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Daily Record
25 minutes ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Six Rangers stars give Russell Martin a serious headache but there's one thing he can't sacrifice for Panathinaikos
There are seven new boys for the Rangers gaffer to pick from ahead of the clash with Panathinaikos Neil Murray reckons Russell Martin will be wrestling with a massive selection dilemma ahead of his Euro bow as boss. Martin has signed six stars in a flurry of business in less than four weeks. Throw in pre-contract capture Lyall Cameron and there are seven new boys for the Rangers gaffer to pick from ahead of the clash with Panathinaikos. Murray, a veteran of several nerve-shredding Champions League qualifiers in the 90s, says there must be temptation to stick with experience. Gers still boast core players who have made the Europa League quarter-finals and round of 16 in the last two seasons. But Martin has his own guys Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga, Thelo Aasgaard, Manny Fernandez, Djeidi Gassama and Joe Rothwell in his 25-man Euro squad. Murray said: 'Does he go with a nucleus from last season with a sprinkling of the new ones? Or does he go wholesale and put in all the new boys that he wanted? 'There are players who understand what it means to win in Europe for Rangers in recent years. It makes sense to have that useful experience. If the majority have played together, that can count for something. 'From what I can gather, Panathinaikos will have a settled team to play these games. Sometimes that can be a strength. It's about finding the best formula because there will be new players who give the Gers group a boost. 'Martin will hopefully have a good idea of his best XI. Team selection will be key over two legs and there are big calls to be made. 'In a wider sense for the season ahead, this Rangers squad is massive. There are plenty of players to choose from which can generate its own problems.' Brian Laudrup was the only new boy in the team when Murray endured a Greek tragedy in 1994. Walter Smith's side were sunk 2-0 away by AEK Athens in the first leg. And the Greeks grabbed a 1-0 win at Ibrox to condemn Gers to a second successive season of failure to make the groups. The Great Dane was starved of service recalls Murray, who said: 'Laudrup strengthened the team no end in his time at the club. He added: 'His ability was outstanding but if we didn't have possession to feed him in dangerous areas, what he could do on his own was limited. 'We didn't give Laudrup the ammo. It was a difficult draw. AEK had quality throughout and it was all a bit too much for us. 'The strange thing was we played 3-5-2 having been 4-4-2 for years. We beat Manchester United 1-0 in the Ibrox Tournament the weekend before playing a back three. 'The idea was we could do it against AEK. But it was a risk to change how we'd played for a long time.' AEK coasted the Ibrox leg after scoring in the first half as European Cup winner Basile Boli's Euro debut for Gers fell flat. Murray said: 'It was Champions League or nothing back then – you didn't live to fight another day in a new competition. 'The qualifiers were a tightrope and going out was disappointing for the club financially and for the players.'
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
My goal against Rangers for Panathinaikos wasn't enough last time – here is the key in this Champions League tie
The Light Blues face the Greeks at Ibrox on Tuesday in a massive first leg tie Panathinaikos legend Giannis Goumas netted the last time they faced Rangers and he's warned the Greek side not to be blown away by the Ibrox atmosphere on Tuesday. Rangers host Panathinaikos in Glasgow in the second qualifying round of the Champions League with the return in Athens. The last time the sides met, it finished goalless at Ibrox in 2008 before Goumas opened the scoring for the hosts in the return leg. But an 81st minute goal from Nacho Novo saw Rangers go through on away goals to send them into the Last 16 in a competition where they eventually went all the way to the final before losing to Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester. And Goumas - who spent his entire career at Panathinaikos and helped Greece win Euro 2004 - is wary of the Ibrox atmosphere. He said: "The key for the tie is for Panathinaikos to withstand the pressure in Scotland. "I scored a great goal against Rangers in 2008, but it meant nothing because we didn't qualify. "It was a shame because it was one of the best goals of my career. "Rangers are also undergoing transformation with a new manager and players and we don't know how they will present themselves in these two games. "But they are a Scottish team and we know the Scots bring out that extra passion, especially at home. "The atmosphere in front of their fans will be explosive. That's the key for me, in the first game Panathinaikos will have to withstand the pressure and must try to be able to score without being afraid of the home team. "They have to go and play their game, get a result and if they do that, I think their task will be easier in the second leg "Any player who wears the Panathinaikos jersey must honour it and give everything they have. There is no need for fear, but there is certainly pressure in Glasgow." Meanwhile, Panathinaikos have slashed ticket prices for their home leg against Rangers next week to just £13 in a bid to get a full house. The game has been moved to Athens' Olympic Stadium because Panathinaikos' home stadium is still being renovated and they want to get as close to the capacity of 69,000 as possible. Follow Record Sport on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for all of the up-to-the minute breaking news, video and audio on the SPFL, the Scotland national team and beyond. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers page, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season.
Daily Record
6 hours ago
- Business
- 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.
Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Russell Martin must be Rangers history maker in his first game in charge as one thing is clear about Ibrox
It's a tough start to competitive life at Ibrox for Martin but Kirk Broadfoot insists he simply must deliver a win on Tuesday or the Champions League dream will be as good as over. Kirk Broadfoot reckons Russell Martin will have to make Scottish football history in his first game as Rangers boss if his side are to keep their Champions League dream alive. Panathinaikos visit Ibrox on Tuesday night for the first leg of the second qualifying round tie - and they have never lost to a Scottish team in seven previous encounters. But Broadfoot believes to have any chance of getting through the qualifier Martin's new-look outfit must hit the ground running and beat Rui Vitoria's Greeks in Govan ahead of the return leg in Athens eight days later. Three previous meetings between the teams have ended in draws while Panathinaikos won at Ibrox in 2003. They've also dumped Aberdeen in 2007 and Motherwell home and away in 2012. The winners over the next 10 days will still face two more rounds of qualifying to hit the £40m 'league phase' jackpot. And former Ibrox defender Broadfoot, who was part of the Gers side that drew home and away in the last meeting with Pana in 2008, said: 'I think it's a 50-50 if I'm being honest. Tuesday's game at Ibrox is going to be massive. If Rangers can come away with a result at Ibrox - maybe a 1-0 or 2-0 win - then I'd fancy them. 'But I think they need to be leading when they go to Athens. If they're going over there level, I think it's going to be hard. Especially as it's going to be a new defence. They'll have no time to click. The manager has a style he likes to play but will he go with it in Athens? 'Unfortunately the fans don't care about that. They just want results and they will be judged on this game even though it is really early.' Martin is adamant his side, which could include up to seven new signings, will be ready for the test that awaits them on Tuesday evening. Broadfoot hopes the former Scotland defender is right. But he also knows the shock that lies in wait for the light blues new boys when they first encounter the wait of expectation on their shoulders. He said: 'I think unless you're Scottish and you know what it's about.. even then it takes time to adjust. 'Even me being a Rangers fan, signing with Rangers, I didn't know what was happening with the pressures and how drawing a game was the end of the world. 'I wasn't used to that. These guys will never feel anything like this at any other club. They need to learn fast that nothing but winning at Rangers counts. It's the same at Celtic. 'Sometimes guys just can't adapt and that's the problem and the pressure that comes with it. 'Unfortunately you don't get a year to settle in. You've got to hit the ground running or they'll make their mind up and then they're on you. 'Guys like James Tavernier will be trying to get that through to them. I was lucky when I went. There was big characters like Barry Ferguson and David Weir, then we signed guys like Lee McCulloch and Kris Boyd who I travelled with. 'All these guys helped you along and they brought a good core in. The Scottish boys, Kevin Thompson, Steven Whittaker, Stephen Naismith, who all knew what it was about. 'I was lucky to get into a squad like that. The mentality was second to none.'
Sydney Morning Herald
16 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Beyond Rome and Venice: 15 of Italy's most underrated destinations
Where Italy's second-smallest region (after Valle d'Aosta), located between Rome and Naples (although to the east), with a mountainous interior and short coastline on the Adriatic Sea. It has no major towns or cities. With fewer than 500,000 visitors a year, it's the least-visited Italian region. Why we love it Seemingly always hunkered beyond outside influence and history, Molise won't wow you with big sights, but feels like an Italy of times gone by, and has haunting landscapes. The region produces good seafood and fish, wine, olive oil and cheese, lamb, cured meats and sausages. Don't miss Termoli is a dishevelled but attractive fishing town with a walled medieval core on the Adriatic coast. Inland, the ruins of a small Roman trading town at Saepinum are well-preserved and yet virtually unvisited. Guglionesi has a historic centre cluttered with churches. Essentials Spring and autumn are best; avoid winter, which can be rainy. Bellavista B&B di Charme in Macchiagodena has a country setting with mountain views, restaurant and infinity pool, and makes a good exploration base. See NORTHWEST SICILY Where Sicily is far from unknown, but most visitors stick to the eastern half. The island's north-west runs from Trapani southwards to coastal cities Marsala and Mazara, and includes rugged inland hill towns and the Egadi Islands. Why we love it Greeks, Romans, Normans and Spaniards have influenced Sicilian culture, but in the north-west its medieval Islamic heritage is best felt: flat-roofed, whitewashed towns, old forts and use of eggplant, lemons, rice, almonds and raisins in the cuisine. Don't miss Trapani has a fortified peninsula setting and baroque old town. Fishing port Mazara and wine-producer Marsala have a distinctly North African feel. Inland, Caltagirone is famed for the quality of its ceramics, while hilltop Erice has a brooding medieval atmosphere and Sicily's best marzipan. The Egadi islands offer archaeological sites, whitewashed villages fronting pretty harbours, sea caves and diving on a Roman shipwreck. VENETO Where This north-east region that includes Venice shouldn't make this list, except that Venice's visitor millions largely ignore the Veneto's lovely countryside and high mountains, whose snow you can spot from atop Venice's campaniles. Why we love it There's so much landscape and cultural variety condensed into this small region that you could spend weeks exploring it. Historic towns, although well visited, retain a local atmosphere and have plenty of good museums, cathedrals and other sights. Don't miss Barge down Brenta Canal from Venice and admire the summer palazzi of the Venetian aristocracy before arriving in culture-dense university and pilgrimage town Padua. Vincenza and Verona are two other worthy historical towns. Further north are the vineyards where prosecco is produced, and further north still the superb Dolomites and chic ski resort Cortina d'Ampezzo. Essentials Summer is hot, rainy and crowded, and winter chilly, though great if you ski. Al Fagiano Art Hotel in Padua is modestly priced but offers decorative, colourful and slightly risque flair, and has a little courtyard garden. See BASILICATA Where A rugged, remote region in the arch of Italy's boot between Calabria (the toe) and Apulia (the heel), notable for short coastlines on both the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas. It has a population of just 530,000 and ranks 19th out of 20 Italian regions for visitor numbers. Why we love it This is another, almost otherworldly Italy imprinted with ancient cultures but seemingly bypassed by the Renaissance. Depopulated villages slumber amid ragged but gorgeous landscapes and coastlines. Don't miss Matera, World Heritage-listed for its cave houses and baroque topping, has recently become tourist-famous, but few visitors stray beyond it. Craco is an eerily abandoned town, medieval Melfi has a fine hilltop setting topped by a ruined castle, Metaponto sits on a lovely coastline and has Greek ruins. Pollino National Park has lush forest and ancient villages. Essentials April-June is the best option, since it combines warm weather with wildflowers. For something unusual, check into a cave hotel in Matera, whether at top-end Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa or mid-range Caveoso Hotel. See CALABRIA Where In Italy's toe, with long coasts on the nation's east and west sides. Historically one of Italy's poorest regions, Calabria has none of the key towns or big sights that draw international tourists, giving it modest tourist numbers. Loading Why we love it This isn't the elegant, sophisticated Italy of movies and romantic novels. Calabria is rough at the edges, provincial and poor, and yet offers the real deal: lovely towns not yet turned to kitsch, friendly locals not yet jaded by tourists, and a culture not homogenised by Italy, let alone Europe. Don't miss Two coastlines, three national parks, medieval villages, Greek ruins, festival outbursts, endless street life: Calabria is the appealing sum of many small parts. Coastal Tropea is the loveliest city. Badolato, Civita, Gerace and Scilla are striking villages. Essentials April and October are sweet spots weather wise, and you can also take in many festivals related to Easter or food harvests. Piccolo Grand Hotel in Pizzo is a simple, unpretentious hotel from yesteryear with cheerful colourful rooms overlooking the sea. See VALLE D'AOSTA Where This north-west region sits in the Alps, with better-known destinations Chamonix (France) and Zermatt (Switzerland) just over the border. It's the country's smallest and least-populated region but has outsized scenery. Why we love it Superb alpine landscapes, castles clinging to crags, cheerful villages, great hiking trails, interesting French influences. Most visitors come in winter for guaranteed great snow, with resorts that connect across the border offering extravagant – but more modestly priced – skiing. Don't miss Aosta has Roman and medieval remains and a snow-capped setting. Rock-perched Forte di Bard combines fortifications, an alpine museum and terrific panoramas. Get into Gran Paradiso National Park for scenic hiking and ibex-spotting. The ski season is busy, with Cervinia offering the most ski runs, but Courmayeur the most upmarket. Essentials Because of the high altitudes and glaciers, the ski season runs from late November to early May. Cervinia has no shortage of luxury and family-run boutique hotels and ski chalets, among them the cool and contemporary Principe delle Nevi, which is ski-in ski-out. See FIVE OVERLOOKED CITIES IN ITALY Turin The former capital of Savoy in the north-west is one of Italy's most attractive big cities, with French-influenced architecture, fine piazzas and boulevards, great cafes and Alps on the horizon. The home of Fiat and other industries also has the wealth for good museums and restaurants, a lively classical music scene, and sophisticated shopping. Don't miss one of the world's best ancient Egyptian collections, a whopping baroque royal palace, and the National Automobile Museum. See Loading Mantua Ruled for four centuries by the influential Gonzaga family, Mantova in north-central Italy, just south of Verona, is UNESCO-listed for its Renaissance old town, arcaded streets, several fine piazzas and sumptuous palaces, set on the shores of an artificial lake. The massive Palazzo Ducale is draped in luscious frescoes, tapestries and first-class artworks, while Palazzo Te has more magnificent frescoes. Anywhere else and queues would be out the door. See Cremona If Cremona is known at all it is for its violin making, with many luthiers still carrying on the tradition that reached its height under Antonio Stradivari. The Museo del Violino has its interest, but you'll be delighted by the charming town, which has one of Italy's loveliest central piazzas, its tallest campanile, and a pink 12th-century cathedral. The city 80 kilometres southeast of Milan is also noted for nougat and mustard production. See Trento This north-east city and former independent bishopric is well-kept, cobbled, castle-dominated, and sits on a river surrounded by the Alps. It also has historical chops, an Italian-Germanic fusion culture and a busy summer festival season. Highlights are the Castello del Buonconsiglio and Muse, an interactive science museum that highlights the alpine environment inside a jagged, eye-catching Renzo Piano-designed building. Ride the cable car to Sardagna above the valley to appreciate Trento's glorious location. See
