unless Martin can engineer a dramatic upturn—both in results and in performances.
As things stand, Russell Martin’s time at Ibrox may be coming to an end.
