Russell Martin is one Rangers calamity from endgame as Monday Jury predicts 11th hour Ibrox transfer exit

Russell Martin is one Rangers calamity from endgame as Monday Jury predicts 11th hour Ibrox transfer exit

Record Sport's top panel go through the biggest talking points from the weekend's games

‘Celtic might shatter their transfer record on Deadline Day!’ - Hotline Live

Will Rangers' Old Firm display against Celtic take the heat off boss Russell Martin and keep him in the job?

KEITH JACKSON: Nope. He might be in the blue corner but he's already walking the green mile as manager. Bottom line is he's dropped eight points from 12 and the fans have made their minds up. He's one more calamity away from being chased out of town.

‌

SCOTT McDERMOTT: No, not in the eyes of the supporters. He was still booed up the tunnel at full-time after a goalless draw. They're six points behind Celtic already which is unacceptable for fans. After the break, he'll need a long run of victories to try and turn it around.

‌

MICHAEL GANNON: It doesn’t sound like the American owners are in any hurry to empty the gaffer so Rangers fans might have to make their peace with it and hope for the best.

‌

ANDY NEWPORT: He'll certainly be able to sleep easier tonight after a week of bed sheet banner protests. But this Rangers side - who have still managed just one goal from open play in the league so far - have a long, long way to go to win over the furious fanbase.

What's still missing from Brendan Rodgers' squad after their derby draw at Ibrox?

KEITH JACKSON: A proper striker and two wingers to provide the quality and invention that Jota and Nicolas Kuhn gave the team last season. With less than 24 hours to go, none of it is likely to come cheaply.

SCOTT McDERMOTT: The manager doesn't look happy with what he's got. They will do business before the window closes but it should have been done before their Champions League exit and Rodgers knows that. They need quality, not quantity. A couple of players better than what they already have.

‌

Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers

MICHAEL GANNON: Rodgers loves power and pace. Well, right now Celtic are powder puff and ponderous. He needs some speed merchants in the final third and a bit of muscle up front.

ANDY NEWPORT: Pace and power at the top end. Precisely the qualities they had in abundance last year when Nicholas Kuhn, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo were running amok early doors. The failure to replace the big names who have departed has left Rodgers' side a shadow of the one that made the Champions League knockouts.

‌

What happens next with the Nico Raskin situation at Rangers?

KEITH JACKSON: He'll be sold at the 11th hour - probably for a knock-down fee - before the transfer window closes. It looks as if there is no way back for him under the current management.

SCOTT McDERMOTT: You have to assume he'll be sold before Monday night's deadline after being bombed out by Martin. There's no way back after Raskin's omission from the Old Firm squad and the manager's comments afterwards. The problem is, with clubs knowing he's not wanted at Ibrox, will Rangers be able to demand his real value?

Nicolas Raskin during a Rangers training session (Image: SNS Group)

‌

MICHAEL GANNON: He waves goodbye and never plays for the club again. There’s no way back for the Belgian.

ANDY NEWPORT: Either he goes or Martin does. Right now it looks like the club's American owners are standing by the manager, so it's cheerio Nico. But I'm not so sure that's the decision the punters would make.

Hearts won again at the weekend with a late winner at Livi. Can Derek McInnes' side compete with the Old Firm for the title this term?

KEITH JACKSON: He can certainly get involved in the argument at the top of the table and, given the state of the big two, he'll fancy his chances of rolling around with them in the mud. A second placed finish looks like a realistic target for a manager who likes to aim high.

‌

SCOTT McDERMOTT: It will still be difficult to do over the course of a long season but McInnes has got a huge squad and with no European football, why not? Rangers and Celtic don't look anywhere near their top level so it's an opportunity for the Jambos to disrupt the big two.

Hearts boss Derek McInnes

MICHAEL GANNON: The Old Firm don’t look like any great shakes right now but it’s still very tough to put together the kind of long unbeaten runs that can lead to competing for the title. Hearts look in great shape to get third but there could be a few sides cutting each other's throats this season.

Article continues below

ANDY NEWPORT: The Jambos will certainly have Rangers in their sights but toppling Celtic will be an altogether tougher task. But McInnes needs to rethink his starting lineups. They've mounted some stirring comebacks already this season but continually giving teams a head start will soon cause problems.

Click here to read article