The arrogance and sense of delusion never left Russell Martin. Constantly blaming his players, refusing to accept responsibility, dismissing any suggestions his tactics were at fault — he was blind to his own failings.
These character flaws stayed with him right until the bitter end, when he was finally put out of his misery late on Sunday night following another humiliating episode at Falkirk.
In penning an open letter to Rangers supporters on Monday, the Rangers hierarchy showed more self-awareness in one sentence than the manager had done during his four months in charge.
Andrew Cavenagh and Paraag Marathe, the club’s chairman and vice-chairman, admitted they ‘did not get this right’ with the appointment of Martin and vowed to win back the trust of supporters.
It was a frank admission. They made a monumental cock-up with their first managerial appointment. No excuses, no trying to dodge the issue. Just an honest mea culpa.
At least they had the decency to hold their hands up and acknowledge their own failings.
Sporting director Kevin Thelwell has come under scrutiny over Russell Martin’s appointment
The only way was out the door for Russell Martin after Sunday’s dismal draw with Falkirk
That doesn’t get them off the hook. Ultimately, this will go down as a big black mark on their record. But the statement did show a willingness to engage, and an acceptance of reality.
Beyond the admission that they messed up, however, there were a few more interesting nuggets in there from Cavenagh and Marathe.
Most notably, the lines about ‘treating this with the urgency it deserves’ and how they will be ‘deeply involved’ in the recruitment process.
It begs the question. Where does all of this leave Kevin Thelwell in the grand scheme of things?
Appointed as the club’s new sporting director when the Americans took over, it was Thelwell who was entrusted to lead the recruitment process last time around.
Along with Gretar Steinsson of the 49ers Enterprises, it was Thelwell who carried out interviews and decided that Martin was the best man for the job.
The Americans were on record insisting that Thelwell had their full support and trust as he looked to hire a manager who could take the club forward.
Now? Not so much.
Paraag Marathe, above left, and Andrew Cavenagh admitted to fans they didn’t get the managerial appointment right
Thelwell, above, appears to have been marginalised as Cavenagh and Marathe intend taking on a much more hands-on role at Rangers
It’s pretty clear that Cavenagh and Marathe, both of whom will be around Ibrox and the Auchenhowie training base over the next week, intend being much more hands-on this time compared to back in the summer.
After playing major roles in the appointment of the worst manager in the club’s history, why should Thelwell or chief executive Patrick Stewart be anywhere near the recruitment process this time around?
They have already shown themselves to be fundamentally incapable of doing what’s being asked of them. Given that Thelwell came with English Premier League pedigree, it’s pretty embarrassing.
He is being sidelined and marginalised – and rightly so – by bosses who clearly don’t trust him any more to fulfil one of the key remits of his job.
He has only been in the building a matter of months but his position is already becoming close to untenable, given the woeful recruitment in the summer and his blind faith in Martin.
Only a few weeks ago, when it was already clear that the manager was a dead man walking, Thelwell insisted Martin was ‘one of the best he’s ever worked with’.
It was hard to know whether to laugh or feel sorry for the guy that he had spouted such nonsense in order to defend a manager who was hopelessly out of his depth.
If that wasn’t bad enough, it was followed by the revelation last week that Thelwell’s 26-year-old son, Robbie, has been appointed as the club’s new head of recruitment.
Seriously, you couldn’t make it up. With the fanbase already on the point of spontaneous combustion, the last thing Rangers need is Thelwell Jnr rocking up at Ibrox.
Chief executive Patrick Stewart, above left, and sporting director Thelwell file out of the Falkirk Stadium after 1-1 draw
Rangers chairman Andrew Cavenagh simply has to get the next managerial appointment right at Ibrox
It’s not so much nepotism as bone-headed stupidity. It’s astonishing that no one at Rangers has either had the authority or presence of mind to say to Thelwell: ‘Come on, Kev, are you really sure about this?’
With the news that Sean Dyche has been ruled out, a lot of details still to be ironed out over Steven Gerrard, and Hearts rightly digging their heels in with Derek McInnes, it already feels like Rangers are scrambling around for a replacement for Martin.
Why was there no immediate contingency plan in place? It was obvious weeks ago that his reign was only heading in one direction.
He should have been sacked after the Champions League humiliation against Club Brugge, or the 2-0 defeat to Hearts at Ibrox last month. Everything else since then has been a waste of time.
Knowing that a change of manager is imminent, other clubs move quickly to go and get their man. Look at the manner in which Ange Postecoglou replaced Nuno Espírito Santo at Nottingham Forest.
Or the way Nuno then subsequently replaced Graham Potter at West Ham. It all happened within a matter of hours.
Instead, despite the intention of moving swiftly to have someone in place for their next game, against Dundee United on October 18, it already feels like Rangers are stumbling around in the dark looking for options.
As sporting director, it was surely incumbent on Thelwell to have a solid contingency plan in place and a list of options drawn up.
He was determined to stick by Martin, only for Cavenagh to eventually pull rank and sack the manager.
Despite his support for the previous boss, if Thelwell hasn’t been working on a contingency plan over these past few weeks then he hasn’t been doing his job properly.
Given the shambolic performances and results served up during his time in charge, Martin was always likely to be the fall guy.
But nobody would be naive enough to believe that Rangers’ problems started and finished with the manager.
This runs much, much deeper. Having spent close to £20million in the summer, most of which was wasted on players who aren’t up to the job, Thelwell’s fingerprints are all over the crime scene.
Martin was only part of the equation. In the fullness of time, all evidence suggests that Thelwell is likely to prove just as big of a mistake.
