The boss is facing major pressure from fans after a disappointing start to the season
13:19, 26 Sep 2025Updated 13:30, 26 Sep 2025
Russell Martin
Defiant Russell Martin insists he still has the support of the Rangers board despite after talks with Andrew Cavenagh despite frustrations being made clear.
The US businessman jetted in to Glasgow last week and saw 10-man Rangers slump to defeat in the Europa League opener after former Celtic man Oh Hyeon-gyu netted the only goal.
It comes just days after fan protests against the boss and CEO Patrick Stewart before and during the Premier Sports Cup win over Hibs dominated the post-match talking points.
Defeat to the side sitting in the relegation spots of the Belgian Pro League leaves Martin with more defeats than victories in his 14 games in the Ibrox hot seat.
Speaking in his post-match debrief, Martin revealed that he was expecting talks with US tycoon Cavenagh to following his media duties.
But he claims that there was not a “big conversation” about his future that emerged from the sit down.
He told Sky Sports: “You guys love making out like every one is a big conversation about ‘is he going, is he staying, what has been said’ – but just generally we chat about the football club and how we can improve, about the next game.
“It’s never just me and Andrew, it’s me and my staff, or me, Kevin (Thelwell), Andrew, Patrick (Stewart) – all the guys in there.
“We have a good conversation, an honest conversation and it was the same again. There was nothing out of the ordinary with that.”
Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh (Image: SNS Group)
Martin was then pushed on if there was an acceptance from the decision-makers that things must improve on the park quickly.
He conceded: “Yes, listen, I am probably the most frustrated one, because I am the head coach of the team.
“So, whilst everyone is feeling a bit frustrated there is an acceptance from them as people that run football clubs and sports teams for a very long time, things can take a bit of time to change and get to where you want to get too.
“It’s not always going to happen overnight. We are all frustrated, everyone is feeling it.
“The fans are feeling it, and inside the building we are feeling it more than anyone because we are the ones who have to go out and put a performance on the pitch, and get scrutinised and critiqued for that.
“So, we are all together. I really feel that, everyone has stuck together through this period. And if we can get through that period, which I really believe we will, we will be so much better for it.”
He batted away suggestions that he could be shown the door – adding: “If you’re a football manager now your job’s under threat wherever you work all the time, so such is the world, such is the industry.
“So, genuinely, if we were doing brilliantly I wouldn’t listen to the outside noise. If we’re doing not very well, I wouldn’t listen to it.
“I think you can get caught up in it. I will always treat it the same. As long as I’m liking what we are doing in here, and we are together – which I really feel – I will be happy.”
Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond.
You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers pages and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season.
We’re also on WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here.
Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport’s newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.