By Georgia Goulding

Copyright glasgowworld

Russell Martin’s days look to be numbered amid a less than desirable start to his time at Ibrox. If Rangers fail to win against Hibs in the Premier Sports Cup this weekend, there are serious suggestions that he could be axed. Fans have made it clear they are deeply unhappy with the results under Martin’s tenure, with the Union Bears calling for both him and Patrick Stewart to be dismissed from their roles. Protest action is also being planned for Saturday, which could well be a make-or-break clash for Martin. With the pressure mounting and doubts growing, Rangers are considering who could replace Martin as the next manager. Jose Mourinho has emerged as a figure of interest for Rangers. TEAMtalk reported earlier this week that the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss was being considered at Ibrox, but the club were aware of hurdles that would need to be addressed before a potential appointment. In a blow to their managerial pursuit, Mourinho is heavily linked with a return to Portuguese football and returning to the club where his managerial career started off. Fabrizio Romano reported that the 62-year-old is ‘in advanced talks’ over a return to Benfica, following the sacking of Bruno Lage. The transfer expert suggested a deal ‘could be sealed soon’. Ben Jacobs issued a more advanced follow-up shortly after, stating: “Jose Mourinho has agreed to become Benfica’s new manager almost 25 years to the day after starting his managerial career with the club.” Alistair Johnston has confirmed that while the idea of moving to the Premier League may be tempting, he is ‘really happy’ where he is at Celtic. Earlier this year, it was reported that clubs including Fulham and Ipswich Town had been considering a move for him. However, he is enjoying the challenges that come his way in Scottish football. Johnston also alluded to previous players who have left Celtic to pursue other opportunities and not experienced what they had initially expected. “If you were to say that I was able to finish my career at Celtic, it means that I’ve done something really, really well done. I’ve done something right for a club of this magnitude to want to keep me in the building for that long,” Johnston told the Park the Bus Podcast (via The Celtic Way). “Yeah, the Premier League is obviously a dream, I think, of pretty much every player. It’s the highest level that you can play at. But luckily, in my time here at Celtic, I’ve been able to play in some pretty big matches too in the Champions League. “To truly answer your question, of course, I have aspirations to potentially play in some of the biggest leagues in the world. But at the same time, I’m really happy here. I’m really settled here. It’s a great city, a great fanbase that truly loves and appreciates me. The grass isn’t always greener – we’ve seen that quite a few times.” In other news, Rangers missed out on ‘obvious’ manager choice who worked under Walter Smith in favour of Russell Martin