Russell Martin Takes Major Rangers Gamble In Breaking Cardinal Rule Of Transfers | OneFootball

Russell Martin may be new to managing Rangers but already he has made what could be considered a major gaffe in transfer protocol. The golden rule in this business is that a manager never publicly discusses a player who is not yet theirs. It is usually wrapped up in the diplomatic line about not talking about players from other clubs. But in this case Martin went the other way entirely and openly spoke about Rangers’ pursuit of Djeidi Gassama. While fans may enjoy the transparency, this kind of slip-up can jeopardise delicate negotiations.

The Gassama deal is not officially done. The Sheffield Wednesday winger has been linked with a move to Rangers throughout the summer window and images have surfaced showing him in training gear, which added more fuel to the fire. That in itself was quite telling, but even so, it was not confirmation. What made Martin’s admission more surprising was not just that he spoke about the player but that he also revealed the stage of the transfer talks. That is a massive breach of etiquette and one which could cause complications if the Owls’ chairman takes issue with Rangers’ approach.

It is one thing for Russell Martin to take a Championship gamble by signing players like Gassama, but quite another to talk openly about it before it is finalised. There is still a requirement for Wednesday’s board to approve the deal, and nothing is guaranteed until the final paperwork is signed. Any perceived arrogance or presumption from another club’s manager can easily cause offence and derail an agreement that otherwise seemed a formality.

This is not the first time Rangers have shown clear intent before officially confirming a transfer. But it is rare that a manager makes that slip himself. Normally the line is trotted out to the media and the press are left to speculate. By admitting interest and even discussing specifics of the deal, Martin has drawn attention to himself and potentially created a more difficult scenario for those final talks between the clubs. Especially with figures at Wednesday who may not appreciate their player being publicly claimed before the i’s are dotted.

The wider concern for some is that this might speak to Martin’s lack of top-level managerial experience. While Rangers’ link to Gassama is no secret, managing media expectations and internal negotiations is a delicate dance. Martin may have let the mask slip a bit too early and that could prove a costly lesson in how to handle sensitive situations.

What also raised eyebrows was a clear breakdown of the chase which was made public through another channel, suggesting this one was closer than most and that perhaps even the player believed it to be over the line. But until Wednesday say yes, Martin and Rangers might still be left waiting.