🚨 No Ordinary Morning at Auchenhowie: Rangers Launch Pre-Season Under New Boss Russell Martin
✅ Who Was There
- 0-3Veteran keeper Jack Butland, joined by fellow shot-stopper Ben Davies and Robin ‘Propper’ Propper, all returning from loan spells .
- 669-0Captain James Tavernier—fresh off a desert training stint in Dubai—led the way alongside stalwart full-back Ridvan Yilmaz .
- 833-0Midfield anchor Nico Raskin was also on-site, though his future remains uncertain as the club considers contract talks vs. exit .
❗ Who Was Missing
- 999-1Newly signed midfielder Lyall Cameron (from Dundee) remains sidelined with a calf knock and is likely out for the first week of pre-season .
- 1249-0Striker Cyriel Dessers, tipped for a move to AEK Athens, was missing—fueling growing exit speculation .
🔄 What It All Means
- 1390-3Sporting director Kevin Thelwell and new owner Paraag Marathe have confirmed that “new faces” are expected before the Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos .
👀 What to Watch in the Coming Weeks
- 1822-0New Signings Incoming: A full-back—possibly Max Aarons from Bournemouth—is close to joining .
- 1997-0Transfer Talk Intensifying: Will African scouts swoop for Raskin? Will Dessers leave? The board recently announced a £20 million funding boost to support ambitious player moves .
- 2212-0Squad Shake-Up: With Martin demanding high standards and “character first” recruitment, several fringe players may find themselves on the periphery .
✅ Summary for Fans
Russell Martin’s first day has set the tone: no warm-ups, no hand-holding—only hard graft and results. As the dust settles on arrivals and departures, pre-season will be a high-stakes audition. Keep an eye on:
- Cameron’s return date and progress,
- Dessers’ transfer saga,
- and who will soon fill key roles in defence and midfield.