Ally McCoist Exclusive: Rangers owners are RIGHT to back Russell Martin | OneFootball

“The fortunate thing for Russell Martin was he got the job, and it’s a brilliant job, and it’s a great club. The unfortunate thing for him, and he said it himself, there was a section of the Rangers fans that were not convinced.

As soon as that happens, I always feel that as a manager or coach, it’s essential you hit the ground running. And that hasn’t been the case. So that just adds to the pressure, to be brutally honest with you.

There was talk about Carlo Ancelotti’s son (Davide), who I think went to Brazil, he was in the running for it as well. I think that might have sounded a sexier approach to some of the fans, to tell you the truth.

Whether it was the right approach, I’m not so sure, but I think it certainly sounded a sexier approach to some of the fans and that got their imagination off and running.

So I think Russell had the unfortunate situation of being under probably more scrutiny when he arrived at the club due to the fact some of them weren’t too keen on him coming to the club. That was just a fact of life, nothing that he could do about it.

But as I say, I think it put a little bit more pressure on him to hit the ground running and unfortunately that hasn’t been the case at this moment in time.He has received the backing of the new owners, which I think is the correct thing because I think he’s brought his own players in.

I don’t see the object or the point of getting rid of somebody immediately after they bring their own players in when you have to go and get another manager to deal with somebody else’s players.

But I do understand 100% the importance of winning games of football and entertaining the paying public. So there’s a balance.

From Russell’s point of view right now, all he can do is win games of football and attempt to win the fans that aren’t with him over the longer term.”

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