Archive June 5, 2025

Russell Martin delivered a short speech in 23 minutes.

The new Rangers head coach’s first statement of intent was only in the Ibrox press room, which was crowded inside the Bill Struth Main Stand.

The former Southampton manager laid out his vision for Rangers after taking a quick photo upstairs in the renowned Blue Room and making a quick descent down the grand staircase.

He covered everything, from his own appointment to a failed Govan player, to insulting his agent by blatantly stating his desire for the position, expectations, hiring, and hitting the ground running.

On the touchline with his previous clubs, Martin frequently cut a smart-casual figure. With a jacket and tie, he significantly improved for Rangers. He didn’t have a suit, though, and he still looked stylish with the newest trainers.

He’ll be aware of how crucial first impressions are, and the message that persisted from his position as head coach of the Rangers was that he is grateful and eager.

He also had a tenacious desire to succeed in the job and had a strong belief in his abilities and methods. To the point where he views his professional career as merely a form of coach training.

Both of Glasgow’s top two footballing clubs always have a lot of interest in hiring a new manager. There was a real interest in how Martin would come across, given the names associated with the Rangers’ jobs, including Steven Gerrard and Davide Ancelotti. This was only made worse by some fans’ lackluster arrivals.

In that regard, he performed well. He was friendly and persistent throughout, appeared completely unfazed by any questioning, and was pleased to provide an explanation of what his players should expect from him.

He was quickly subjected to questions from broadcasters and newspaper reporters about budgets, expectations, winning awards, and the Premier League struggle with Southampton that quickly cost him his job on the south coast.

He was content to field them all, and he left this correspondent with the clear impression that Martin had a lot to learn from his encounters with England’s elite.

One clear plan is the new Rangers’ head coach. Win quickly and easily. He doesn’t anticipate a large fanbase to be patient. Or, in fact, from his new employers, who believe he is the “ideal candidate” to bring the Ibrox club back to its desired state, challenging them in every competition they enter.

After giving his advice that he had to “win early,” he was asked if he anticipated winning a trophy in his first season. He referred to those as “winning games.”

Then Martin remarked, “I’m not going to make any promises because I don’t think that helps anyone.”

Martin was straightforward and focused when asked about his identity and style.

Fans of Rangers can anticipate both “courage” and “intense” to be two things.

He wants all of his players to either possess or develop “courage to take the ball,” which he describes as “one of the hardest things to do in football.”

And Martin wants them to be open to playing in “risky” locations because they “always have solutions and options” This will come from his side’s commitment and the team’s dedication.

Martin was pleased to point out that the running stats of all of his previous teams, including some of them, were the best.

He wants to compensate for his playing here.

The former defender was open about how much time he spent playing here. It wasn’t at all good from his perspective.

He claimed that it hurt him greatly that things didn’t go so well in this situation. “I’m trying to present myself in a different way than I did in the past.”

Interesting area for this one, because Martin sent out a few clear signals.

He anticipates both improving the players he will inherit and giving the board new talent to support his goals. I’m clear about what the squad needs and demands, so let me quote him exactly: “We’re going to add to the squad.

He is aware that the current crop of players can improve and improve. He’ll give them an opportunity to win over him. He wants them to display both a “better” and “different” version of themselves.

He wants players who are eager to run hard, run a lot, and work their socks off, according to one thing. He made a suggestion that if the current squad doesn’t have enough of that, he’ll start recruiting players who will be willing to accept that culture of hard work.

He is aware that the club needs to be “sustainable,” and that he must use his extensive contacts to find real transfer-market deals despite being informed that he will receive a sizable portion of the £20 million investment.

Interesting is how he described interim manager Barry Ferguson’s performance as “brilliant,” a sign that Martin has seen enough talent in the players to work with? If the club is unable to retain the Wolfsburg loaneee, replacing the quality of someone like winger Vaclav Cerny may be high on his list of priorities.

Martin claims that despite never having been the first choice at any of his previous clubs, he had already won over the fanbase at MK Dons, Swansea, and Southampton.

According to him, some of the Rangers’ supporters are a little underwhelmed by his arrival: “I want to give supporters a team they can identify with and feel proud of.”

A “team that gives everything,” a cohesive group that shares my own work ethic. I am aware of my destiny.

“Not as a player, but judge me at this moment.” My previous experience was incredibly learning. Jimmy Bell and Stevie the physio really whetted my appetite even more after speaking with him.

English rugby’s top coaches say they are determined to revel in the pressure of leading their sides into do-or-die Premiership semi-finals this weekend.

“If you can’t love this, then get another job,” says Bath’s Johann van Graan, as the league’s runaway leaders prepare to host local rivals Bristol on Friday night.

“If you’re not enjoying it, what’s the point?” adds Leicester boss Michael Cheika.

After 18 rounds of the regular campaign, two sides will emerge from this weekend to reach the final on 14 June at a sold-out Allianz Stadium in Twickenham, with Leicester hosting Sale the day after Friday’s west country derby.

In a special Rugby Union Weekly podcast, we were joined exclusively by all four of the men plotting to lead their team to Premiership glory, just days before the biggest game of their season.

“Semi-final is not enough,” says Sale’s Alex Sanderson, who has guided the club to three successive semi-finals without landing the big prize.

“That’s no disrespect to Leicester – I respect a lot of what Michael is doing – and our game model is pretty similar.

“But there are only so many times you can knock on the door, and at some point you have to try and kick it off its hinges. The team, the group – we just want more.

“Sometimes because of the length of the season, you may be looking forward to having a couple of weeks on a beach. This isn’t one of those times. I don’t want this ride to stop.”

Pat Lam of Bristol adds: “I use that word ‘privilege’. I’ve got five children. The oldest is 32, the youngest is 18. That’s the playing group that I’ve got.

“I get a real buzz seeing the experiences and what they are going through. It takes so much and you have to go out and earn it.

“Every time I have these moments I feel just privileged to be here and feel lucky to be doing what we do.”

Van Graan added: “This game is not about fear. This game is about attacking it – and may the best team win.

“What would the world be without sport? I’m privileged to be part of it and part of a team that wants to achieve.

In his first and only season in the league, Cheika says he has “enjoyed the ride” in the East Midlands and has been surprised by the diversity of playing styles across the Premiership, citing Bristol’s free-wheeling approach.

He also believes the league has the potential to rival Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL) and become one of the world’s leading sporting products, with plans afoot to bring in a franchise model in a bid to take Premiership rugby to the next level.

“I think it should be like the NRL, when you think about the population. The game deserves a bigger economy. It needs the league to get it bigger, more money in there so there can be more impact,” Cheika said.

“There’s a really good thing going on here that we can build on, but it needs a central economy to create that energy, so teams don’t go to the wall and they’re able to benefit from a strong central economy with more sponsors, more people, more merchandising, a bigger TV deal, all that type of stuff that runs off the back of it.

“As an outsider there is definitely the potential for the game to be much bigger on a national scale.”

But with the game’s status quo under threat from a breakaway league, Van Graan has highlighted how the sport’s foundations are built on tradition, and believes the league is in a strong place after a challenging few years.

“That experience in Cardiff a few weeks ago, when Bath played Bristol, was amazing. It felt like a Test match,” he said.

“There are so many good things about the Premiership. My Dad went to the 1991 World Cup and he brought me back some grass in a little bottle, which I still have. Twickenham was always the place and I remember our game there against Quins three years ago, I thought: ‘this is amazing’.

“I can’t control anything that happens about franchising, or rebel leagues, or the outside. All I can control is our team, and I’d like to think all 10 Premiership teams have done their bit to make this a spectacle in all of our different ways.

The semi-finals will pit some of the world’s greatest fly-halves against each other, with Scotland’s Finn Russell facing the USA’s AJ MacGinty on Friday night, before 99-cap Englishman George Ford and South Africa’s double World Cup winner Handre Pollard do battle on Saturday.

“Every rugby player has talent, but you are looking for the ones who are special, that will just flick a switch,” said Lam.

Sanderson added: “I’ve worked with AJ, I’ve heard what Finn Russell is like and I’ve seen Handre work in South Africa camp. These guys are all but coaches, wearing a rugby shirt.

“And at this time of the year, they take more and more ownership. Those are the great players. Fordy is one of them. He is going to be a great coach, but has years left on the field.”

Cheika agrees. “Ford should be on the Lions tour,” he said. “That guy is high quality. He is a coach walking around in a playing jersey.”

Meanwhile Van Graan says Russell is more professional than ever, despite more than a decade operating at the highest level.

“I remember one of my first visits in the NFL in 2011, visiting the [San Francisco] 49ers and they had this banner on the inside the training ground which said: ‘Either you get better or you get worse – you choose’,” he said.

“There is so much hype around Finn on the outside, but he hasn’t missed a training session bar the five weeks last year when he was injured. Those are the things you are looking for in players. You want guys who want to drive the group.

Vasiliy Lomachenko, one of the sport’s most renowned athletes, has announced his retirement at the age of 37.

Lomachenko won 396 victories and one loss during his remarkable amateur career, which included winning Olympic gold in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, respectively.

He became a three-weight world champion in just 12 fights after turning professional in 2013 with Kosei Tanaka, who recently retired.

In a heartfelt video posted on social media, Lomachenko expressed gratitude that as my career came to an end, I had provided clarity about the course of action needed for true victory.

Lomachenko is regarded as one of the most technically gifted fighters of his generation despite being renowned for his excellent footwork, speed, and combination punching.

Lomachenko paid tribute to his teammates, their families, and especially his father, Anatoly Lomachenko, a devoted trainer.

He said, “My father taught me how to be a role model for my own children as well as boxing.”

He was always there for me and helped me when I needed to, despite having made many mistakes in both my life and the gym. I recall many happy times.

Lomachenko competed for the title in his second professional fight after a stellar amateur career, dropping a contentious decision to Orlando Salido in 2014.