Russell Martin's position uncertain as Rangers endure hostile Ibrox defeat to Hearts

Russell Martin faced renewed questions over his future as Rangers head coach after a 2-0 home defeat by Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts left the club 10th in the table and enduring its fifth winless league match of the season.

Fans at Ibrox voiced their displeasure loudly during and after the match, with sections booing and some supporters singing "sacked in the morning" while many left the stadium before full-time. The defeat followed four draws and a humiliating Champions League play-off exit to Club Brugge, prompting public scrutiny over whether the board will continue to back the manager who took charge in June.

Asked directly in his post-match press conference if he was certain the board would continue to support him, Martin replied "We'll see." When asked whether he would resign, he answered "no" after a fan media representative told him an overwhelming amount of the Rangers support wanted him to leave. "Only results will convince them," Martin added, saying his job was "to convince the players and the staff inside the building" and conceding that the situation "hurts a bit" because "nobody sees how hard you work."

The unrest at Ibrox was partly fuelled by selection questions, including Martin's continued omission of Belgium international midfielder Nicolas Raskin, which had dominated pre-match build-up despite the manager saying the issue had been "resolved." The poor league start marked the club's worst opening sequence in 47 years, and has intensified pressure on a manager who has overseen a substantial squad overhaul since his appointment.

Former Rangers winger Neil McCann, part of Barry Ferguson's interim coaching team last season, said he had doubts about Martin's ability to survive current scrutiny. "I'm not sure," McCann said. "I really felt for him and he looked really uncomfortable at the end of the game. I know he's not one for walking away but when the fans show their disdain and their displeasure like that then it's really difficult to come through it."

Billy Dodds, who was an assistant to Ferguson last season, said the fanbase had "had enough" after a run of four draws and the home defeat. Hearts manager Derek McInnes, whose team won at Ibrox, said he felt Martin had been treated unfairly by some supporters during the match.

Supporters who spoke to BBC Sport reflected a range of opinions. Some said Martin should be sacked immediately, with comments such as "Martin could get us relegated" and "he is out of his depth," while others urged patience, arguing the scale of change at the club required time to embed. Those views underline the deep division among the Rangers support over whether the current manager deserves a longer period to implement his plans.

Martin has repeatedly stressed the need to manage expectations while implementing a rapid rebuild at a club that has not been consistently successful in recent seasons. He has argued the squad changes were necessary, saying they were arriving at a club "not coming into a place that is winning a lot." Even so, the short-term results have left Rangers trailing both Hearts and the defending champions, and increased calls for immediate improvement.

The club's ownership changed earlier this year when a US-led consortium took control, bringing renewed hope among fans of mounting a sustained challenge to Celtic. That backdrop has added to the urgency around results and amplified reactions to poor form.

Martin, who has been in charge for just over three months, faces a delicate balance between defending his long-term plan and delivering the immediate victories demanded at a club of Rangers' stature. He said he would "keep working and make sure it does" in reference to winning back supporters, while acknowledging the path to regaining favour would not be easy.

The board has not announced any change in its publicly stated support for the manager. Rangers will next return to league action as they seek a first win in the opening five fixtures and attempt to stem a growing atmosphere of discontent at Ibrox.