Rangers head coach Russell Martin has faith that his work with the team will take them in the right direction after a slow start in the Premiership, but says the job is like “turning a tanker”.
Martin guided his side into the Champions League play-offs this week with victory over Viktoria Plzen over two legs, setting up a tie with Club Brugge that could see Rangers book a place in the elite competition.
However, Premiership draws with Motherwell and Dundee have meant a poor start to the domestic season, with both team and manager coming in for heavy criticism.
Martin accepts that the job comes with intense scrutiny, but is calm and confident that things will improve and deliver the success he wants. But he said a conversation with a member of staff had helped illustrate the scale of the task he believes he has taken on at Ibrox.
“I think there’s been an energy around this place for a while that isn’t, I’m talking inside, outside, it’s just been a lot of disappointment and a lot of frustration and a lot of criticism to the players, to the club,” the head coach said
“Everyone has an opinion; everyone’s entitled to one. So whilst I’m here, whilst we are here, our job is to really focus on what we can affect and what we can impact.
“If we do our jobs to the best of our ability in here and focus on the work and being better and having really, really high standards that this club should stand for, then I just don’t see how it doesn’t go in the right direction.
“One of the maintenance guys here this week said, “We’re turning a tanker around, gaffer, and it will just take some time, but when we get it going…” and I thought it was a perfect analogy.
“He’s a great guy. He was here when I was here before. I don’t want to embarrass him, but honestly, when he said that, I was like, “No, you’re right.”
“We just qualified for the Champions League [play-off].
“I spoke to the staff on Sunday after Dundee because everyone here supports the club, and they really feel things.
“But our job in here is to try and just work and not let the outside noise affect how we work. It just can’t.”
Martin instead wants to focus on the process of bedding in the new-look squad and getting everyone to understand and execute his vision for the team’s style.
“I think [we need to be] really consistent in the process here,” he said. “We need to be really consistent in our behaviour, be really consistent in what we’re asking them to do.
“And then that consistency will show up on the pitch. I’ve been in this situation at every club we’ve been at.
“This is why I can sit here calmly and tell you what I think is going to happen next.
“We just have to trust the work and trust each other. And I’ve spoken to the players relentlessly about that.
“And I can see what’s coming with them, how they’re growing into the culture we’re trying to build, how they’re adapting to it, and that’s why I’m excited about what’s going to come.”
After the pressures of Europe, Martin now turns his attention to the domestic cup competition, with the Premier Sports Cup tie against Alloa on Saturday. He had a positive update on the injury front, with reassuring news about Cyriel Dessers and a return for other players.
“Cyriel is not as bad as everyone feared,” he said. “Tomorrow will be too early, but we’re really hopeful he can be involved on Tuesday.
“I think everyone feared the worst with the way he went off.
“There was a small issue, but it’s nowhere near as big as it could have been, so it was good. A bit stiff and a bit sore still, but we will work hard to give him every chance to be fit for Tuesday.”
Max Aarons will return to the squad after injury, while Thelo Aasgard and Hamza Igamane are in contention to play after a spell on the sidelines.
New signing Mikey Moore, who joined on loan from Spurs, is also available, giving Martin some big selection decisions.
“It is a nice position to be in,” he said.
“We’ll see how many minutes they’ll get on the pitch, but they’ll all be back involved.”
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