Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers on why Russell Martin…

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers on why Russell Martin will cope with Rangers pressure

BRENDAN Rodgers has pinpointed the quality that will help Russell Martin to cope with the intensity of Rangers’ rivalry with Celtic this season – his personal experience of being a player at Ibrox.

Supporters of the Glasgow giants were underwhelmed when former MK Dons, Swansea City and Southampton manager Martin was named as Philippe Clement’s successor back at the start of June.

But the ex-Scotland internationalist has recruited extensively this summer and his new-look side defeated Panathinaikos of Greece 3-1 on aggregate in the Champions League second qualifying round last month.

Rodgers, who is bidding to land a third consecutive Scottish title in the 2025/26 campaign, admitted that he was looking forward to pitting his wits against the ex-Norwich City defender in the months ahead.

The Northern Irishman, who is in his second spell in charge of his boyhood heroes, feels the loan that Martin had as a player in Govan back in 2018 will prove invaluable to his counterpart in his new role.

“I think the challenge always excites you when you come into a new season,” he said. “I don’t know Russell that well, but I’ve spoken to him. As a young manager and coach through his career, he’s done very well. I followed him at Swansea, as a former club, and he did well there.

(Image: Craig Williamson - SNS Group) “Then moving on, getting Southampton promoted is good. To take a team out of the Championship is hard. It’s a tough, tough league. But he was able to do that. Obviously, then it was a difficult season for them in the Premier League, but that is a tough, tough league.

“But Russell, having been up here before, knows the pressures. One of the big things about managing Celtic and Rangers is managing pressure. The football idea and the coaching are obviously very important.

“It is important to have an identity and a style, but managing and playing under pressure is what’s key up here. Russell, having been here before as a player at Rangers, will know what’s in front of him.”

Rodgers added, “But I think the managers coming into the league make it exciting. Russell at Rangers, Derek at Hearts and Stuart at Killie as well.

“John [McGlynn] has done a brilliant job at Falkirk over a couple of seasons, getting them promoted twice. I know him well, so I know that they’ll be giving everything to stay in the league.

“David Martindale is a good man who was in the league for a few years when I was here before. Livingston have come straight back up after getting relegated. Again, they are experienced managers. So I think the league as a whole will be strong and competitive.”

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