ESPN pundits tell the Celtic truth about what new Rangers boss Russell Martin is facing

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Talk of what will happen ahead of the 2025/26 season has already started, as Celtic will be defending another Premiership crown.

Last season, Brendan Rodgers saw off Philippe Clement and Barry Ferguson with ease, as Rangers went trophyless again, and Celtic collected two trophies.

But now, the new Rangers boss Russell Martin is going to try and top the juggernaut of Celtic, as the former defender walks into his first major job after being sacked by Southampton in December.

There has been a lot of talk around what Martin will do and whether he is the right man for the job, considering what he is up against.

But those on ESPN aren’t too sure he can stop what is coming his way, in regards to Celtic.

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New Rangers boss Russell Martin questioned amid the difficulty of facing Celtic

Celtic have won 14 out of the last 15 titles, and the signs suggest that nobody, any time soon, is going to stop this trophy-winning train.

It’s so one-sided that Celtic not winning the Treble is seen as a disappointment, after that crushing defeat to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final last month.

ESPN pundits, and European football experts, Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens, noted the difficult task facing the new man in the Ibrox dugout, as the former also questioned Martin’s style of play and how it’s ‘not clear vision’.

Gab Marcotti stated: “Russell Martin is the new manager of Rangers. I wasn’t expecting this. Were you?”

Julien Laurens then responded: “We knew he was on the shortlist.” Marcotti then added: “Yeah, with other people who didn’t seem viable. Like Brian Priske and Steven Gerrard.”

Laurens then continued: “And Davide Ancelotti, who did seem viable. But he has no experience of Scottish football. No experience of first-team football either. But Russell Martin was apparently very, very convincing in his interviews with the Rangers board. Prepared really well and had a clear vision of what he wanted to do.

“It’s a tough situation considering how dominant Celtic and Brendan Rodgers have been for the last ten seasons or so. It’s not going to be easy.”

Marcotti then added: “I can’t erase the Southampton experience. We talk about a clear vision of what he wants to do. I will never forget the situation where they are a goal down, and he loves his possession.

“He sends on that Onuachu guy, the guy who is like 11ft tall, and it’s deep in injury time. It’s sideways pass to sideways pass to sideways pass. If this is his clear vision, it’s not a clear vision you want to have. I don’t know. It’s a leap of faith.”

Martin’s record against Celtic as a player

Blink and you would have missed it. But, during a short period in 2018, Martin came to Glasgow and played for Rangers.

But like many Rangers players have found out for years and years now, it was nothing but a nightmare stint for the former centre-back.

Martin played two games against Celtic – in the Premiership and the Scottish Cup semi-final – as Rodgers, in his first spell, made sure it was a time he would want to forget pretty quickly.