Martin Criticises Rangers' Mentality And Ego Problems Following Motherwell Draw

Add as a preferred source on Google

Russell Martin criticised Rangers' mindset and individual egos following their 1-1 draw with Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership. James Tavernier put Rangers ahead in the first half, but Emmanuel Longelo equalised late in the 87th minute. This result marks the third consecutive season they have failed to win their opening match, a streak not seen since 1982-83 to 1984-85.

Martin expressed his pride after Rangers' midweek victory over Panathinaikos in the Champions League. However, he was dissatisfied with their performance on Saturday, especially as fans booed them off the pitch. He told Sky Sports and BBC Scotland: "I think we were lucky to get a point. We were nowhere near where we need to be. And I'm extremely disappointed and hurt by that."

Martin highlighted that Motherwell showed more bravery and aggression than his team. He stated, "They were braver than us. They were more aggressive than us." He emphasised that regardless of tactics, being outplayed and outmatched in courage was unacceptable.

Martin clarified that he wasn't blaming individual players but pointed out a long-standing issue within the club. "This is not me blaming the players at all; I think it's a problem the club has had over the last few years," he remarked.

The manager noted that when things go well, everything seems fine, but problems arise when they don't perform as expected. He observed a lack of unity on the field, mentioning two players who seemed more focused on personal agendas rather than teamwork.

"When you want to just jog around and do what you want to do, there's a big problem," Martin said. He urged some players to set aside their egos for the team's benefit.

While acknowledging his tactical responsibilities, Martin stressed that Saturday's issues stemmed from mentality rather than strategy. He concluded that they received more from the match than they deserved.