logo
Sir Alex Ferguson provides ‘incredible' support to Rangers boss Russell Martin

Sir Alex Ferguson provides ‘incredible' support to Rangers boss Russell Martin

Leader Live6 hours ago
Ferguson joined former Ibrox team-mate and ex-manager John Greig in meeting the Rangers players during the week to back up Martin's attempts to instil a winning mentality.
Speaking ahead of his competitive debut in the Champions League qualifiers against Panathinaikos at Ibrox on Tuesday, Martin told Rangers TV: 'We have to get into the habit of winning. We have to get in the habit of playing the way that we want to play, regardless of who we play against.
'I said that to the team from day one. It has to be about us and it has to be about our intention and our habits and what we do. If we're going to do something, we're going to do it all the time.
'If we're going to run, it's not a choice. We're going to run all the time. If we're going to fight, we're going to fight all the time. There's never a choice at this football club. You have to do it.
'We've had a couple of people in this week, in John Greig and Sir Alex Ferguson, who understand that.
'It's been brilliant for the guys to see them. They're desperate for this team to do well and for us to do well as a group. They've echoed that message.
'That's what they want to see as fans of this club. Any team talk or any message I have for the players I think is done when those two guys speak about this club and what it means to them and what they expect from the performance.
'I hope we can put in a performance that those two feel proud of as well.'
The former Aberdeen and Manchester United had earlier contacted Martin through his son's connection with the Gers boss.
Martin said: 'I played under Darren Ferguson at Peterborough and he reached out a few weeks ago when I got the job and said his dad wanted to give me a call and was that OK? I said, of course. Since then, Sir Alex has been in touch really regularly. He's been great.
'I said to him, you need to come in as soon as you can. He came up and he's been in. It was brilliant for everyone to see him.
'It's the first time he's ever been here. It was a really good moment for everyone to meet him and see him. He's been so supportive of me personally, which has been incredible.
'Then, Mr Greig, he messaged me and it's just been the first chance he had to get in. They both told stories about each other and it was nice to see them both. They're both really behind us and what we're doing.
'They just want to feel the same way as all the fans. We want to see a team that fights and works for everything and has a way about them on the pitch that typifies and exemplifies what they believe this club to be about.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Lille 'struggling' in Igamane pursuit as Dutch giants 'enter the race'
Lille 'struggling' in Igamane pursuit as Dutch giants 'enter the race'

The National

time27 minutes ago

  • The National

Lille 'struggling' in Igamane pursuit as Dutch giants 'enter the race'

The French club are said to have a personal agreement with the forward, but the deal remains on hold, according to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri. Read more: He also claims that back-to-back Dutch champions Feyenoord have now 'entered the race' to sign Igamane, with Premier League side Everton and Udinese of Serie A also making enquiries. 🇲🇦 LOSC struggling in their negotiations with Rangers FC for Hamza Igamane. Despite a personal agreement with the Moroccan, the deal's still on hold. In the meantime, Feyenoord entered the race. Everton and Udinese have also made enquiries. One to watch.. #mercato #dimamaghrib — Sacha Tavolieri (@sachatavolieri) July 19, 2025 It remains to be seen where the Moroccan's future lies next season. He only joined Rangers last summer from FAR Rabat in his homeland, and has since gone on to score 16 goals and register three assists in light blue. Despite increasing speculation over his future, Igamane was included in [[Rangers]]' 25-man Champions League squad for their upcoming second round qualifier against Panathinaikos. Rangers squad vs Panathinaikos Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Liam Kelly, Kieran Wright. Defenders: Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga, Emmanuel Fernandez, Leon King, John Souttar, James Tavernier, Jefte. Midfielders: Thelo Aasgaard, Nedim Bajrami, Connor Barron, Lyall Cameron, Oscar Cortes, Mohamed Diomande, Kieran Dowell, Robbie Fraser, Djiedi Gassama, Nico Raskin, Joe Rothwell. Forwards: Cyriel Dessers, Josh Gentles, [[Hamza Igamane]], Danilo.

Russell Martin faces Rangers task I can't ever recall and depth charge could destroy the lot
Russell Martin faces Rangers task I can't ever recall and depth charge could destroy the lot

Daily Record

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Record

Russell Martin faces Rangers task I can't ever recall and depth charge could destroy the lot

The new Ibrox boss faces a huge task early in - the like our man has never seen before with a Govan gaffer The way things are going with incoming transfers at Ibrox, Rangers will need to qualify for the Champions League to cover the cost of a wage bill that's spiralling in an upwards direction. ‌ The payroll was unwieldy before 49ers Enterprises arrived to take over the club and it has now been increased significantly with the addition of multiple players to the squad. ‌ Just one more thing to concentrate Russell Martin 's mind as he contemplates the arrival of Panathinaikos on Tuesday night for the first leg of their qualifying tie. ‌ Beware Greeks bearing gifts you don't want. Like elimination. It's turbo charge or depth charge for the new head coach. The first one increases his team's power output in the event of an aggregate victory and instantly enhances Martin's reputation, even in the minds of the terminally sceptical. The second one detonates and destroys all of Russell's early work and requires the mounting of a salvage operation minus the riches from Europe's biggest club competition to pay for it. ‌ How about that lot for day one on the job? There is nothing about Martin's professional or private life to suggest vulnerability in the face of adversity. He confronted, and survived, the domestic difficulties of his childhood with a show of formidable fortitude. ‌ And he subsequently carved out a career in the game that was inspirational considering all that he had to overcome in order to make it at club and international level. All of which qualifies Martin as a fascinating case study . Now, though, comes the first practical examination of his suitability for what lies ahead at Rangers. The scale of what he is taking on in 48 hours' time is arguably an unfair burden to bear for the new head coach. ‌ I can't recall anyone in Russell's position at Ibrox – and I can go back to dealing with Willie Waddell in 1970 – ever having had to negotiate an occasion of this magnitude before he had even handled a domestic league match. A European tie with a multi-million pound side stake and one that threatens to carry with it profound ramifications in the event of failing to win over two legs. Martin has constructed a team in his own image in a remarkably short space of time. Now his judgment of a player comes under scrutiny. ‌ He also formulated a pre-season fixture schedule that has already brought criticism from fans who feel the team is undercooked for a match of Tuesday night's importance. That formula will be used in evidence against him if anything goes wrong at Ibrox in midweek. There was the suggestion of an authoritarian streak when Martin revealed an unspecified breach of rules at Rangers ' training facility at St George's Park last week. A misstep that made him run his players into submission, even though it was the day before a friendly match. Asserting your authority has to come with delivering positive results that justify the methodology. 'Respect, clarity and honesty, always,' he said afterwards. One man being his own man is the way it has to be when the buck stops with you, I suppose. And the buck has certainly been passed to Martin with knobs on.

Kirk Broadfoot recalls Rangers powderkeg against Panathinaikos and explains why things could be worse now
Kirk Broadfoot recalls Rangers powderkeg against Panathinaikos and explains why things could be worse now

Daily Record

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Record

Kirk Broadfoot recalls Rangers powderkeg against Panathinaikos and explains why things could be worse now

As one of Rangers' 2008 UEFA Cup heroes Broadfoot knows exactly what it takes to withstand a fiery night in Athens. Kirk Broadfoot felt the heat on the park and off it the last time Rangers entered the Panathinaikos cauldron. ‌ A powderkeg evening in Greece saw Walter Smith 's side come under fire from a pumped-up Pana and their crazy ultras. ‌ Broadfoot was just relieved that UEFA Cup firecracker in February 2008 - which paved the way for Gers to go on a run all the way to the final - wasn't also played in a summer Mediterranean furnace. ‌ As it was a late Nacho Novo goal sealed a backs-to-the-wall 1-1 draw in the ramshackle Stadio Aspostolos Nikolaidis and ensured Rangers Euro hopes never went up in flames. It was enough to seal an away goals victory and qualification for the last 16 of the competition. But Broadfoot admits they had to withstand a 90-minute battering. Seventeen years later and Rangers are facing another do-or-die Euro double header with Pana - but this time in the Champions League qualifiers with the second leg to take place in Athens' Olympic Stadium during the height of the summer holiday season. ‌ Temperatures are forecast to hit the high 30s Celsius by the time Russell Martin's troops take the pitch next Wednesday night hoping to avoid being burned at the first hurdle. Double or maybe even treble the 16,000 fans who turned out back in 2008 are expected to pack in. And it all means one thing is certain - it's going to be uncomfortable. ‌ That's why Broadfoot is convinced Rangers must ensure they win Tuesday's first leg in the home comforts of Govan and give themselves a cushion for what's about to hit them eight days later. The towering defender wasn't one to often feel uneasy in the heat of battle during his career. But turning his mind back to that night in Greece he told MailSport: 'It was quite intimidating if I'm being honest. I remember going out for the warm up and the stadium was full. You don't really get that over here. ‌ 'The atmosphere was hostile. There's the part with the ultras, they called it Gate 13, where the tunnel was. Sasa Papac had told me to watch out for missiles. He said 'as soon as you go out here they'll throw stuff at you'. 'I didn't really take it on board, that was my first season at Rangers so I'd never really experienced anything like that. 'But once you were out… wow. They were noisy, they were throwing all sorts of stuff at you and I quickly realised 'we're in for one tonight'. ‌ 'The pitch was covered with programmes and all sorts of stuff. They were just launching anything they could get their hands on really. 'Luckily wee Nacho popped up with a late equaliser because we took a wee bit of a doing that night if I'm being honest. 'There's going to be more of them next week. So one thing you can guarantee is it will be intimidating. ‌ 'I expect the Rangers players, the likes of James Tavernier and John Souttar, to be used to that now. But it will be hostile. They do really get behind their team over there. "On top of that they will have to contend with the heat. When we played it was February and the temperatures weren't too bad. It was still warm compared to what we were used to but it wasn't too bad. I think it was sitting at 17 or 18 Celsius. 'But that could be a big factor now for Rangers going over there at this time of the year. ‌ 'Obviously the Panathinaikos players will be more used to it, you do acclimatise to where you play and train in it. 'It will be a factor especially the last half hour of the game with the fans pushing Panathinaikos on. That's when the fitness levels will be pushed to the max. 'That's why I really think Rangers need to build up a lead in the first leg to take over there. ‌ 'It's so early for them to be playing this level of game. So much is riding on it. They really could have been doing with an easier start in the Champions League.' Broadfoot was a key man in Smith's side that rode out the storm in Athens and then helped shock Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina before succumbing to Zenit St Petersburg in the 2008 final. ‌ It was a journey built on solid foundations. Nothing flashy. Being hard to beat. And it worked a treat. But that's not a gameplan Broadfoot expects to see new boss Martin, renowned for his possession-based style, to adopt no matter the size of the challenge. He said: 'I know Russell Martin likes to play a possession-based game but will he get to play that against Panathinaikos away? Only time will tell. ‌ 'We always played with four centre-backs in that run to the final. Myself at right back, Carlos Cuellar, Davey Weir and Sasa Papac on the left. That's pretty much four centre-backs. Then in front of us we had Brahim Hemdani and Kevin Thompson just sitting so you'd say it was six really defensive players there. 'We were set up not to concede and try and nick a goal. It worked. Unfortunately, not in the final but it worked all the way through. 'We always made sure we tried to not concede at home with the away goal because if we did then we had to go away and open up and maybe score two. It didn't really suit us at that point. 'But with the away goals rule being scrapped now it changes quite a lot. 'It'll be interesting to see how Russell Martin approaches it. He's got a new-look defence. 'I like the way he talks, the way he comes across. I really do hope he hits the ground running.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store