Manager Russell Martin could not question his team’s desire after they secured a crucial victory over Livingston. A less resilient squad might have collapsed under the pressure of a comeback, but Rangers held firm to claim a result that was far more important than the performance.
However, this single win does little to placate a fanbase frustrated by the team’s five other Premiership outings this season, which have yielded only four draws and a defeat. The hostile chants directed at the manager are unlikely to cease without a significant run of victories both domestically and in Europe.
Forthcoming away fixtures in Graz and Falkirk present immediate challenges that must be overcome to begin winning over skeptical supporters. According to former Ibrox assistant Neil McCann, the victory has at least bought the manager some time. “It’s so important for Russell Martin,” McCann told Sky Sports. “You could see the relief on his face. Today was just about winning. Take three points and get off the pitch.”
Martin did just that, telling BBC Scotland he made a swift exit down the tunnel at full-time to allow his players to celebrate with the fans, fearing his presence would sour the atmosphere.
“I’m so happy for the players—they really stuck at it,” Martin said. “The fans saw a team that’s really fighting for each other and for the coaching staff.” Regarding the chants against him, he added, “I’ve nothing to say about it because I can’t control any of it. It’s aimed at me, but it’s not about me today, it’s about the players.”
This hard-fought win follows a solid performance against Hibernian that secured a League Cup semi-final spot, and a narrow European defeat to Genk in which Rangers played for 50 minutes with ten men. While these may be tentative signs of recovery, any return to mediocrity could quickly undo this fragile progress. The standard of performance remains well below what supporters expect, but for now, Martin has overseen a tangible, if slight, improvement.
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