By Mark Atkinson

Copyright scotsman

Despite huge demand for action, the Rangers hierarchy is refusing to blink in an increasingly volatile staring contest with its supporters. Head coach Russell Martin remains in post for at least another week amidst the club’s worst start to a league campaign in 47 years. Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Hearts at a mutinous Ibrox resulted in Rangers slumping to tenth in the Premiership standings. It felt like it was only the members of the press gantry who were not joining in a late rendition of “you’re getting sacked in the morning”, started by Hearts fans and gleefully amplified by Rangers supporters who have simply had enough of Martin. Actually, the embattled 39-year-old couldn’t even escape ire from his own people in the press room afterwards, with a couple of members of Rangers’ influential fan media corps giving the head coach a complete grilling. Martin understandably took umbrage at the accusation that his team do not look coached in a particularly unpalatable exchange with one gentleman. Given Martin has failed to overcome Motherwell, Dundee, St Mirren, Celtic and Hearts in his first five league games and watched his team get completely smacked 6-0 by Club Brugge in the Champions League qualifiers, there would be complete justification in Rangers parting company with the former Southampton boss. Such a run of form is simply unacceptable for a club of such standing. Already nine points behind co-Premiership leaders Celtic and Hearts, many Rangers fans have already given up on challenging for the title. One particularly despondent soul phoned Chris Sutton and Robbie Savage on Radio 5Live on Sunday night to tell them that his beloved club is getting relegated under Martin. Celtic man Sutton talked him off the ledge. But the feelings of woe within the Rangers crowd will only change if Martin is removed from position, or if he manages to quickly coax out a proper tune from his so far limp team. That’s why there was a combination of wailing and disbelief from Govan when it emerged on Sunday afternoon that the board are standing by their man. The fans only see one of the two aforementioned outcomes. It has been reported that chairman Andrew Cavenagh, who is based in the US, held a crisis call with Martin to talk over the latest blooper under his watch. Rangers were particularly inept during the first half of their defeat by Hearts. The manager admitted that his players are currently “scared” to play for this team. That is an especially damning indictment of a group of players. A dressing-room already dealing with the annexation of star player Nicolas Raskin, how would they have felt to hear their head coach say such things about them? Captain James Tavernier once again cutely sidestepped the question about whether the squad is behind Martin and he went on to say “this is the worst it’s ever been” during his ten years at Rangers. Given he’s seen a lot during his Ibrox career, that is quite the statement. With so many of the Rangers powerbrokers based away from Glasgow, there is an element of insulation from the white-hot ire bellowing down from the Ibrox stands – although sporting director Kevin Thelwell was on the receiving end of stern words from some supporters at the end of the Hearts match. Thelwell publicly backed Martin a fortnight ago – but did make it clear that results need to improve. Sacking the head coach would not look good for him either, given he has been front and centre of Rangers’ summer recruitment. Casting firm judgements on players so early in their Ibrox career would be unfair, but one thing is for sure: this is not a place for young, inexperienced teenagers to learn the ropes. Poor Tottenham loanee Mikey Moore, just turned 18, looked gallingly spooked by the whole occasion. Removing Martin would clearly be an admission of failure not just by the head coach, but by those above him too. Given all of the new chiefs at Ibrox do not have deep-rooted connections to Rangers, one wonders whether they truly understand the gravity of the situation, and the feeling of resentment towards Martin from the fans. The chants of “Martin, get to ****” and “you’re getting sacked in the morning” were as loud and pointed as I’ve ever heard in a football stadium. This can’t be fun for Martin either. He appears personable and principled but his recent meetings with the press have become tenser, terser affairs. He is very aware of his standing among Rangers fans. “I don’t think many of them wanted me here in the first place,” he remarked on Saturday. The rest of Rangers’ September reads Hibs, Genk and Livingston. No fixture looks a banker right now. They roll on to this weekend, when they welcome the Hibees to Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final. The Easter Road side has only lost three domestic matches in 2025 – Celtic twice and a trip to Aberdeen. They are a hard nut to crack and prevailed in Govan earlier in the year. Most Rangers fans are predicting a Hibs win. Some are staying away, not forking out for a cup tie to watch a team and head coach they have no faith in. Ironically, a sparser crowd might help a jittery set of players. Martin and this Rangers team need all the help they can get right now. Another defeat is unthinkable. Will Martin persist with his 4-3-3 formation and playing out from the back? Will Raskin be reintroduced to the squad? It would be a big volte face from a leader under enormous pressure – but something has to change, before his paymasters eventually bring about it.