AliousDefiant Russell Martin Refuses to Quit After Rangers’ Humiliating European Collapse
Russell Martin has vowed to fight on as Rangers manager despite furious calls for his resignation following the club’s most disastrous night in European history.
The Ibrox side were humiliated in Belgium, thrashed 6-0 by Club Brugge and dumped out of the Champions League qualifying rounds with a staggering 9-1 aggregate defeat. An early concession and Max Aarons’ reckless red card set the tone for an evening where Martin’s men collapsed, leaving fans in disbelief.
Supporters were already chanting for his departure before half-time, but Martin insists he will not walk away. Speaking after immediate talks with Ibrox chiefs Patrick Stewart and Kevin Thelwell, the 38-year-old confirmed he has their backing.
“I can only apologise for tonight,” he admitted on TNT Sports. “The fans have been brilliant. The only way we can repay them is by winning and putting in a big performance on Sunday. I’m not going anywhere.”
The calamitous result compounds Martin’s record-breaking poor start, with only three wins in his first ten matches as Rangers boss. His tenure is already being described as the worst opening spell in the club’s modern history.
Attention now turns to Sunday’s clash with Celtic at Ibrox, a game many believe could define his future. Martin, however, insists he is fully supported by the board and determined to channel the “pain, humiliation, and hurt” into a response against their fiercest rivals.
“We started terribly—it was madness,” he reflected on the Brugge defeat. “There’s not enough harmony in the group yet, but we have to build it. Right now, it’s nowhere near acceptable.”
Alious
