Rangers

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Livingston defender Ryan McGowan says if Hamza Igamane refused to play for Rangers in Sunday's 1-1 draw at St Mirren then his behaviour is "inexcusable".

Igamane trained in the build-up to the game and completed the warm-up in Paisley, after a week in which Rangers rejected a bid for him.

However, when head coach Russell Martin turned to bring the Morocco international on as a second-half substitute as Rangers chased a leveller, Igamane said he was injured and declined to come on.

McGowan says that scenario should never have occurred and believes Igamane was simply in a "huff".

"If you are going to be in that situation, you be man enough to admit it beforehand," McGowan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"If you are feeling that strongly that you want to leave the club, you knock on the manager's door and you tell him that so that he doesn't put you in the squad. You don't sit on the bench.

"He's obviously in a huff that he's on the bench. He's obviously in a huff that maybe he didn't come on at half-time and he just went 'I'm not coming on, I'm injured'.

"To do that I think is even worse than handing in a transfer request.

"To really throw your teammates and your manager under the bus in the heat of battle is inexcusable, to be honest."

Watch highlights as St Mirren draw 1-1 against Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.

Youssef Chermiti is on Rangers' list of centre forward targets, with Everton keen on sending the Portugal Under-21 international out on loan. (Rangers Review - subscription required), external

Ibrox great Ally McCoist thinks Rangers looked "really soft" in Sunday's draw at St Mirren and is concerned by Hamza Igamane's refusal to come off the bench saying it would be "absolutely diabolical" if the substitute's claims of an injury was not the case. (talkSPORT via Daily Record, external)

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Rangers head coach Russell Martin told BBC Scotland: "It's frustrating, we're making it hard for ourselves in games, conceding poor goals so it's disappointing.

"We turn the ball over a lot without having conviction in our actions. When we have a difficult moment, the response is not good enough. We need to stick to the plan always.

"I thought we were going to win the game in the end. We need to have more chances to score more but I loved the intent in the second half.

"It's not the end of the world. We've been eight weeks and had so many games. The window needs to shut and everyone needs to be all in before that happens, I'm under no illusion.

"When you can feel some of the lads energy is not all there because they feel like their future is somewhere else it's difficult but we need to give them the same attention as if they're going to be here for a long time. In 10 days time it'll look very different I'm sure.

"Some of the subs made a really good impact and put themselves in a good place to start the game.

"We're happy with the group, just a few uncertainties about some of their futures."

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Rangers came from behind to rescue a Scottish Premiership point at St Mirren - but Russell Martin's underwhelming side could not avoid recording their worst domestic start in 36 years.

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St Mirren have doubts over forward Mikael Mandron and Connor McMenamin (calf) while Roland Idowu is nursing a knee injury. Liam Donnelly (Achilles) remains out.

Cyriel Dessers is unlikely to shake off a knee injury for Rangers while fellow forward Hamza Igamane is still unable to start following his pre-season fitness issue.

Defender Nasser Djiga is suspended.

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Ridvan Yilmaz has left Rangers and rejoined former club Besiktas for an undisclosed fee after a three-year stint at Ibrox.

The Turkish left-back made more than 70 appearances for the Ibrox club and was part of the League Cup winning side in December 2023.

But he failed to force his way into Russell Martin's plans, with the Rangers head coach opting for right-sided Max Aarons for the left-back spot over both him and Jefte in the early stages of this season.

The 24-year-old will now rejoin the club where he made his professional debut in 2019, having helped them win the domestic league and cup double in the 2020-21.

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Rangers are in talks to sign former Aberdeen forward Bojan Miovski from Girona on loan. (STV), external

Feyenoord are preparing a loan offer for Rangers forward Hamza Igamane that will include a permanent option. (Algemeen Dagblad via Daily Record, external)

With Ridvan Yilmaz returning to former club Besiktas in a £2m deal, Rangers are heavily linked with a loan move for Roma left-back Anass Salah Edinne. (Daily Record), external

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Rangers head coach Russell Martin insists people need to look at the context behind the statistic that shows they have faced 119 shots this season.

Martin's men have been criticised for being too open in their opening eight matches, having kept only two clean sheets.

They have conceded seven goals in their past three games against Viktoria Plzen, Alloa Athletic and Club Brugge, including three in the opening 20 minutes against the Belgians on Wednesday.

"It's been frustrating to concede three against Brugge. That was a psychological thing because we had conceded early and then don't react and don't do our job properly, so were a bit flustered," Martin said.

"The others, we're playing in Europe against teams that are throwing caution to the wind, and Alloa where we make 10 changes. I understand the narrative but I also have to contextualise it a little bit.

"Outside of the madness the other day in that half an hour period Jack Butland had very little to do in the in the second half. Very, very little.

"We have to live there all the time. The better we are, the cleaner we are, the less chances we'll give the opposition. But we need to be more aggressive and we need to emphasise certain things to the players that are really, really important.

"We've also had the most shots [at 35] in the two games in the league so we need to do more with that."

Rangers face a trip to Paisley on Sunday to take on a St Mirren side who have taken seven points from their past three Premiership meetings with the Ibrox side.

"It's an exciting game for us because we have to go there ready to show how much we can compete, how much we can fight as a team in the same way we did in the second half against Brugge in really difficult circumstances," said Martin.

"We have to turn the game into one that we want but to do that you have to really fight for it and really earn it against St Mirren because they're really well organised, really well coached, really aggressive, powerful physically, so it's a good challenge."

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Russell Martin says the only way he can win over the Rangers fanbase is by consistently winning and insists he is unaffected by the "noise".

Martin's side were roundly booed during Tuesday's 3-1 home defeat by Club Brugge in the first leg of their Champions League play-off and their only victory in three domestic games this season came in the League Cup against Alloa.

Rangers have failed to win five of their opening eight matches and supporters have criticised the style of play Martin is attempting to implement.

Still, he says he must "lean into" the intense nature of the role.

"After playing here for a bit, I understand how big it is and how important it is and how things get heightened quickly," Martin said. "It's something you have to lean in to.

"My career was built on proving people wrong - I'm not driven by that, I'm driven about being the best we can be and by improving players.

"The noise is something I can't control. The only way you can control it in football is by winning matches and there will still be people unhappy I've got long hair, a centre parting and can't wear a shirt and tie because I'm too sweaty. I wear it to the games out of respect, but I can't during the game.

"You're never going to please everyone even if we win loads of trophies, which is the plan."

Amid rising fan unrest, Martin says both he and the board have not shifted from the plan put in place when he was first appointed.

"I've had nothing but support from Andrew Cavenagh, Paraag Marathe, Gretar Steinsson, Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart. They understand to build something might take a bit of time," Martin added.

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Rangers midfielder Jose Cifuentes has joined MLS side Toronto FC on a season-long loan, with the Canadian side holding an option to buy him permanently.

Cifuentes signed for a reported £1.2m in 2023 from another MLS club - LAFC - but struggled to make an impact in Glasgow.

He made just 20 appearances across all competitions, failing to score a single goal.

The 26-year-old spent the second half of the 2023-24 season on loan in Brazil with Cruzeiro and was then loaned to Aris Thessaloniki last season.

Rangers head coach Russell Martin was asked about Cifuentes on Friday, in addition to Ben Davies and Ridvan Yilmaz, who are also set to leave the club.

"Three good guys that needed to play football elsewhere," Martin said.

"They have got moves they are happy with and we are happy with, so it helps them and helps us moving forwards."

George O'Neill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rangers head coach Russell Martin has been talking to the media before his side's Premiership trip to St Mirren on Sunday.

Here are the best bits from his news conference:

• Martin says they "paid the price" for a "crazy" opening period in Tuesday's 31- defeat by Club Brugge, but has enjoyed the "fight" and "energy" his players have shown in meetings and in training since then.

• The Ibrox boss believes the second-half showing on Tuesday was evidence they can respond to adversity.

• He expects both further incomings and outgoings before the end of the transfer window and thinks the team would benefit from a bit more experience and leadership. He "can't wait for the window to shut" to end "uncertainty" over certain players' futures.

• Ridvan Yilmaz said goodbye to the players and staff today before concluding a move back to Turkey, Ben Davies is having a medical with Oxford and Jose Cifuentes has completed a loan move to Toronto. Martin says all three needed to play football and thinks the moves are beneficial for all parties.

• On the challenge St Mirren will pose, Martin says Rangers have to show they can "compete and fight" against a "powerful team".

• Martin hasn't been surprised by the strength of reaction to disappointing results - he says it is his job to "make sure people feel different in a month or two".

• "I was well aware when I took the job I wasn't the most popular appointment because I don't have a fancy name" - Martin understands he has work to win round the club's supporters, but insists he doesn't "pay attention" to what is written about him in the media.

• He says the only way to control the noise is by winning matches. Even then, he thinks there would still be people "unhappy that I've got long hair and I can't wear a shirt and tie during games because I'm too sweaty".

• He says the board have given him "nothing but support" amid the early-season troubles and insists a short-term focus will not fix the wider issues at the club.

• Cyriel Dessers will likely miss Sunday's match, with the second leg against Brugge "more achievable" for his return. Hamza Igamane is not quite ready to start against St Mirren.

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Can Russell Martin recover from an unimpressive start as head coach and win over the Rangers fanbase?

Martin has won three of eight matches in charge and his side were booed off at both half-time and full-time on Tuesday as they were beaten 3-1 at Ibrox by Club Brugge in the first leg of their Champions League play-off.

Given the uninspiring performances and results since Martin became head coach, the former Southampton boss is already up against it at Ibrox.

"I just don't think there's much buy-in from supporters," The Herald's football writer Stephen McGowan told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"The problem is that they didn't really want him in the first place, which means you have to hit the ground running to get the supporters on side. That isn't the case - he's won three games from eight.

"That isn't great form for any Rangers manager and I think the concern is it's going to be hard to get people back on side."

McGowan says the nature of the Rangers beast means that Martin might not be afforded the necessary time to turn the club's fortunes around.

They go to Paisley on Sunday looking for a first Premiership win of the season, a fixture Rangers have struggled in recently.

"It's incredibly early days and in a normal environment, the American owners would be thinking this is a bit of an OTT reaction - we're going to keep our heads and let him do his job," McGowan said.

"The problem is, this isn't a normal environment. Glasgow is frenetic, incredibly demanding and Russell Martin is really up against it. He started with a fairly short length of rope and it's getting shorter by the week.

"If you were picking a game you absolutely wouldn't want in these circumstances - it's St Mirren away, where they have failed to win on their past two visits.

"Fascinating times, dangerous times for Russell Martin."

Rangers defender Ben Davies is on the verge of joining Oxford United on loan. (Mike Keegan on X), external

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Rangers full-back Max Aaron says it's not time for "panic stations" and the squad retain "full belief" they can still progress to the Champions League.

Russell Martin's side face a monumental task away to Club Brugge next Wednesday after a disastrous start led to a 3-1 home defeat in the first leg of the Champions League play-off.

Aarons, who joined from Bournemouth in the summer, says the feeling of frustration that has hung over the club for years now is palpable, but has urged fans to understand they are "trying to build something" under Russell Martin.

"There's a lot of frustration from before and you can feel that," said the 25-year-old.

"I understand it, but we're trying to build something here, with seven [eight] games into the season and that is frustrating but it has to come from us, we've got to give them something to grab on to, but we are trying to build something.

"I believe this team will be successful. I really do believe that. So it's not panic stations and I think we go there and we put in a real performance.

"I want to be playing Champions League football and I'm sure the boys do as well, so we'll give it everything.

"I believe we can go there and win, we have so much quality in this team. When the boys play without that pressure and we play free, I feel like we can hurt anyone.

"There's a full belief in myself, in the team. There's a full belief that we can go and win these games."

Rangers face a tricky trip to face St Mirren before the second leg, a game the club opted against postponing, and Aarons knows a performance is needed in Paisley to set the tone for the trip to Belgium.

He added: "Of course it's must win, every game for this club is a must win.

"This is a huge club, huge demands, and that's why I've chosen to come here and I want to achieve success.

"We're in August and it has to start quickly and we have to go and win at St Mirren for sure.

"But in terms of this game against Club Brugge, we can turn this around for sure. "

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• St Mirren are unbeaten in three league games against Rangers (W2 D1), their longest such run since going five without defeat from August 1983 to August 1984.

• Rangers have conceded more goals in their past two league visits to St Mirren (four) than they had in their previous 10 beforehand (three).

• St Mirren are one of two sides, along with Aberdeen, yet to score in this season's Scottish Premiership, while only Dundee (nine) have mustered fewer shots than the Buddies (13) in the division so far.

• Rangers have drawn both of their league games this season; on only seven occasions have they failed to win any of their opening three matches of a league campaign, most recently in 1989-90 under Graeme Souness.

• Having drawn both of his Premiership games in charge so far, Russell Martin could become only the second Rangers manager to fail to win any of his first three league matches in charge of the club, after John Greig, who won none of his first six in 1978.

Rangers are working to get as many as nine players off their books during the remaining period of the summer transfer window. (Daily Record)

Manager Jimmy Thelin has refused to rule out a move to bring Scotland forward Kevin Nisbet back to Aberdeen. (Daily Record)

Girona look set to sign Rangers target Alex Moreno, the 32-year-old left-back, from Aston Villa. (Santi Aouna)

And centre-back Nobel Mendy has signed for Rayo Vallecano after his move to Rangers collapsed. (The Herald)

Steven Gerrard held talks with 49ers Enterprises, who also own Rangers, over the Leeds United job as well as the Liverpool legend being in the mix for the Ibrox job. (Daily Record)

Jose Cifuentes is close to sealing an exit from Rangers, with Toronto FC finalising a deal to sign the midfielder. (Tom Bogert)

Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.