Brendan Rodgers is set to face yet another fresh face in the opposite dugout next season, with Russell Martin appointed as the new Rangers manager. The change at Ibrox marks the sixth managerial rival for Rodgers across his two spells at Celtic, a sign of the upheaval and pressure Rangers have faced amid Celtic’s sustained success.
The Hoops boss heads into the new campaign aiming to deliver a fifth consecutive league title, further cementing his position as one of the most successful managers in the club’s modern history. Celtic’s recent dominance has had a direct impact across the city, with managerial casualties at Ibrox mounting with each passing year.
Martin arrives in Glasgow following a stint at Southampton and with a clear messafe from the Ibrox board: stop Celtic. But the size of the task ahead of him was laid bare this week by Celtic icon Martin O’Neill, who offered a blunt assessment of what lies ahead for the new Rangers boss.
O’Neill, who is well-respected at Celtic Park for his transformative spell in charge in the early 2000s, knows what it takes to succeed in the Glasgow pressure cooker. And he’s made it clear that Rodgers won’t be loosening his grip on domestic supremacy anytime soon.
He said: (The Sunday Post), “Celtic won the league very comfortably last season and they deserve credit.
“Winning a title is never easy and shouldn’t be taken for granted. It’s 10 months of hard work and you need to produce a level of consistency over that period.
“Brendan and the squad will be motivated to do it again and they are looking to achieve five-in-a-row.
“Across the city, at Rangers, they will be trying to stop that from happening. It will be interesting to see how Russell Martin goes about that.
“The games between both clubs will be important, of course, and Celtic will take a bit of stopping over 38 games.”, continued O’Neill.
“Brendan knows how to be successful with Celtic and has brought trophies to the football club on a regular basis.
“They will also want to build on last year’s good work in the Champions League. First, they need to get there and they will have a qualifier to play in late August.
“Again, you can never take anything for granted but I’d be confident of Celtic getting through.
“That would give them access to the new format and they enjoyed that set-up last season. It worked well for them and I’m sure it can do so again.”
O’Neill’s comments highlight the consistency and professionalism Rodgers has restored since returning to the Hoops. Last season’s title was clinched with a level of control that left little room for any real challenge from Rangers, with Celtic again showing their superiority over the length of the season.
While Martin may bring a new style and fresh ideas to Ibrox, he now faces the full weight of expectation against a Celtic side who have built their success on stability and proven leadership. The idea of unseating a Rodgers-led Celtic side is not something that happens overnight.
With the first Glasgow Derby still months away, the tone for the season may well be set before a ball is kicked in that fixture. Celtic’s start, coupled with their Champions League qualifiers, will reveal how hungry this squad remains for more silverware under Rodgers.
If Martin thought the challenge of managing Rangers was big, Martin O’Neill has reminded him it could be even bigger than he imagined. Rodgers isn’t done, and Celtic aren’t slowing down.
