And after the Belgians went FIVE up by HALF-TIME, travelling fans loudly told their manager exactly where to go<\/p>\n
Gers had Max Aarons sent off early on which didn\u2019t help their cause.<\/p>\n
But after that, the capitulation from Martin\u2019s players left punters angry and humiliated.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/0_JS378947530.jpg\")
Rangers players look absolutely dejected <\/p>\n
And before the summer transfer window has even closed, there are now huge question marks over his future.<\/p>\n
Martin now has no room for error against Celtic on Sunday in the first Old Firm derby of the season.<\/p>\n
Because the display in Brugge was an unmitigated disaster from the off.<\/p>\n
After Nicol Tresoldi\u2019s opener and Aarons\u2019 red card, their Champions League dream was killed stone dead.<\/p>\n
Skipper Hans Vanaken grabbed a second before Joaquin Seys\u2019 brace made it 4-0 – and Aleksandar Stankovic scored a fifth.<\/p>\n
The Belgians also hit the bar twice, while Jack Butland was forced into a string of saves.<\/p>\n
And this was all in the first 45 minutes.<\/p>\n
Greek ace Christos Tzolis hit Brugge\u2019s sixth just after the break before Gers eventually stopped the bleeding.<\/p>\n
American Answers<\/p>\n
A penny for the thoughts of Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe right now.<\/p>\n
When Rangers\u2019 new American owners – backed by 49ers Enterprises – swept into power at Ibrox, there was a new wave of optimism amongst supporters who have been starved of success for too long.<\/p>\n
Their first head-coach appointment of Russell Martin was met with scepticism but they were adamant he was the right man to lead the club back to its glory days.<\/p>\n
But what must Cavenagh and Marathe be thinking now?<\/p>\n
They knew it would take time for Martin to implement his style and accepted there would be a \u00a320 million squad revamp.<\/p>\n
But just a month into the new season, Rangers have failed to win a league game, suffered a Champions League humiliation at the hands of Brugge – and the fans have already had enough of the manager.<\/p>\n
After their takeover, the new chairman and vice-chairman have stayed silent, allowing Patrick Stewart to run the club.<\/p>\n
But now, all three men must speak up and give the fans answers.<\/p>\n
Raskin Riddle<\/p>\n
On his return home to Belgium, Nico Raskin would have been desperate to start – and shine – against Club Brugge.<\/p>\n
But not for the first time under Martin the Red Devils international midfielder was left kicking his heels on the Rangers bench.<\/p>\n
The Ibrox boss insists there isn\u2019t a problem between him and the 24-year-old and says he\u2019s keen for Raskin to stay in Glasgow.<\/p>\n
But it feels like there\u2019s already a strain on their relationship and last night\u2019s omission won\u2019t have helped.<\/p>\n
Previously, the accusation was that Martin wasn\u2019t deploying Raskin in his best position, pushing him forward as opposed to being a sitter.<\/p>\n
Was he just resting one of his star men ahead of the Old Firm game against Celtic on Sunday?<\/p>\n
Maybe, but at 5-0 down he had to be brought on at half-time anyway.<\/p>\n
And with the transfer window entering its final stages, there has to be uncertainty about whether Raskin will be a Rangers player for the long-term under the club\u2019s current gaffer.<\/p>\n
No case for defence<\/p>\n
There are plenty of things wrong with Martin\u2019s Rangers team right now.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s difficult to see them winning ANY game if they keep defending like this.<\/p>\n
His players must have known how important it was to keep things tight early on in Belgium to keep themselves in the tie.<\/p>\n
But within eight minutes of kick-off, they were all over the place at the back.<\/p>\n
Brugge\u2019s first ball over the top caught out Jayden Meghoma who was booked for a rash challenge on Carlos Forbs.<\/p>\n
Two minutes later, Oliver Antman failed to track his runner on the right flank before Nasser Djiga was caught on his blind side by Tresoldi who scored.<\/p>\n
To top it off, Aarons was then sent off for hauling down Tzolis from another simple Brugge through ball that Rangers simply couldn\u2019t deal with.<\/p>\n
It was a shambolic start defensively which effectively put them out the tie.<\/p>\n
Worst ever?<\/p>\n
Before this, Rangers had never lost a competitive post-war game by more than six goals – but if it wasn’t for Jack Butland it would have happened here.<\/p>\n
Previously, only Real Madrid, Celtic, Aberdeen – and most recently Liverpool in the Champions League – had secured a winning margin that big against the Ibrox side.<\/p>\n
So the embarrassment in Brugge equalled the club\u2019s worst EVER result and that\u2019s something Martin and his players will have to live with.<\/p>\n
With all due respect to their Belgian hosts, who are a good side – they\u2019re not one of Europe\u2019s top outfits.<\/p>\n
And what makes matters worse for the manager and his team is the manner in which they surrendered at the Jan Breydel Stadium.<\/p>\n
After going behind early, the tie was over so they should have shut up shop, been compact and got out of Belgium with their reputation intact.<\/p>\n
Instead, they collapsed in spectacular fashion. Players stopped running, tracking runners and doing the basics.<\/p>\n
And for the supporters who have now given up on Martin THAT is what will have hurt most.<\/p>\n
Derby Dilemmas<\/p>\n
Has any Rangers manager ever been under so much pressure going into their first Old Firm game as Martin?<\/p>\n
It certainly doesn\u2019t feel like it ahead of Sunday\u2019s crunch derby at Ibrox against Brendan Rodgers\u2019 side.<\/p>\n
And after this battering in Brugge, Martin has some major decisions to make with his team selection.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll be praying he gets a couple of new players in, especially a striker with Bojan Miovski heavily linked.<\/p>\n
But he\u2019ll have huge calls to make on the ones already at the club who have failed to perform so far this term.<\/p>\n
Starting Aarons at right-back would be a massive gamble for the gaffer given his start to life at Rangers.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s struggled for form and it\u2019s impossible to see how he plays against Celtic ahead of James Tavernier.<\/p>\n
There are also question marks over fellow new boys like Antman, Joe Rothwell and Thelo Aasgaard, who look devoid of confidence.<\/p>\n
After the beating in Belgium, expect some of the old guard like Raskin, Mo Diomande and Cyriel Dessers to come back in.<\/p>\n
Rangers<\/a><\/p>\n