Rangers Fans Might Not All Agree With Russell Martin’s Latest Admission | OneFootball

Russell Martin has made his first real philosophical statement as Rangers manager with a line that has already drawn eyebrows from some quarters of the Ibrox faithful. In his words:

It is a curious quote, and while on the surface it might seem like a reasonable sentiment, at Ibrox Noise we are not entirely convinced it is something a Rangers manager should be saying.

The key phrase here is “playing for this football club” and when that means Rangers, the expectations are absolutely enormous. This is a club that demands both mental and technical excellence. While character absolutely matters, and it is true that not every player can handle the weight of the shirt, putting character above ability may be a misguided approach. Rangers need winners and leaders yes but they also need elite footballers. A great personality without the quality on the pitch simply will not cut it at Ibrox. This concern echoes the feeling around Martin’s early work at Auchenhowie, where many are still unsure what his main playing or recruitment philosophy is.

The idea of “playing for this football club” being restricted to players with the right character is a fair point in isolation. The pressure from the stands is not for the faint-hearted and many have wilted under it. But Martin’s quote gives the impression that Rangers would accept a lesser player if they have the right mentality. That is where we take issue. Rangers must strive for both. It is not character first and talent second. It is both at the same level. They must go hand in hand at a club with this size and weight of expectation. And as discussed here in relation to Rangers’ current squad, even the most experienced players have to carry both burdens equally.

There are exceptions. No one could ever accuse Kirk Broadfoot of being a footballer, and yet Walter got the best out of him, because the boy had the character to cope with playing for Rangers – but this assumes Russell Martin can get as much out of average players as the Great Man once did.

And if “playing for this football club” is only for those who can run hard and stay focused mentally, then you might as well fill the team with hard grafters and no flair. Rangers fans want brilliance. They want skill. They want a Barry Ferguson. They want a Ronald de Boer. They want a Laudrup. Every one of those legends had both the character and the talent in full measure.

Rangers must never accept anything less than that dual standard.