Archive August 2, 2025

As head coach of the Rangers, Russell Martin has only managed 270 minutes of playing football, and he has already left his players without a name.

After the Ibrox side’s opening Scottish Premiership game, Martin said his players were “lucky to get a point” at Motherwell, 1-1.

The impressive Fir Park side was “braver” and “more aggressive” than his team, according to an “extremely disappointed and hurt” Ibrox head coach.

He criticized “two men on the pitch who want to do what they want to do” and said some of his players “must drop their egos.”

He continued, “Revert to type is the default.” It’s a mentality issue, not really tactical, according to the author.

Martin said he was “so proud” of his players on Wednesday in Athens, pointing out that performances could have been better in the Rangers’ two-legged Champions League qualifying victory over Panathinaikos.

The mood has dramatically changed after three days.

After his third game as manager of Rangers, Martin made the decision to stay put in two post-game interviews with BBC Scotland and Sky Sports.

What are his most enraged words in this excerpt:

Former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson has expressed deep concern about the approach of his old side before Motherwell scored the late winner.

He said on BBC Sportsound, “At the moment, there’s nothing coming from Rangers, it’s quite worrying.” I’m not even aware of their strategy. “I don’t see it,”

Ferguson continued, “I’ve got a real worry after watching that second half,” after Motherwell scored the leveller for their play. They still need to show that Rangers support to their players.

Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd expressed his fury on Sky Sports, saying, “It’s the same things that keep happening time after time.”

“It’s the beginning of the season.” We are aware that players will show up. We are aware that some players will leave. The alarming thing is that he is bringing them down so quickly, though.

Former Celtic forward Chris Sutton was offended by the Rangers boss’ comments, calling them “extreme,” despite agreeing with Martin.

He must believe they are rank rotten because he must watch them every day during their first game of the season, he said on Sky Sports.

According to former Motherwell forward James McFadden, “a draw was a good result for Rangers.”

The statistics support the claim, though it may have been made with tongue in cheek.

By the end of the match, Rangers’ expected goals total was 0. 7 while Motherwell’s expected total was 2.21.

According to stats provider Opta, Jens Berthel Askou’s brave and expansive side had five big chances to win the game. One was a threat.

With only three games remaining this season, Martin’s side have faced 51 attempts in all but one of those at Fir Park thanks to the 17 shots Martin’s side faced.

Rangers have only conceded twice in those three games, but their rivals have amassed a total expected goals total of 5.58.

Stevie, has anyone dried the paint on the wall? Better to watch than Russell Martin’s dull strategy.

Brutal, George Martin has no idea. No direction, no quality, or style.

Graeme: Rangers have a different manager, different team, and the same guff.

UK Championships in Athletics

Dates: 2 – 3 August at Alexander Stadium in Birmingham

Zharnel Hughes and Amy Hunt claimed the 100m titles at the UK Championships in Athletics as pole vaulter Molly Caudery also starred on day one in Birmingham.

Hughes, a bronze medalist from the world, passed Jeremiah Azu (9.97) and Louie Hinchliffe (10.01), clocking a wind-assisted 9.94 seconds, ensuring his place on the Great Britain team at the World Championships in Tokyo in September.

After being disqualified for a false start, rising star Daryll Neita, 23, also qualified by dominating the women’s final with a personal best of 11.02.

To be considered for a spot in the squad, which will be announced on August 27th, athletes must achieve a top-two finish in their events and have met the requirements for entry to the World Athletics.

On Saturday, discus thrower Lawrence Okoye and distance runner Hannah Nuttall both won and were chosen.

In the final event of the day, a relaxed and confident Hughes turned his head and gazed down his closest rivals.

After a 9.91 run in Eugene in July, the 30-year-old held off world indoor 60m champion Azu and the quick-finishing Hinchliffe, who entered the championships as the fastest Briton this year.

Hinchliffe, who won the title last year, helped Azu move from obscurity to Olympic qualification, but he has not met the sub-10 standard required for the Worlds.

After making a slight movement in her starting block, Neita, who had a strong season’s best 11.00 in a strong semi-final performance, was denied the chance to compete in a dramatic start to the women’s final.

Hunt, her former training partner, was a strong lead over Desiree Henry (11. 32) and Faith Akinbileje (11. 34).

Caudery won the pole vault with a 4.45m clearance for the first time before pushing herself to equal her year’s best performance by going over at 4.85m.

The 25-year-old won world indoor gold in a smashing 2024 season, breaking the British record with a 4.92m jump, but did not make it to the Olympic final.

It’s really exciting to jump back over the 80s once more and I’m hoping to attempt [the British record] soon because I’ve just been finding my flow again and figuring out a few things, Caudery said.

Nuttall’s victory in the women’s 5, 000m qualifies her for a spot on the team by qualifying for the championships in 15 minutes, 46 seconds.

However, Innes FitzGerald, 19, who set the qualifying standard by breaking the European Under-20 record in London last month, must wait to see if she is chosen after finishing third behind India Weir.

Elise Thorner won the women’s 3, 000-meter steeplechase with a championship record of 9:22.05, which also includes the UKA standard and will travel to Tokyo if she qualifies by world ranking.

A chaotic women’s 100-meter final saw the loss of Alicia Barrett by a time of 13.06 as she won.

After clearing 2.14 meters, Charlie Husbands and Divine Duruaku both agreed to share the men’s high jump title, while Alessandro Schenini won the men’s long jump with a 7.85meter first round.

With a personal best of 13.62m, Scott Lincoln, who has the UKA standard, won an 11th consecutive men’s shot put title, and Adelaide Omitowoju, who also holds the record for women’s triple jump gold.

Daniel Greaves won the para men’s discus title with 55.63m, while Michael Alisson, a two-time Paralympic champion, won the men’s javelin title with a personal best of 78.48m, and Daniel Pembroke, a two-time champion, with 63.62m.

If Ben Stokes spends more time watching from the sidelines, England should consider replacing him, according to former skipper Michael Vaughan.

Due to a shoulder injury, vice-captain Ollie Pope will miss the final Test against India at The Oval.

Before the Ashes series in Australia kicks off in November, the 34-year-old’s recovery is expected to last about eight weeks.

With his first series in full-time action against West Indies, Yorkshire’s Brook won this year as England’s white ball captain.

“Harry Brook appears to be a leader,” I thought. He appears to be a natural leader, Vaughan claimed on the podcast Test Match Special.

Vaughan is regarded as one of England’s finest captains, who spearheaded the infamous Ashes series victory in 2005. He won 26 of his 51 Tests in charge between 2003 and 2008.

He continued, “I look at someone like Ollie Pope, who looks fantastic as vice-captain.” He has a brilliant mind and can think creatively next to the captain. Vice-captains occasionally lack leadership skills.

You wouldn’t want to give Marcus Trescothick the captaincy, even though he was a fantastic vice-captain for me.

For the fifth time in a Test, Pope, 27, is leading England. Before that, he had a hamstring injury last year that caused him to stand in.

The home side must overcome adversity to win the crucial fifth Test under Pope. The third day came to a close with a score of 50-1 after being given a target of 374 to defeat India, which would represent their second-highest successful chase in a Test.

England rested on the seamers Josh Tongue, Jamie Overton, and Gus Atkinson on Saturday, leaving out Chris Woakes for the injured.

England were hindered by six dropped catches, despite eventually being able to dismiss India for 396 in their second innings.

England is in this position because Ollie Pope is not to blame for this. The dropped catches are what, Vaughan said.

He nipped off the field a few times, he said. Although it might have been for a rest, it appeared he was taking tactical advice.

Three years ago at Edgbaston, England recorded its highest run of 378 against India. In Headingley, they also triumphed over 371 in the first Test of the series against the same foes.

Tongue remarked, “We’re pretty chilled.” There won’t be any excessive reflection on it.

At Headingley, I was asked the same question. I don’t understand why we can’t stop these attacks.

A transgender pool player has lost a lawsuit against one of the sport’s organizers.

In August 2023, the English Blackball Pool Federation (EBPF) forbade players who weren’t biologically female from its women’s competitions and teams.

Harriet Haynes, a professional player, claimed that the organization’s gender reassignment constituted “direct discrimination” against her.

However, a judge in the court dismissed her claim and said he thought exclusion was the only “reasonable” way to ensure “fair competition.”

Representatives for Haynes said they were unhappy with the decision and are considering whether to file an appeal.

The UK Supreme Court made the landmark decision in April, confirming the country’s legal definition of a woman under equalities law.

The Equality Act protects people from discrimination based on a variety of characteristics, including “sex” and “gender reassignment.”

The EBPF expressed satisfaction with the decision and expressed its openness to transgender players.

It was claimed that male cue athletes who were born and went through male puberty exhibit specific physical advantages, such as greater hand span, quicker break speeds, quicker break-through times, and longer reach.

The court determined that only those who were born as women can compete in our women’s competitions and that fair competition is necessary.

Haynes claimed that she had been subjected to hurtful remarks on social media and that her exclusion from the Kent Women’s A pool team had caused her distress and upset.

She claimed that the policy was in violation of the European Human Rights, which includes the right to respect a person’s privacy and family life.

However, the EBPF claimed that because she was “born male,” the rule did not apply to her.

We are considering the decision and our next steps, including whether or not we file an appeal, according to Matt Champ, senior associate at Colman Coyle, who represented Haynes.

After Lynn Pinches, Haynes’ opponent, refused to play her, and she conceded the Women’s Champion of Champions final in Prestatyn, Haynes claimed in January 2024, that she had been subjected to “vile” and “horrific” abuse online.