2 hours ago
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It was hard to read into the largely blank expression on Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh’s face as he watched his side’s season slide deeper into the mire with their midweek Europa League loss to Genk.
It looked like he didn’t understand what he was watching, which puts him into the same category as everyone else who has borne witness to Russell Martin’s circus troupe this season.
It is difficult to offer anything new about Rangers. Even their own punters are losing the will to live after doing everything they possibly can to make it clear Martin has to leave.
The whole thing just slides further into the realms of farce as the weeks go on. Martin insisting after the Genk game that ‘they didn’t cut us open’ is sheer gaslighting. What about Oh Hyeon-gyu’s goal, for starters?
This is a Rangers side that can’t defend, can’t deal with transitions, gets caught out over and over with that high line. It’s lunacy on legs.
Punters want CEO Patrick Stewart out the door and it can’t be long before sporting director Kevin Thelwell feels the flames licking his feet, given how bad recruitment’s been.
Andrew Cavenagh had a face like thunder as he watched the latest setback in Rangers' season
Rangers manager Russell Martin appears powerless to stop the slide afflicting his side
Manny Fernandez celebrates a League Cup goal against Alloa but has rarely been seen since
The world and his wife are asking why £10million was committed to Youssef Chermiti, but where has £2.5m Manny Fernandez disappeared to? Any ideas? Let’s not even get into why loadsamoney was spent on loan deals for the likes of Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga and Mikey Moore.
Cavenagh needs to drop the glaikit look and start offering explanations if this is going to go on much longer, though.
If Martin is staying in position, tell us why. Rabbiting on and on about why Rangers just can’t keep changing managers won’t do. That’s no reason to keep one in charge who isn’t up to the job and who is never, ever going to win back the rank-and-file support.
Reports have already been fed back from the Genk game, where 12,000 seats lay empty, of bars and hospitality areas not full. That is going to become the norm unless something dramatic changes.
Much more of this and Cavenagh will soon be seeing his own face on protest placards at Ibrox
There also needs to be another of those famous ‘root-and-branch’ reviews over how a £21m net spend ends up with a squad like this one.
Much more of the silence and staring into space and Cavenagh will have a fanbase losing faith in a takeover expected to end years of humiliation, rather than extend them, baying for his blood too.
There is still goodwill towards him and 49ers Enterprises. Despite these teething troubles, the general belief is that they will get it right in time. That’s not something to be played fast and loose with, though.
Cavenagh needs to tell folk what he’s playing at — or run the risk of that emotionless fizzog we saw on the telly on Thursday night popping up on those banners already featuring Martin and Stewart — with a big red line through it.
