New manager can hardly have worse luck down the spine
WHETHER or not it is Steven Gerrard who lands the vacancy, the next Rangers manager would be hard pushed to be dealt worse selection luck than was endured with the team’s backbone this season.
The campaigns of the first-choice central-midfield duo of Ryan Jack and Graham Dorrans were ravaged by suspension and injury. At the heart of the defence, the situation has been even more chaotic.
Pedro Caixinha and then Graeme Murty have fielded an astonishing 11 different starting central-defensive partnerships this season.
It is a reality noted by Russell Martin — set to be accompanied from kick-off today by Ross McCrorie for only the fourth time. That pairing was disrupted in the most recent Celtic clash when McCrorie was red-carded early in the second half at Hampden, a problem symptomatic of the issues in derby games.
Bruno Alves, at Celtic Park in December, then Hamburgbound David Bates at Ibrox in March were forced off injured in the opening 20 minutes of Old Firm games.
Fabio Cardoso fell out of favour after breaking his nose against Motherwell in October and Danny Wilson was allowed to leave for Colorado Rapids in January.
Martin, 32, said: ‘It helps to have a consistent pairing at the back and a consistent spine to the team. As a back four, you want relationships to develop and build. Myself and Batesy played seven games in a row together.
‘The trust and relationship between us was developing. It was feeling good, it was growing. But then it changed and that’s football. The club will be more prepared for that next season. You also want a settled central midfield as well.
‘The areas where you can chop and change to keep people fresh is at the top end of the pitch. You want options there. But, as a defender, you want to know what the people around you will do. That takes time to build.’
Martin was pleased to see Dorrans back in action of late, and playing well in the victory over Hearts last Sunday.
‘He’s hurting after the last Old Firm game because he’s a massive fan and so are all his friends,’ he added. ‘He’s got a point to prove up here and he’s a top player.’