Archive September 26, 2025

Unacceptable. Predictable . Ignored . whimpering out. No convictions. Out of ideas, raging.

After the Europa League defeat by Genk, which was a fourth in their previous seven games under Russell Martin, several former Rangers players were left in their mouths on Thursday.

What they said didn’t make anyone feel good. Not a lot of anger either. only regret, frustration, and sadness.

Even Ally McCoist, who is frequently ebullient, maintained a calm disposition.

Following the 1-0 defeat, the legendary former club’s manager and striker declared on TNT Sports, “The manager is in big trouble.”

“Something must change, and that means it must change dramatically.” This won’t last long. There is no purpose if the crowd doesn’t cheer you up at the stadium.

For the first time in his interview after the defeat, Martin may have doubted his repeated insistent that things will get better.

His “we’re not far away,” mantra was present, but it wasn’t delivered with the customary bullish tone. Instead, the Rangers’ head coach was sly, snippy, and depressing.

There was a hint that he knew things were going to get worse despite his ability to pick out positive individual performances that perplexed pundits and punters.

Rangers had their own problems this evening. a careless red card explore your imagination. a lack of enthusiasm Poor defense

The scoreline might have been more similar to what they did last face a Belgian side had it not been for Jack Butland.

Rangers had urged Martin to “attack” this competition. However, his team only had two shots on target and only had 13 touches inside the visitors’ penalty area.

He asserted that they were “a lot in Genk’s box, had good control, and were aggressive,” which surprised former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday.

The Motherwell midfielder said on Sportsound, “I’m surprised he said Rangers were aggressive.” I did not witness them creating chances or causing aggression.

Steven Thompson, who was at Ibrox with Halliday, acknowledged that Martin’s unconvincing message had a certain air of “acceptance.”

The former Ibrox striker claimed that his press conference lacked energy. He was able to sense that it was affecting him.

Some of Martin’s players either help him or not.

Mohamed Diomande’s “sheer stupidity” against Genk, as he was called by former Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson, hampered his team’s attempts to regain any momentum following their weekend victory against Hibs.

An already struggling Rangers were sucked out by the midfielder’s needless first-half red card, which was a third in Martin’s first 14 games.

Before that moment of madness made life even more difficult, they were huffing and puffing in reality.

Given Genk’s quick start and the incisive runs of Zakaria El Ouahdi, in particular, Martin claimed his side had the upper hand early on, but many would argue otherwise given that many would disagree.

Rangers’ apparent lack of self-assurance was what caused former Ibrox players to be particularly troubling amid the punditocracy.

No quick start was required. When their team-mate left, no one could hear their sneer. There was no decisive decision. It was all… meh.

Ferguson remarked during the game on Sportsound, “It’s a struggle.” “I am aware that there are only 10 men, but you can always find a way with 10.”

It appears as though Rangers players don’t think there’s a way to get back into this game.

Hendrik Van Crombrugge, a goalkeeper for Genk, had a few close calls in the final five minutes, but nothing particularly troubling happened.

What do we do when players are looking at each other? ‘, “added Thompson”. They appear to have run out of ideas. Everything is so laborious and predictable.

Any domestic issues Rangers have encountered during the last few seasons have been comforted and eased by Europa League nights.

However, Thursday never appeared to be one of those explosive evenings.

Apathy and angst were present instead of enthusiasm and energy. As the players exited the tunnel, large areas of empty seats greeted them instead of a bellowing sea of blue.

Martin acknowledges that only positive outcomes will cause change. The brains of those who had to make their decisions were not persuaded to reconsider.

Few people praised the head coach when BBC Scotland asked viewers for their opinions.

Sam, I’m watching Martin’s interview. He never apologized to the fans who paid well; instead, he yelled and wiggled his way out of the situation. We don’t want to hear any of his excuses anymore because they are getting old. Pack your bags and do the right thing.

Robert: Martin has had numerous chances, but the football is terrible, and if nothing is changed, the supporters will leave.

Seb: Nothing at all. Lack of conviction, no clear strategy, possession for possession, open to almost every counterattack, and front-line cutting edge. The best way to sum up the management and team is anaemic. lacking in any positive aspects.

Mark: I won’t watch or watch Rangers until the new owners realize they hired them because they made a mistake hiring Martin. Formerly regarded as a club, but not anymore. We are so shocking that I wouldn’t be surprised if we were relegated.

Sally: There are players. They aren’t being managed. When possession is played to forwards, it is only of value. Tavernier needs to realize that other players can kick corners and free kicks. He consistently exposed the defense.

Anyone interested in a triple captain for Gameweek Six?

Many FPL managers will be thinking about using their triple captain chip because Erling Haaland is in top form and has an “easy” home match against Burnley for Manchester City this weekend.

It’s a chip you can play on whim if you own a player with a great fixture.

Are the players and teams in good form, as I always try to judge a good week? Is his pairing effective? Is it likely that he will play 90 minutes? And when will the next week be better?

Let’s examine this week’s triple captain opportunity in the context of my framework: The Haaland triple captaincy is a real temptation this week:

Form: Haaland has a strong start to the season. He has scored six goals in five Premier League games and averages 9.2 points per game, contributing to 75% of those goals that Manchester City have scored while playing on the field.

Fixture: Despite their best efforts to defend their ground, Burnley has consistently shown to have one of the league’s weakest defenses. This season, the Clarets have lost both of their away games. Their only losses came against Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, who were 0-3 and 2-3 respectively. They also have the lowest expected goals conceded.

Minutes: “Fatigue and back pain” caused Haaland to be substituted on Sunday in the 75th minute. I anticipate that he will be back on the team with a full midweek rest. The less opportunities there are for such rests the longer we enter the season.

Are there better weeks? Remember that the chip must be used by Gameweek 19 only, and I always prefer a home game.

In gameweek 13, Haaland faces Leeds United (h), Sunderland (15h), and West Ham United (h) in gameweek 17.

The pivotal team in Ellie Kildunne’s journey doesn’t exist.

Even the actress can’t recall what they were called. Or, more accurately, what they were called.

“Keighley Queens” is her best guess.

Kildunne had appeared at a trial for Yorkshire’s under-15 team. Although she wasn’t invited, her mother recognized the date and took her along.

Asked which team she played for, a club-less Kildunne had to improvise. The Keighley Queens or a similar group was born.

Before then, Kildunne had two clubs.

Having tagged along with her neighbours ‘ two boys at the age of six, she would cross town and codes to play both league for Keighley Albion and union for Keighley on weekends.

She would scorch past once-scornful boys while being the only girl on the field.

She recalls, “I just loved the pressure of proving myself.”

“I wanted to make a statement. ‘ You laugh while looking over your shoulder, but hold on a minute.

Similar preconceptions in secondary school had been overturned by her. Arriving as an 11-year-old, she told the PE staff she would be playing rugby, not netball.

For the B team, she was pushed out on the wing. She was named the year’s back by the season’s end.

But her progress hit a familiar roadblock. There were no longer many rugby options for young women, and the genders split after the referendum.

At that time, “I didn’t know that women’s rugby was a big thing,” says Kildunne.

By the time Kildunne arrived at that Yorkshire trial, she had moved on to football.

She was a childhood Liverpool fan who would run around the house while sporting a replica shirt to resemble Spanish striker Fernando Torres.

She relished the sense of teamwork there.

She was part of a Farsley Celtic team who travelled to Manchester City’s Etihad training campus and beat the Premier League giant’s academy side 7-1.

However, Kildunne remained enthralled by rugby.

You must have the dedication and drive to overcome obstacles when you have that feeling inside of you that you’re meant to do something special,” she said.

“There’s always another route. It’s probably X, Y, Z if it’s not A, B, or C.

Yorkshire was the word for Kildunne. Having been accepted to represent her county, she thought she had better find a real club to replace ‘ Keighley Queens’.

She became a West Park Leeds employee. Soon after playing Castleford. On the opposite team was Carla Middleton, the daughter of future Red Roses coach Simon Middleton.

Middleton Sr. said, “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Her team ran in tries and kicked goals from the touchline, going 30 points down, and she kept them in it almost on her own.” You don’t see that from many 15-year-olds”.

Three years later, Middleton made their England debut against Canada in a Barnet game.

This route passes through France, passes through a different time zone, and includes a car transporter train.

The online journey planner spoofs plenty of warnings when you plot a road trip from London to Monaco. Chief among them is the estimate that it will involve more than 15 hours at the wheel.

However, it was a drive Kildunne was considering in November of last year.

Her scheduled flight to Monaco, where she was in the top three players overall, was canceled due to the absence of her.

Instead of sharing the snacks and satnav duties, she and her partner ended up hitching a lift on a private charter flight laid on for southern hemisphere players involved in the autumn internationals.

She said, “It was undoubtedly the wildest thing ever.” I recorded a lot of videos of my parents.

“]South Africa wing] Cheslin Kolbe was a couple of seats behind me.

In a very, very small plane, Alun Wyn Jones appeared like a large man.

And then I realized how excited I was because there were so many people I wanted to speak with at the awards.

Kildunne, who scored 14 tries in nine Tests for the Red Roses in 2024, walked away with the award that night.

Her name has been sung loudest when the teams are announced at each England game of this Women’s Rugby World Cup.

When the match begins and she gets her hands on the ball, a bubbling mix of anticipation and excitement fills the stands.

More people have signs, T-shirts, and general feelings for her than anyone else.

Her talent is both exceptional and blatant.

While the finer points of Botterman’s breakdown work or Meg Jones ‘ defence are harder to appreciate, Kildunne’s ability with ball in hand needs no context or explanation.

She has a silken swerve, a galloping stride, and the courage to put them to use on the biggest stage, making it her supremely balanced runner.

She cut France open twice for outstanding individual scores in the semi-final victory.

But there is more to her popularity than that.

A motto for Kildunne is. It appears on the phone lock screen and on her walls.

She alluded to it in a social media post celebrating her world player of the year award win, finishing her message with” lukewarm is no good”.

The full quote begins with “If you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead,” according to author Roald Dahl. Take it seriously, hug it, love it, and, above all, develop a passion for it. Lukewarm is no good. “

Kildunne has followed that advice closely.

She is passionate about her past.

” I’m a very proud Yorkshire woman, “she said on the eve of the tournament.

It’s important to adhere to your values and to remember who you are and where you came from, because that is who brought you here.

“That young girl picked up a rugby ball, it’s not just showbiz and the lights and the cameras,” said one witness.

She is passionate about her present.

“I just adore what I do and the people I work with on my team.” She says, “I’m happy to be a part of it.”

But she is also unapologetically ambitious about what’s next.

Her other interests include photography (she has been filming England men’s internationals while taking photos at pitchside), fashion (she designed a collection of campaign clothing), and podcasting (she and Breach founded Rugby Rodeo 12 months ago).

As the team traveled around England, she deliberately packed her gear so that she could piece together vintage outfits from local second-hand shops. She brought a second-hand keyboard into the pre-tournament training camp in the hope of learning piano.

She also has a number of commercial contracts, including big-screen ads for the tournament’s official beer and bespoke cheetah print boots that she wore in the semi-final victory over France.

Since the start of this year, the source of some of it has become clear.

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), a neurodevelopmental disorder that can cause impulsiveness and hyperactivity, was identified as a cause for Kildunne’s diagnosis.

She told GQ, “I was having trouble falling asleep sometimes.”

“My brain was working really fast or I wasn’t quite able to verbalise something that I’d seen on the pitch, so I was frustrated with myself.

I discussed my diagnosis with my parents. They said that because of their creativity, they would go from one thing to another and become who they are.

“I definitely think it’s a superpower – I’ve got the ability to focus on many things at once, but also hyper focus on the things that matter. And that is unquestionably what has made me a player and person.

And she has the chance to win the world championship on Saturday, easing her pain from the 2022 final, which she described as “my first real rugby heartache.”

Inevitably though, she also has other goals.

As the tournament grew before her, she said, “The biggest thing for me is staying close to the girls.”

When we are old ladies sitting around a pool or some other sunny together, these will be the things we will talk about in years to come. Those are the moments we will reflect on”.

From the Keighley Queens to the world’s queens?