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By CALUM CROWE Published: 04: 22 AEST, 1 September 2025 | Updated: 05: 57 AEST, 1 September 2025 2 View comments Rangers boss Russell Martin claimed today’s goalless draw with Celtic represented a vital building block in his bid to revitalise a side who have made the club’s worst start to a league season in 42 years. The stalemate means that for the first time since 1983 Rangers have failed to win any of their opening four league matches, but Martin remained confident that he retains the full support of the American owners. His team are still six points behind Brendan Rodgers’ side after one of the poorest derbies in recent memory, with both teams failing to create any clear-cut chances. Yet Martin was determined to take the positives after his team edged the contest as marginally the better team over 90 minutes. The under-fire manager, who has won three of 11 matches in all competitions, believes a pep talk from chairman Andrew Cavenagh was key to restoring confidence after the 6-0 defeat to Club Brugge in Belgium last week. Cavenagh was at Ibrox today alongside vice-chairman Paraag Marathe. ‘I am proud of the players for how they responded after the game in midweek, ’ said Martin. ‘They were fighting for everything. My only disappointment is we didn’t actually win the game. Rangers boss Russell Martin said the draw at Ibrox had given his players something to build on Chairman Andrew Cavanagh (right) and vice-chairman Paraag Marathe attended the derby Cyriel Dessers looks set to join Panathinaikos after a substitute appearance against Celtic ‘We need to build on this. I haven’t felt one change in the owners’ attitude towards me. If anything, I’ve felt more support than ever in the last week. ‘Kevin (Thelwell, sporting director), Patrick (Stewart, chief executive), the owners. Andrew (Cavenagh) spoke amazingly well to the players and staff on Saturday on the plan we embarked on just 90 days or so ago. ‘They felt it was the right plan now and they still do. He doesn’t want to get caught up in the hysteria of what goes with being at this club. ‘The pain threshold has been reached time and again at this club by the supporters. There’s usually a change but nothing has really changed. ‘So I feel really supported by the owners. The players and staff needed to hear that on Saturday. There was a lightness in them after that. ‘Today they showed how hard they want to run for us, the staff, the supporters and the owners. They feel supported and there’s a plan in place. They understand it. ‘We’re disappointed we haven’t got more points but we’re six points off the top and now we have to be hungry and hunt desperately to win and get better. ’ Asked if the performance will ease some of the pressure on him, Martin said: ‘I don’t think the performance will quieten the noise.   ‘Until we win football matches, there will still be noise. By the way, there was noise the first day I was appointed, so it’s not a new thing. ‘It’s a reaction to games, the media have to get clicks. My job is to win games, the media’s job is to create miscommunication between people. ‘The noise gets louder but it doesn’t change one thing we do inside the building. I’ve had it before as a player and manager already. The only way to change the noise is to win matches. ‘If we win football matches, everyone will be happy. Hopefully people felt better about the team today than in midweek, I certainly do. No, we have to build on it. ’ Martin refused to be drawn on why Nico Raskin was left out of the matchday squad. The Belgian international is likely to leave the club before tomorrow’s transfer deadline. He also confirmed that Cyriel Dessers is set to leave, with Panathinaikos close to securing the striker for a £3. 5million fee. Rangers are confident of signing two new players, with Everton’s Portuguese Under-21 striker Youssef Chermiti expected in Glasgow tomorrow to complete a deal for an initial £8m fee, with £2m in performance-related add-ons. Everton will also have a chunky sell-on clause. He will become the second most expensive player in Rangers’ history (behind only Tore Andre Flo). When asked if Rangers are interested in Chermiti, Martin said: ‘Yeah, very interested. ’ Asked about home fans singing in support of Raskin, Martin replied: ‘I didn’t hear that. I just want to focus my energy on the squad today, who I’m proud of. ‘It’s not about me, Nico or any individual. I just want to talk about the group who were brilliant today. ‘I’m not going to talk about individuals. The squad we picked today was one we knew would run for each other. They were all-in and we felt that. ’

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