Russell Martin didn’t win any silverware in his brief, forgettable stint as a Rangers player, but he did gain a valuable insight into the standards to which the club aspires.
Only appointed manager on June 5, he had a major job on his hands to recalibrate the squad before the first of three Champions League qualifiers dawned in late July.
When Panathinaikos came out of the hat, the former Southampton boss could have been forgiven for trying to manage expectations, yet he made no attempt to get his excuses in early.
Even amid so much change on and off the park this summer, even with the toughest draw his side could have got, he felt their goal was achievable.
Across both games with Panathinaikos, a new-look Rangers side only played in fits and starts. They carried considerable good fortune and were relieved that the Greeks converted just one of a plethora of chances they fashioned.
However, spirit and belief can take you a long way in football. Having been told so often by their manager that they were capable of reaching the business stage of the Champions League, Martin’s players refused to wilt.
Spirit and belief is taking Russell Martin’s Rangers team a long way at the moment
Unlike predecessor Philippe Clement (above), Martin won’t be found muttering about number of chances his team created if it all goes wrong
Djeidi Gassama scored crucial goal that saw Rangers advance in the Champions League
A man who can be blunt at times when sat in front of a microphone, the manager is clearly fostering a culture of no excuses. Unlike his predecessor, Philippe Clement, he won’t be found muttering about the number of chances created if it all goes awry one afternoon.
With seven new faces on board, his side is very much a work in progress. It’s evidently going to take time and continual hard work for it all to gel. In the meantime, a positive mindset must be the glue which holds it all together.
Even though it’s not yet all clicked into place, it’s pretty clear what Martin is trying to do.
He wants his goalkeeper and his defenders to play out from the back in order to draw opponents towards the ball. They are then detailed to play through the press, then attack at pace and in numbers.
As enticing as all of that sounds, it clearly doesn’t happen overnight. There were many times on Wednesday when Martin’s players looked confused and overwhelmed. As passes were misplaced and shut off, the Greeks hunted them down and penned them in.
For those visiting fans housed in the upper tier, it made for an uncomfortable watch. They may have to get used to it, though, because nothing validates a manager’s chosen approach quite like early success.
In that sense, seeing off Panathinaikos while transitioning from the more direct approach advocated by Clement felt significant. There’s certainly no going back.
In recent weeks, it’s been common to see Rangers players leav the training ground with computer tablets under their arms. With Martin attempting to give them a detailed picture of what he wants individually and collectively, the learning process hasn’t stopped.
Russell Martin congratulates John Souttar on a job well done in Athens on Wednesday
Gassama, above left, is hailed by Raskin and Danilo after his equaliser in 1-1 draw in Greece
Philippe Clement very often annoyed Rangers fans with his excuses after poor results
Wednesday’s performance wasn’t perfect. Not by a long chalk. For all Rangers showed gumption, they were fortunate that Panathinaikos lacked much punch in the final third.
Viktoria Plzen may not be so forgiving come Tuesday. Two goals down on aggregate away to Servette in midweek, they struck three times to stun the Swiss.
The men from the Czech Republic might well be a step up from Panathinaikos. But, after a testing Premiership opener at Fir Park, Martin believes his side will also be a different proposition.
His new recruits have had a taste of what these European adventures can feel like. There’s an appetite for much more.
