Dundee not giving up on Mulligan stay
Dundee manager Tony Docherty is still hopeful of keeping midfielder Josh Mulligan despite interest from Rangers. (Daily Record), externalRead all of Wednesday's Scottish gossip
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Daily Record
27 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Kris Boyd dismisses Celtic points gap and claims Russell Martin can lead Rangers to title glory
Gers ended the Premiership campaign 17 points behind their rivals but Boyd is adamant Martin can turn things around quickly Kris Boyd believes Russell Martin is the man to end Celtic's dominance and make Rangers top dogs in Scotland again. Gers finally ended their 102-day search for Philippe Clement's replacement by handing the Ibrox reins to ex-Southampton boss Martin. The former Scotland international has been tasked with leading the Light Blues' revival and bridging the gap with their rivals across the city. Martin – who has also managed MK Dons and Swansea – led Saints to Premier League promotion in 2024 but was axed in December after just one win from 16 top-flight matches. The 39-year-old's mixed managerial record has heightened concerns among supporters as to whether he's the right man for the job. Trophy-starved Rangers ended another dismal campaign 17 points behind runaway champions Celtic but Boyd is adamant Martin has the right credentials to transform the Glasgow giants into title challengers. "Listen, it didn't make good reading for Rangers domestically last year once again", the legendary striker told Sky Sports News. "But we've seen it before. You go back to Dick Advocat's team, they totally wiped the floor with Celtic. Martin O'Neill arrived and they totally wiped the floor with that Rangers team, which was a good Rangers team. "I think that you look at Rangers' problems, they didn't come against Celtic last year, they were against everyone else. "So if Rangers can eradicate the results against everybody else and start to build momentum early, start winning the games against the rest, then the Old Firm games will take care of themselves. "And Rangers have shown that they can cause Celtic problems in one-off games. But it's finding that consistency, and that's going to be the challenge for Russell Martin from now on. "He needs to find a level of consistency to go and beat the rest that allows Rangers to challenge towards the latter stage of the season against Celtic. "I've seen bigger point gaps than this being turned around. It's not like in England where you might have one big team who's struggling, but there are another three or four who are doing okay, and you need to overtake the three or four. "For Rangers, they only need to overtake Celtic for it to be a success. But, it's going to be a lot harder than you think because Celtic, under Brendan Rodgers, have been a well-oiled machine now for a number of seasons. "They do look as if they will strengthen again in the summer. They've got an opportunity for Champions League football again. "I think that it's a tough ask, but I think Rangers have got the right man, and he's shown that he can improve players, he can improve teams, he can build a culture within the football club that will allow the club to flourish going forward. "So, for me, can that gap be closed? Of course it can. Rangers need to find that consistency against everyone else. "But also, we've all been part of squads where you know you're going to be playing, you know you're the first name on the team sheet, and that's not good. It's not healthy. "You need to have people pushing you every single day in training, and I'm sure if Russell Martin's to add six or seven players to that, the starters from last year will probably become substitutes, and then it's up to them to fight back to try and get on the team. "And that is a healthy squad." Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bite-sized chunks.
North Wales Chronicle
27 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Rangers appoint new boss Russell Martin on three-year contract
The 39-year-old former MK Dons, Swansea and Southampton boss has signed a three-year contract. He will be joined at Ibrox by assistant head coach Matt Gill and performance coach Rhys Owen. ✍️ Our new Head Coach, Russell Martin. — Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) June 5, 2025 Martin guided Southampton to promotion to the Premier League last year but was sacked in December following one win from their first 16 games. Rangers finished last season under the caretaker management of former captain Barry Ferguson, having dismissed Philippe Clement in February. Ex-Scotland defender Martin, who had a short loan spell as a player at Rangers in 2018, is tasked with wrestling power back from the other side of Glasgow after Celtic's stranglehold on Scottish football continued with a 13th William Hill Premiership title in 14 seasons. 'From my time here, I had a taste of how special this club is, the expectation, the passion and the history,' he told the club's website. 'Now, as I return, I'm determined to bring success back, for the supporters, the players, and everyone inside this club. 'There's a lot to be done, but the goal is clear: win matches, win trophies and give Rangers fans a team that they can be proud of.' ✍️ We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Russell Martin as Head Coach of our men's first team on a three-year deal. Full Details ⬇️ — Rangers Football Club (@RangersFC) June 5, 2025 Martin's arrival is the latest in a series of major changes at the club. An American consortium led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises secured a majority shareholding on Friday, while new sporting director Kevin Thelwell officially began work on Monday. Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart, who led the recruitment process alongside Thelwell, said: 'Our criteria for our next coach were clear: we wanted a coach who will excel in terms of how we want to play, improve our culture, develop our squad, and ultimately win matches. Russell was the standout candidate.'
The National
35 minutes ago
- The National
Philippe Clement touts Rangers ace for EPL transfer
The midfielder is on international duty with Belgium and has two massive games against North Macedonia tonight and Wales on Monday in their World Cup qualifiers. Axed ex-Ibrox boss Clement handed the captain's armband to Raskin for their Old Firm win against Celtic in January with James Tavernier injured. And, in an interview in his homeland, Clement has tipped Raskin for the top. He said: "I think he's ready. I'm convinced Nico would fit perfectly in the Premier League. "I'm not saying he would be in a top six team now. But just below that, so he can calmly adapt to the level. "Make no mistake: Nico has a lot of room to grow. "He has to make the right choice now. And if he leaves and gets enough playing time at his new club, he will only get better. I would put my hand in the fire for that." And Clement, who turned down the chance to manage Sparta Prague last week and is still without a job, was full of praise for how much Raskin has improved. He said: "He's a character. I worked with him intensively for a year at Rangers. Nico wants to know everything, gets into discussions and has his own opinion. But if you communicate and argue clearly, there's no problem at all. "I like players with an opinion. I didn't just give him the captain's armband for nothing. That way he could grow as a footballer and take on more responsibility. "He has good feet and plays energetic football, but the most important step Nico has taken is that he has become tactically stronger. Read more: "That's why he was ready for the national team - something I said six months ago. I've talked to him about it a lot. "Nico was a firefighter. You know? He often went somewhere else to put out fires and that caused problems in his zone. He doesn't do that anymore. "I wasn't surprised when he played so well for Belgium on his debut. "He's played a lot of European matches. Both with Standard Liege and Rangers. When you play against teams like Manchester United, Spurs, Benfica or Real means it's nothing new for him to play against top players. "Playing for his country was a huge honour for him. Nico benefits from that - he's a born winner.'
