Russell Martin has ensured Dujon Sterling’s Rangers return does not matter | OneFootball

Dujon Sterling’s return to Rangers is unknown at this stage and supporters are losing patience. The brutal truth is that even if he comes back earlier than expected it might not matter. Russell Martin would strangle the life out of him the same way he has done with everyone else. The pattern is clear and the damage keeps mounting.

A player with power

Sterling showed power and influence before his injury. He dominated defensive midfield with strength and presence. He broke up play and drove forward with authority. Fans saw a titan in that role and the potential was huge. That promise gave hope because Rangers finally looked like they had a midfield enforcer. Yet Martin’s selections have made sure no player thrives under him and Sterling would face the same chokehold.

The manager talks about possession football but produces nothing but sideways passing and weakness. Every talent in the squad looks smaller under him. Sterling had the physical presence to bully opponents yet he would be shackled to a system that neuters aggression. Rangers’ contract moves mean nothing when the football destroys players.

The Martin effect

Supporters have watched Nico Raskin fade. They have seen Ridvan Yilmaz smothered. They have watched Oliver Antman lose his spark. None of them are bad players yet Martin’s football makes them look like shadows. The Martin effect is toxic and Sterling would not escape. Reports confirmed that Sterling’s Achilles injury will keep him sidelined long term and that delay adds to the frustration.

That is why doubts over his recovery almost feel secondary. The club could announce he is back tomorrow but nothing would change. Martin would bench him or force him into a role that wastes his qualities. Supporters know the script already and that makes the injury news even harder to take. Even when Rangers themselves spoke about his future, it felt like empty words because the system wrecks everyone.

A bleak reality

The bleak reality is that Rangers possess a titan in Sterling but the manager destroys titans. His return to Rangers is supposed to bring relief yet instead it carries fear. Martin’s football is draining every warrior in the squad and Sterling would be no exception. Injuries have mounted and further details highlight his long recovery process but the real problem is Martin’s tactics.

Sterling is a top player who should dominate Scottish football. He is a midfield general who should terrify Celtic and every rival. Instead, he risks becoming the next victim of Martin’s stranglehold. That is why his absence feels less decisive than it should.

Until Rangers change the man in the dugout, the return of Dujon Sterling to Rangers will not matter. The fear is that by the time he finally comes back, Martin will have already drained the squad beyond recognition and another titan will fall to waste.