Rangers to start their 2025/26 Scottish Premiership campaign at home to Motherwell on Saturday, August 2. You’ll be able to watch the game live on Sky Sports. Second-year head coach Russell Martin has his sights set high for the 2022 campaign. He thinks now is a pivotal moment for the organization. Rangers will visit Hearts on Saturday, December 20 and then host Motherwell again at Ibrox on Saturday, December 27.
The opening game with Hearts is scheduled for Saturday, September 13, at Ibrox. After that, Rangers host Livingston on Sat, Sept 27 then head to Falkirk for an Oct 4 encounter. We can hardly contain our excitement for the season to come! Fans are most looking forward to the first Old Firm meeting with Celtic, scheduled for Sunday, August 31, at Ibrox.
Martin’s New Arrivals and Team Dynamics
Since taking over this past summer, Russell Martin has undertaken a major rebuild of the squad, making eight new signings. One of those new faces was 17-year-old winger Mikey Moore, who was added on loan from English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur. Martin has called Moore a “special talent,” which is certainly high praise and goes to show how much Martin believes in this young player’s potential.
The new manager understood the difficulty of introducing new players into a team already at a high level. He stated, “There’s been so much change and we’re navigating a lot of change at this football club. Everyone is doing well with that.” This versatility will be even more valuable as Rangers look to put together a consistent group with a ton of roster turnover.
Martin elaborated further on the team-building process, saying, “To manage that is not always easy, so we’re trying to win while building and developing.” He is focused on winning and development. This pragmatic approach grants him the ability to chase short, rapid wins while strengthening foundational elements for sustainable, future success.
A Demanding December and Key Fixtures
As the new season moves into December, it’s a challenging month for Rangers with six games in preparation. Most importantly, there is not a single fixture on Boxing Day, giving players a little bit of much needed respite throughout the busy month. After the December fixtures, they will meet again at Celtic Park. Don’t miss any of the action—tune in on Sky Sports at 7:30 am ET on Wednesday, January 3!
“The closeness of the matches even more highlights how crucial being prepared and mentally tuned in will be for Russell Martin and his team of players. ‘We’ve had five weeks that have been hectic with pre-season and then two massive games to prepare for,’ he remarked. ‘Now we have to focus everything on this because this is what you’re judged on—the success of a season.’”
Rangers will look to ride December’s momentum into the new year. Their duels with Celtic, starting with the last pre-split meeting at Ibrox on February 28, promise to be season-defining.
Predictions and Pressures of Management
With the season fast approaching, experts are placing their bets on the new title contenders. Kris Boyd and Chris Sutton have already shared their opinions on who they think will be lifting the trophy this time in May. The tight competitive margins of Scottish football are such that every match is important, especially during fierce winner-take-all derbies with Celtic.
Russell Martin knows all about the intense pressures of being the man in charge of one of the globe’s great footballing institutions. “As soon as you become the manager of Rangers or Celtic, you’re always going to be under pressure,” he noted in reflection of the expectations surrounding his role. He acknowledged that criticism is part of the job but emphasized that it’s essential to remain focused and committed to the team’s goals.
“Everybody thinks they’re better than you; everybody will sit here and criticize. But the reality is he’s a manager of one of the biggest clubs in the world.” – Sky Sports
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