{"id":314437,"date":"2025-08-03T11:55:12","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T11:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/314437\/"},"modified":"2025-08-03T11:55:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-03T11:55:12","slug":"shellshocked-rangers-dressing-room-miss-the-point-as-reaction-to-russell-martin-rant-backs-up-blazing-boss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/314437\/","title":{"rendered":"Shellshocked Rangers dressing room miss the point as reaction to Russell Martin rant backs up blazing boss"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Ibrox boss ripped into his players in a furious post match TV interview following a draw at Fir ParkRangers James Tavernier, Oscar Cortes and Kieran Dowell <\/p>\n

The point was a bit lost on Kieran Dowell<\/a> in the Fir Park press room.<\/p>\n

As the Rangers<\/a> midfielder sat, looking shell-shocked by their woeful display at Motherwell and subsequent filleting from gaffer Russell Martin<\/a>, he was trying to be positive about their ability to recover.<\/p>\n

He was being quizzed on how big a blow the opening-day Premiership slip-up could be to their title hopes, even this early in the campaign.<\/p>\n

Quite rightly, he insisted they have plenty of time to put things right.<\/p>\n

But in the wake of scathing criticism from the manager over their attitude and mentality, Dowell then referred to two years ago.<\/p>\n

On the first day of the 23\/24 season, Michael Beale\u2019s Rangers side lost 1-0 to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.<\/p>\n

By October, he\u2019d lost his job and was replaced by Philippe Clement.<\/p>\n

And the Belgian somehow galvanised the group to mount a genuine title challenge.<\/p>\n

So Dowell was claiming that it can be done.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the rub. Ultimately, in control of their own destiny, Rangers couldn\u2019t get over the line. They threw it away.<\/p>\n

Dropped points to Motherwell<\/a>, Ross County and Dundee gifted another championship to Celtic.<\/p>\n

And that weak mentality is EXACTLY what Martin was talking about after their draw in Lanarkshire at the weekend.<\/p>\n

As Dowell tried to look for a positive spin, it only reminded fans of the negative mindset which has riddled this club for far too long.<\/p>\n

(Image: Kirk O’Rourke\/Rangers FC\/Shutterstock)<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cI understand their (fans) frustration but it\u2019s obviously a long season. So it\u2019s not to say we can\u2019t recover, definitely not.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first season I was here, we got beat on the opening day 1-0 by Kilmarnock.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd it was in our hands by the end of it. So there\u2019s plenty of time to catch up.\u201d<\/p>\n

History tells you this group of players won\u2019t, though. And that\u2019s why Martin scorched them at full-time on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Like Rangers teams of the past few years, they decided to try and sit on a 1-0 lead at Fir Park.<\/p>\n

Rather than show urgency, intensity, drive and hunger to kill their opponents off, Martin\u2019s men were passive and insipid.<\/p>\n

Anyone who has watched Rangers for a period of time knew the Motherwell leveller was in the post long before it actually arrived.<\/p>\n

So how does Dowell – who was shipped out on loan to Birmingham City last term – explain it?<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know\u2019, he said. \u201cThey (Motherwell) threw a lot more at it, they were a lot more aggressive in the second half and probably should have scored sooner than they did.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t take the initiative to get the second goal. We had the players to do it, but we didn\u2019t. That\u2019s what we have to learn from, fast.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe manager was right. We weren\u2019t good enough for this club. We weren\u2019t good enough for any club to concede like that.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe quality of players we have compared to them – we shouldn\u2019t be throwing that game.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Martin fixes that problem is going to be fascinating in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s already brought in seven new players this summer, with Finnish winger Oliver Antman set to be number eight.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s questioned the professionalism of some of his squad which doesn\u2019t normally go down well in a dressing-room.<\/p>\n

Martin also revealed they\u2019ve had NO bids for any of them, aside from Cyriel Dessers, whose attitude was praised.<\/p>\n

Dowell knows they\u2019re all in the firing line and admits they can have no complaints.<\/p>\n

When asked if he\u2019s confident the players can deliver the mentality required, he said: \u201cThat\u2019s for the manager and Kevin (Thelwell) to decide.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they think the lads in front of them do have, they\u2019ll stay. If they don\u2019t, you\u2019d imagine they\u2019ll move on.<\/p>\n

Rangers Kieran Dowell is dejected <\/p>\n

\u201cThe manager has been here for five or six weeks now and that\u2019s what he\u2019s noticed (egos).<\/p>\n

\u201cLike I said before, it hasn\u2019t been a successful time for the club and maybe we needed those sort of home truths.<\/p>\n

\u201cOr maybe some of the lads needed it. But it\u2019s not for me to say – it\u2019s the manager\u2019s opinion.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s told us to look ourselves in the mirror and if that\u2019s you, you\u2019ll have to take a real look at yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dowell\u2019s current Rangers renaissance is remarkable.<\/p>\n

After his loan stint in England\u2019s League One last season, where he helped Birmingham get promotion, few people expected him to play at Ibrox again.<\/p>\n

Certainly, the vast majority of fans expected him to be moved on this summer and that might still happen.<\/p>\n

But at the start of Martin\u2019s reign, he\u2019s seen enough in the Scouser to – not just involve him in the squad – but to make him a regular starter.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no doubt he put a shift in for Rangers in their two-legged victory over Panathinaikos in the Champions League qualifier last week.<\/p>\n

But in the second half at Fir Park on Saturday, too often he allowed his man – goalscorer Longelo – to get away from him on that side of the pitch and ultimately get Motherwell\u2019s crucial equaliser.<\/p>\n

Whether Dowell has a long-term future under Martin remains to be seen.<\/p>\n

The signing of Mikey Moore from Spurs and potential arrival of Antman, might suggest otherwise.<\/p>\n

But Dowell – with only one year left on his current Ibrox deal – says he\u2019s determined to be part of Martin\u2019s attempt at a Rangers revolution.<\/p>\n

He said: \u201cDefinitely. I\u2019ve had a really frustrating 18 months at the club when I haven\u2019t played a lot of good football.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe manager said it was a fresh start for a lot of players so I\u2019m just trying to work as hard as I can to be in his plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a big compliment that he\u2019s playing me. The way our wingers play is high and wide so I\u2019m just happy to be on the pitch, if I\u2019m honest.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m trying to contribute what I can in my own style and I\u2019m grateful for that trust from the manager.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Ibrox boss ripped into his players in a furious post match TV interview following a draw at…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":314438,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[1614,1949,43664,78418,1946,28104,1638,79,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-314437","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-champions-league","9":"tag-james-tavernier","10":"tag-kieran-dowell","11":"tag-motherwell-fc","12":"tag-rangers-fc","13":"tag-russell-martin","14":"tag-scottish-premiership","15":"tag-sports","16":"tag-uk","17":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114964707814911325","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314437","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=314437"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314437\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/314438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=314437"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=314437"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=314437"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}