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Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Russell Martin tells Rangers stars how five legends who visited club can inspire them to greatness ahead of Euro clash
RANGERS' royalty spent last week touring the club's training ground. Sir Alex Ferguson, John Greig and Richard Gough all graced Russell Martin's squad with their presence in the build up to the crunch Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 3 Rangers manager Russell Martin is preparing his squad for Panathinaikos Credit: PA Their collective desire to see Gers back on top has made Martin more determined than ever before to build an empire of his own - fuelled, of course, by the prestige of the past. Sir Alex played for his boyhood heroes in the 1960s, while Greig and Gough delivered countless titles and trophies as captains. And Martin believes their iconic status within Ibrox can help propel his players to greatness. The Light Blues boss said: 'We had two Rangers legends and a legend of the game this week who supports this club and they all had the same conversation with every single one about what this club means to them and we have to represent that as much as we can. 'That's to try and be, like I said, as dominant as we possibly can in every aspect of the game we can be. 'We had John Brown, Lee McCulloch, Ian Durrant at a game and it was great to see them. 'The door is open to people who have had success here, they know what it takes, they know what the club is about, they support the club, they feel what it means to be here and be part of it. 'Anyone that can impart some wisdom on that and some experience, and people who have had big success here as well, is hugely helpful to me, to the staff, to the players. 'It's been great, it's been really nice, the energy around the training ground, seeing some of the players are in awe of these people is brilliant. 'It just reminds you that the players are just human as well, the same as us, they have people they look up to and they aspire to be like and this group will have a chance to create their own history, their own legacy and that has to be the message all the time, we have a chance to come here and do something really special and bring things together and do that and that has to be the aim for us this year.' 'Absolutely brilliant or RUBBISH' - Gassama Rangers transfer verdict and Souttar to leave While past legends can inspire, Martin knows his players must find their own way to follow in their footsteps. With so much riding on the outcome of the Panathinaikos clash, it's a baptism of fire for his new look squad. Martin stressed: 'They have to trust the work they've done. 'They have to trust each other, they have to trust the work that we've given them. 'And to do that, whatever the situation is, even if we're having a tough moment in the game, even if we're well on top and we're having a good time, they have to trust the work and stick to the work. 'Otherwise, it's pointless. 'I think we have a really clear framework to work in. 'There are certain non-negotiables and principles of our play that will remain the same, whatever the situation. 'And then they have to feel things and tomorrow night they'll feel it for the first time properly. 'So they will hopefully, as much as they possibly can, help each other on the pitch. 'We'll help as much as we can from the side. It's not always easy, but we will. 'Then they just have to trust that we will support them for it, as long as the intention of the team is good. 'We can always accept when mistakes are made or whatever, but the reaction has to be good and the intention has to be good. So they'll never get criticised if the intention is good and to be us.' Like Gers, Panathinaikos finished distant runners-up last season - trailing Olympiacos by 16 points. It's 15 years since the Greeks last reached the Group stages of the Champions League. 3 The last time the teams met, Rangers progressed on the old away goals rules to reach the last 16 of the Uefa Cup - Walter Smith's side would go on to reach the final. Martin said: 'I'm excited about it. 'I said that to the players, they should, with the work they've put in over the last four weeks, they should be really excited about this game too, because it's all been geared towards this. 'It could be hugely important for us. It will be. 'Whatever happens, the plan is to win it, to progress and to build from there. 'But whatever happens, we'll have something to gauge where this group is at, for them to feel it, the players and what we're asking them to do, to learn a lot about themselves, for us to learn a lot about them. 'It will not define us, but it is important. 'It needs to be patient, it needs to be quick and there will be times where it won't require much patience and there will be times where it will. 'It's not all going to be plain sailing, there will be some bumpy moments but we have to make sure that everyone can understand and see what we are trying to achieve and that the team has enough moments that people can feel excited about. 'That will be the message, we're going to need the supporters, they were amazing in the pre-season friendly second half, they've been brilliant whenever we've bumped into anyone around the city, they've been amazing. 'And they are the most important people and I hope they can feel the freshness and the energy in their team tomorrow night.' 3 Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Newcastle Utd fans take over Rangers pub and set off pyro ahead of Celtic friendly clash
THIS is the moment Newcastle fans took over a RANGERS pub in the East End of Glasgow ahead of today's friendly clash with Celtic Park. The Bristol Bar, who sits at the end of Duke Street in the Dennistoun area, is usually packed with followers of the Ibrox side. 2 Banners bedecked the outside of the Rangers pub 2 Newcastle fans set off pyro But supporters of Newcastle United took it over today, with 10,000 members of the Toon Army travelling north for the friendly clash. Images widely shared on social media showed Newcastle fans letting off pyrotechnics and covered the outside of the pub with flags and banners in the hours before the game. Earlier there were good natured scenes between followers of Celtic and Newcastle in the city centre - although there were reports of trouble between fans in the area near the Barras market. More to follow. Have YOU got a point for Kris Boyd? Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah chew over the big talking points each week SOMETHING you've just got to get off your chest from the weekend action? A burning Scottish football talking point you can't wait to bring up with Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah? SunSport's GoBallistic show wants to hear from you! So why not help set the Scottish football agenda for the week ahead! Have your say on the game's big topics by emailing us on: GoBallistic@ It's YOUR turn to Go Ballistic! Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I hope he gets the support he needs' – Rangers legend spotted as he's granted personal audience with Russell Martin
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RANGERS boss Russell Martin was granted a personal audience with an Ibrox legend this morning ahead of the midweek Champions League crunch vs Panathinaikos. Nine in a row icon Richard Gough visited the club's training base at Auchenhowie and had a few words of support. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up 2 The real stuff starts for Russell Martin this week Credit: Willie Vass 2 Russell Martin with Richard Gough Sharing an image with Martin on his Instagram account, Gough wrote: "Met this man this morning to wish him well at our football club. "Terrific fella. "I hope he gets the support he needs to get us back to where we belong." Martin is paid to make the big calls and that job started in earnest this week when he had to reveal his 25-man squad list to take on the Greeks. Both Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane were included, despite being linked with moves away. But Ben Davies, Ridvan Yilmaz and Robin Propper have all been left OUT as was Rabbi Matondo who is currently nursing an injury. New £3.5million man Thelo Aasgaard has been included despite the fact injury may prevent him from featuring in the first leg - with Martin admitting today the player is "touch and go" for the first game. He said: "It's disappointing for him and for us. Everything we thought we were getting from him and more. "His athleticism, the power he's got and more. He really is an exciting player for us, It has been high demands for him in pre-season and he has picked up something. "He is going to be touch and go, we hope he is going to be involved but if not he will be raring to go for the second one." Rangers-daft pub goes up for sale in Scots town Martin says most recent arrival Djeidi Gassama won't be ready to start the first game but will play a part and will be ready for the second match. He said: "Gassama is a little bit behind. He's not ready to start the game but he's totally different to anything we've got. "He's unpredictable, he's a fantastic one vs one specialist. He has real individual talent and we are convinced within our team work and our structure he will stand out and create moments that are really brilliant. "He will be in the squad and definitely ready to go in the second game. First game we might have to manage his minutes." Martin reckons the adrenaline will help get the players through. He said: "They're in a good place physically, a much better place where we were three or four weeks ago, tactically definitely in a much better place. Now we need to be ready for whatever else the game throws at us." Have YOU got a point for Kris Boyd? Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah chew over the big talking points each week SOMETHING you've just got to get off your chest from the weekend action? A burning Scottish football talking point you can't wait to bring up with Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah? SunSport's GoBallistic show wants to hear from you! So why not help set the Scottish football agenda for the week ahead! Have your say on the game's big topics by emailing us on: GoBallistic@ It's YOUR turn to Go Ballistic! Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
BBC pundit predicts Rangers fans could get ‘very, very angry' with Russell Martin's style – even if they're WINNING
RANGERS fans could become ANGRY at Russell Martin's style of play, reckons a top BBC pundit. The former Scotland international took over as Gers boss this summer and has been steadfast in his belief that he can turn the squad around and mount a challenge on Celtic. 1 Russell Martin has been preparing his squad for Panathinaikos Credit: Willie Vass Some supporters look at his Southampton team's failures in the Premier League and fear similar problems for the Light Blues in the Scottish Premiership. Pat Nevin, the former Chelsea and Everton winger who's now a pundit, feels that even if Martin irons out those problems that the Ibrox faithful could become frustrated - because it might seem BORING. Nevin told 'Am I thinking Rangers are going to win the title? No, not yet. Because Celtic have got so many advantages over Rangers at the moment. 'But with Russell, what will be intriguing and the thing I'm most interested in is the style. 'Russell's played a certain style which is lovely as long as you're winning. And then you're not winning, fans get very, very, very angry about it. 'And Rangers fans will get angry very quickly if it's not winning. 'They'll get really angry with that system because it looks dull and it looks predictable. But it's very considered. We all know what it is. We've watched it. It didn't work in the Premier League but it did work before. 'But the expectation at Rangers is you don't keep on doing the process when you're 2-0 down to Falkirk.' Nevin conceded that the uniqueness of the Glasgow means that Martin basically HAS to win the league this season - even though such expectations are unfair. He said: 'Rangers have got to be winning the league. It is so unfair. Celtic have got so many advantages. Rangers boss Russell Martin opens up on transfer plans as he delivers updates on Dessers and Igamane 'Celtic have been in the Champions League for so long. They've got so much more money behind them. They've got that base with the good managers that they've had with Brendan Rodgers and Ange Postecoglou before it. They have got so many more advantages. 'Rangers, they're a big club. They're obviously financially better off than any other club in Scotland apart from Celtic. 'But you're asking so much. They've come back from a long way down, we all know that. But for Russell, in my eyes, if you challenge for the title right up to the end, well done, you deserve another year, mate. Well done. 'Whether the Rangers fans will put up with that, I don't know. But in my eyes that should be good enough to let them build for a couple of years. That's what I think. But that's just not what it's like up here, I'm afraid. It's just not what it is. 'There has been an astonishing amount of change at Rangers. Not just the manager, but the moves out. 'Rangers fans' heads must have been spinning. Really, Leon Balogun and Tom Lawrence, Ianis Hagi and Vaclav Cerny all going. These are players that were playing all the time - gone. 'But they brought a whole bunch of players in as well. Lyall Cameron's come in as well, which is a very interesting one actually. Down south you go, really? Is he that all? Up here that can make a difference. That can make a big difference. So, it's interesting.' Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Scottish Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Rangers boss Russell Martin makes huge calls on Igamane and Dessers as Champions League squad revealed
GER IN, GER OUT Rangers boss Russell Martin makes huge calls on Igamane and Dessers as Champions League squad revealed Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RANGERS have officially submitted their squad list for their first Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos. Russell Martin's men will take on the Greek giants next week and the deadline for the final roster was at 11pm last night. Sign up for the Rangers newsletter Sign up The Ibrox side revealed the 25-man list this afternoon, with Martin making some huge calls with relation to players that have been the subject of transfer speculation. Both Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane HAVE been included, despite being linked with moves away. But Ben Davies, Ridvan Yilmaz and Robin Propper have all been left OUT. Rabbi Matondo is also absent but he is currently nursing an injury. The Light Blues can still make a maximum of two changes to that list to account for injuries, new signings or departures up to 24 hours before the first game. Rangers Champions League squad: Revealed 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 More to follow. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
