Ex-Celtic player stunned by overwhelming backlash faced by Rangers manager Russell Martin
A former Celtic player has voiced concern for Russell Martin and his family, as the Rangers head coach faces persistent criticism from supporters. Despite Rangers finally securing their first Scottish Premiership win this season—a dramatic 2-1 victory over Livingston—fans continued to express their dissatisfaction, calling for Martin’s departure.
The ongoing backlash at Ibrox has created a turbulent environment. Walker, once a striker for Celtic, shared his thoughts on a radio program, highlighting the emotional toll on Martin’s loved ones. “It just seems to be the way of the world at the moment, and I can’t imagine being a family member of Russell Martin,” he said. “The stick he gets is just relentless and it’s quite clear that the vast majority of Rangers fans have turned their backs on him.”
Walker continued, “They’re actually giving him abuse; it’s just non-stop throughout the game. It’s difficult to take, you can’t answer back. You hear him post-match, he’ll concentrate on his relationship with the players. Normally you have a manager talking about the fans and how great they are and how much they give, but I don’t think he can go near any of that chat.”
Rangers supporters have grown increasingly frustrated, believing the team’s performance and direction under Martin fall short of club expectations. Their discontent has manifested in visible protests and strong calls for immediate changes at the managerial level.
Barry Ferguson, a former Rangers interim manager, also weighed in on the challenging atmosphere surrounding Martin. He commented, “It must be tough, and you can see it must be affecting him. He’s just trying to focus on the team and make sure he’s getting results.”
Ferguson added, “For yesterday’s game, that was the most important thing: just getting the first three points and then hopefully the team can kick on and maybe it’ll quieten down. You just need to win games of football.”
As pressure mounts, Martin is left to navigate a hostile climate while aiming to stabilize the team’s performance and restore faith among supporters. The situation remains tense, with the coach’s future at Rangers under constant scrutiny.
