It was bad enough for Rangers in their first game against Club Brugge. In that 3-1 home defeat, there were boos from the Ibrox fans before half-time, with many going home early. Two weeks later, it got worse, with Rangers losing 6-0 away in Belgium.
Russell Martin had a brief spell as a Rangers player, so he knows the demands of the club and fans. But after progressing comfortably enough past Panathinaikos (3-1 on aggregate), Rangers struggled against Viktoria Plzen, losing 2-1 in the away leg, and might have hoped things would go more smoothly from that point.
That hasn’t been the case. Even the home win against League 1 side Alloa Athletic in the League Cup 2nd Round was unconvincing.
A mentality problem
When Rangers drew 1-1 at home with Motherwell on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership, Martin said the result was flattering. He singled out (although not by name) two of his players who apparently want to do their own thing.
Martin said there wasn’t really a tactical problem, but there was an issue with mentality. His comments contrasted with those after Rangers’ two-legged win against Panathinaikos, where he said he was proud of his players. The Motherwell game came only three days later.
The team were far off the required standards, according to Martin, who also said they choose when they want to play and run properly. He accused some players of self-preservation, but then said he wasn’t blaming the players. According to the manager, there has been a mentality problem at the club for the last few years.
Martin’s time at Southampton, where success and failure came quickly
Martin took over as Southampton boss in the summer of 2023. He had gained plaudits for his work at Swansea. Although his side had only finished 15th in the Championship, many admired the way they played and the work Russell had done with limited resources. He’d previously managed MK Dons, where people quickly took notice of his possession-based style.
At the first attempt, Martin led Southampton to promotion. Along the way that season, they made 477 passes in the first half of their first game (a Championship record), and enjoyed a 25-match unbeaten run between September and February. Southampton reached the playoffs and beat Leeds in the final.
But Martin’s side struggled in the top flight. BBC Scotland’s chief sports writer, Tom English, noted Martin’s lack of adaptability in the Premier League. Many pundits criticised him for continually encouraging his team to play out from the back last season, despite the abundance of evidence that it wasn’t working. He was sacked after one league win in 16 games.
Can Rangers win the league this year?
After their difficult start to the season, Rangers probably would have taken the 0-0 draw against Celtic. Martin was more optimistic after the game, saying he was proud of his players’ fight and desire.
Rangers are still second favourites for the league title behind their great rivals, according to the online betting odds. Celtic have won the last four titles with Rangers in second place each year. Hearts, Aberdeen, and Hibs have sometimes looked like challenging Rangers, and they will be hoping Martin’s side slips up.
Are the early European games to blame for a sluggish start?
Martin felt that lethargy in the first Brugge game was not acceptable. He said he was surprised, but more so angry. Although Martin acknowledged his responsibility to analyse his tactics, he reiterated the problem of players’ mentality.
He warned his players that egos won’t be tolerated and that some will be left behind if they won’t get fully onboard.
Earlier in 2025, The Athletic / New York Times investigated the impact of travel on performances. Stephen Smith, the CEO of a performance and technology company, said their research suggested travel made the most impact on performance of any variable. The study analysed over 60,000 matches from the last two decades, and found that travel distances had a greater effect than team form or the quality of the opponent.