It's finally over. Russell Martin's turbulent Rangers tenure is over after just 17 matches.
As it happened, a 1-1 draw at Falkirk was the final straw but in truth the writing had been on the wall for some time. The only moderate surprise for some UK football fans will be that he failed to outlast Ruben Amorim at Man United or Ange Postecoglou at Nottingham Forest.
Around two weeks has passed since serious speculation first mounted about his future as manager. The Gers had quickly exited the top tier of European football after a 9-1 aggregate defeat to Club Brugge.
They have subsequently lost both their Europa League group games to sit 32nd out of 36 sides in the table, while Sunday's draw at Falkirk left them 11 points off the Scottish Premiership pace after just seven matches, having scored just six goals (only Aberdeen and St Mirren have managed less).
Who is in line to replace Martin as Rangers manager? A surprise pair of favourites quickly emerged in the hours immediately after his sacking before the market flipped to favour a long-term frontrunner.
Next Rangers Manager Betting Odds
| Manager | Odds |
|---|---|
| Steven Gerrard | 5/2 |
| Sean Dyche | 4/1 |
| Danny Rohl | 5/1 |
| Kevin Muscat | 6/1 |
| Derek McInnes | 8/1 |
Why was Russell Martin sacked as Rangers manager?
Russell Martin lasted just 17 matches in the job, losing six of those matches across all competitions. They were thumped in their bid to enter the Champions League proper, lost both of their matches in the Europa League and scored just six goals to gather eight points from seven league matches.
The day he took the job on 5th June, Rangers were a 2/1 chance to win the Scottish Premiership. Four months later, they are given just an 8% chance of winning the title at odds of 11/1 on Sky Bet.
Who is the favourite to be the next Rangers manager?
Steven Gerrard has been reinstalled as the favourite to replace Martin according to the latest betting odds. Gerrard enjoyed a hugely successful spell as Rangers manager from 2018 to 2021, most notably marked by an unbeaten championship season in 2020–21.
That 102-point campaign, which broke Celtic’s grip on domestic success, keeps him firmly in favour with supporters. Boasting a 64.8% win rate across all competitions, consistent victories in Old Firm derbies and solid European performances, Gerrard’s achievements at Ibrox can't be discounted.
Will the Rangers board revert to Gerrard? Or will his mixed spell at Aston Villa and unsuccessful period in the Saudi Professional League put them off from calling him back in?
Despite dropping behind Gerrard in the market, Sean Dyche remains a live contender to replace Martin at Ibrox. The former Burnley boss has been out of work since a two-year stint at Everton finished in January 2025.
54-year-old Dyche was previously with Burnley for 10 years (2012-2022) and helped them gain two promotions to the Premier League, with a top-flight high of finishing seventh. He started his career with Watford, managing 49 matches in the 2011/12 season.
Briefly one of the favourites this morning, 36-year-old Danny Rohl did an excellent job at Sheffield Wednesday before off-field issues begin to bite him and the club over the summer, leading to a likely relegation this season.
He left the club before the start of the campaign after spending the majority of the summer reportedly touting himself to potential suitors in the Championship, and even being linked with Rangers.
Another who was 9/4 this morning before dropping into the pack is Kevin Muscat, head coach of Chinese Super League club Shanghai Port.
The 52-year-old was previously with Japanese side Yokohama Marinos having spent the majority of his coaching career in his native Australia with Melbourne Victory,
He won both the A-League Championship (twice) and A-League Premiership. A 'hard man' from his playing days, Muscat was part of the Rangers side which won a treble of domestic trophies in 2002/03.
Fifth in the next Rangers manager odds is Derek McInnes, head coach of surprise Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts. He has only been with the club since May and retains an unbeaten record, winning 10 and losing two of his 12 matches. Will he be tempted to leave from such a position of strength?
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List of Rangers managers since Steven Gerrard
| Manager | Dates |
| Giovanni van Bronckhorst | 18/11/21 - 21/11/22 |
| Michael Beale | 28/11/22 - 01/10/23 |
| Steven Davis | 01/10/23 - 15/10/23 |
| Philippe Clement | 15/10/23 - 23/02/25 |
| Barry Ferguson | 24/02/24 - 18/05/25 |
| Russell Martin | 05/06/25 - Present |
Steven Gerrard’s Record at Rangers
The best, and perhaps only, managerial success for Steven Gerrard has come in Glasgow, with the 2020/21 Scottish Premiership title.
That was his only trophy won in his three-and-a-bit-year stint at Rangers. During his time at the club, they played in 193 matches with Gerrard coming away with a 64.8% win rate and some excellent results in the UEFA Europa League.