Russell Martin found himself in a frosty interview with a TNT Sports reporter after Rangers lost 1-0 at home to Genk.
The Gers began their Europa League campaign with an uninspiring defeat to the Belgian side in a match that saw the Scottish giants finish with ten men.
It was another difficult evening for MartinGettyTo make matters worse, it was a former Celtic forward who scored the winning goal.
Hyeon-Gyu Oh scored in the second half when he was played through on goal and finished brilliantly into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.
It followed Oh missing several huge chances, including a penalty that Jack Butland saved.
Things all turned in the space of a few minutes, as the hosts were first denied a penalty by VAR, with the referee being sent to the screen, but rather than awarding a penalty for handball to the Gers, he gave a free-kick to the Belgian side.
Mohammed Diomande was then sent off for a dangerous tackle, catching his man shin-high.
James Tavernier gave away the penalty before half time, but despite Butland’s save, it was another disappointing evening for Rangers as Oh’s goal separated the two sides.
There were banners in the crowd with Martin’s face on them with crosses and cancelled signs, suggesting some of the Ibrox faithful have had enough.
And after the match, his interview with TNT was rather frosty.
He said: “Well I think it was difficult because we were down to ten men for so long. We had good control in the first bit of the game and then a tough spell, we had to defend a little bit because we weren’t good enough or clean enough with the ball,” Martin said.
“Then I thought we rode that out, and then Dio [Diomande] gets sent off and it changes the game. The lads, I thought, were good second half, we actually looked a threat on the break, they wanted to take the ball, they stuck together.
“But I’m proud of that in the second half, we had ten men for so long against a decent team, it’s not easy so, it is what it is.”
Martin was then questioned on being proud, and he responded: “I’m not talking about the result, I’m talking about the performance.”
The questions swiftly moved on to the number of chances Rangers conceded even at 11 vs 11.
An irritated Martin responded: “Yeah I just said to you, we had good control for 25, 30 minutes, and then we had a wobbly spell for five, ten minutes where we weren’t clean with the ball so we had to defend a bit more. We had moments as well, we were in their box a lot.”
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What some Rangers fans think of Martin is clear, they’ve had enoughGettyThe lack of control question came next, and was quickly rebuffed: “I just said, we weren’t clean enough with the ball.”
With many Rangers fans already frustrated, Martin simply wants to win as quickly as possible to get them on side.
He added: “I’ve said so many times before, the only thing that will impact that is winning football matches.
“I think inside the building, they’ve been amazing… The players, the staff, so we have to just keep focusing on that, and then the outcome will end up being positive, and hopefully, that will end up turning the supporters and their feelings.”
Meanwhile, Rangers legend, talkSPORT and TNT pundit Ally McCoist is very concerned about his old side and believes something needs to change.
Speaking in the immediate aftermath of the match he was asked if Rangers fans were disappointed, and he said: “Absolutely, of course they are. They’ve got every right to, totally justified with the disappointment in what we’ve seen.
McCoist will no doubt be in for some stick when he’s next on BreakfasttalkSPORT“It clearly hasn’t been good enough, and it isn’t good enough, and tonight was another disappointment. You can point to the red card, the deserved red card, but it goes deeper than that, the level of performances haven’t been good enough.
“I just felt, coming into the stadium tonight, it kind of blew me away. It was nothing like a normal atmosphere of any game, never mind a European game, here at Ibrox. There was an apathy, there was no life about the place actually on or off the pitch, which is really, really concerning.
“Listen, the manager’s in trouble, the manager’s in big trouble because something has to change, and something has to change dramatically. On the current evidence, sadly, I can’t see it happening.”
Title race over?
Away from the bad start to the Europa League campaign, Rangers are struggling hugely domestically.
The Gers have played five SPFL matches and have no wins, four draws and a defeat.
It leaves Martin and Rangers languishing near the bottom of the table, nine points off Celtic.
And Jason Cundy believes they won’t win the league for the next ten years.
After a passionate call from Gers fan Derek, Cundy said: “Is there a world right now, where we can see anytime soon that Rangers can get anywhere near close to Celtic? Because of how far they have fallen, and how far they have dropped off.
“Celtic are Barcelona in Scotland. We have watched what has happened, it’s like Manchester United and Liverpool in this country – the two biggest clubs in England.
“You’ve got one that are cruising; it used to be Manchester United, and Liverpool were struggling.
Cundy thinks Martin isn’t to blame, and the problems are ingrained in the clubtalkSPORT“When was the last time Rangers dominated? You have to go back decades. They are years away.
“They have fallen behind, and it’s not a Russell Martin problem – it’s a Rangers problem.
“This is not a new problem. He has inherited an old problem.
“Celtic have been the dominant force. They’ve won one title under Steven Gerrard, other than that, it has been Celtic.
“Celtic have been too good for too long, and I don’t know how that gap can be made up as quickly as Rangers fans would like.
“The gap feels bigger than when they [Rangers] got relegated, but they are now streets behind. They might not win the title for the next ten years – that is what it looks like right now.”
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