Russell Martin ‘insists’ Walter Smith and Dick Advocaat were ‘wrong’ | OneFootball

Rangers fans have heard Russell Martin’s latest comments and many are unimpressed. He insists there is ‘no quick fix’ to the problems at Ibrox. History tells a different story. The right manager can turn any situation around almost instantly. Dick Advocaat proved it when he transformed Rangers overnight with an almost completely new squad. Walter Smith did even better when he brought in just three free agents and still won silverware.

Advocaat arrived at a club in need of change and delivered trophies in his first season. He rebuilt the squad from top to bottom and made Rangers a domestic powerhouse again. Walter walked back into Ibrox years later and worked with limited resources. He found three quality free agents and moulded them into a winning team. Both men showed leadership and tactical intelligence that made an immediate difference.

Martin’s reign could not look more different. He has had significant backing in the transfer market but the results have only gone downhill. Instead of strengthening the squad with proven quality, he has signed a glut of players from the lower tiers of the EFL. Few of them appear up to the standard required for Rangers. The level of spending makes it harder to excuse the lack of improvement. Even major outlets note the contrast in expectations and reality.

Fans were told that Martin’s philosophy and signings would produce fast results. Instead the football has become slower, more predictable and far less effective. Ibrox used to be a place where visiting sides feared to play. Now, under Martin, even modest opposition come to Govan believing they can take points.

The contrast with Advocaat and Walter could not be clearer. Advocaat brought in a host of new faces but kept a clear system in place. Walter made the best of what he had and added the right pieces without wasting money. Both men understood what Rangers means and what the supporters demand.

Martin’s comments about no quick fix sound like an excuse rather than a plan. Rangers fans know the club has the resources and stature to improve quickly with the right leadership. Lower-league imports and tactical confusion are not the path forward. Supporters expect urgency and vision from the man in the dugout.

Rangers cannot afford another lost season. The gap to the top is already growing and patience is wearing thin. Advocaat and Walter proved there is always a way to win quickly. The difference is they knew how to do it. Right now, Martin is showing he does not.