Rangers fans may have had to wait, but Russell Martin has finally been confirmed as the new manager at Ibrox.
The 49ers Enterprises and Andrew Cavenagh deliberated over many options, with Martin and Davide Ancelotti appearing to be the final two in the contest.
However, it is Martin who is tasked with returning the Gers to the top of the Scottish Premiership, and Todd Cantwell has already expressed his thoughts.
Cantwell backs Martin for success at Rangers
Throughout the management hunt at Rangers, it was unclear which direction the new American owners would pursue.
This appointment will have a significant impact on how their stay at Ibrox begins.
However, opinions on the club have already been varied.
The potential of Ancelotti was viewed as dangerous, as it would have been his first solo job, with no guarantee of repeating his father’s abilities.
Meanwhile, while Martin has risen through the ranks in England, his intransigence in the Premier League was one of Southampton’s weaknesses this season.
| Job | Win Rate |
| Southampton | 45.21% |
| Swansea City | 36.36% |
| MK Dons | 37.5% |
One man who is in favour of the appointment, though, is Cantwell.
After the confirmed announcement, the Blackburn Rovers star took to his Instagram story to say: “One of the best I’ve worked with, really exciting and troubling times for Celtic.”
His message was accompanied by a handshake, love heart eyes and blue heart emojis.
49ers must back Martin
Now that an appointment has been made, the 49ers and Martin must go right to work, as there is a lot to do to get the Rangers back to where they should be.
Even if the new manager possesses the requisite skills, he will be unable to carry out his plans without the essential players are available.
With players like Hamza Igamane and Nico Raskin, there is a good chance that part of the present squad will continue to play under the 39-year-old next season.
While expectations must be measured at Ibrox, there must also be demonstrable indicators of improvement the next season if growth is to be sustained.
The new era at Ibrox is already underway.
