Chelsea files: Blues caught in furious ‘s***ty pitch' row as Maresca's seven-goalkeeper dilemma sees him target Trafford
Their hosts for the Conference League semi-final first leg are furious with the state of their OWN surface as they prepare for their biggest game in years.
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Chelsea take on Swedish side Djurgardens in the Conference League semi-final
Credit: EPA
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Djurgardens striker August Priske admitted their pitch is 's****y'
Credit: Getty
The pitch is an artificial one and the Djurgardens players and coaches are not happy with it.
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And it led to some of Martin's doubters questioning whether it was ill-advised, especially so soon into his Ibrox reign. Of course, he's under pressure in this job. That comes with the territory. But this wasn't a rant at the end of his Rangers tenure. It was an early warning to his players that Martin isn't about to settle for being second best in Glasgow. He assured the players that it came from a place of LOVE, as opposed to it being a scattergun assassination of his squad. In the build-up to this European tie, he's adamant the reaction has been positive. But Martin warned that any individual had responded negatively - it would probably have told him they really shouldn't be at Rangers in the first place. As he looked forward to the Czechs' visit, while reflecting on the weekend, he said: 'If the players know the coaching staff by now, they'll know it all came from a place of love and care for them. 'Ultimately, we are here for the players. 'We're here to win football matches but as coaches, day to day, we're here to help players. 'That's our job, to develop them, improve them and to help them enjoy playing for a club like this. 'Because I don't think too many of them have enjoyed it enough here, playing for this amazing club. 'It's not easy. But I didn't come out with that stuff to be ruthless or anything like that. 'It came from a place of love because I want them to be better. 'It's not an attack on anyone. It's about us as a club being stronger and understanding what we need to win here. 'When it comes from that place, they understand it. And we always have honest conversations about why. 'I believe the players are really trying and they're good human beings. 'But the default to try and protect yourself when it gets tough? We need to shift that a little bit. 'If it had a detrimental effect on certain individuals, they're probably not the ones we want to come on the journey with us. 'If it hurts you to the point where you feel you've been singled out, that's probably an issue of you not being all in at this club or with us. 'I don't worry about it being detrimental on the team. I've questioned teams in the past about attitude and the response has been fantastic. 'I guess this is where you learn a lot about people. 'But I'm really comfortable saying where it comes from. It's not a concerted effort to out anyone or beat anyone. 'We're here and we're going to be honest with everyone. 'That has served us well so far. I'm pretty sure it will serve us well again and we'll be really successful. 'We just have to get through some teething problems.' What makes it so hard for Martin to accept - when he has to question work-rate or attitude - is that he had to graft for everything he got as a player. What he lacked in ability, he made up for in effort and commitment. And that's why it frustrates him when he sees players with more talent than he had not giving it everything. 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23 minutes ago
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After spearing his flops at Fir Park, now head coach has to go again in Europe Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Reactions speak louder than words. The Rangers camp have come out with all the right noises since head coach Russell Martin filleted his players at the weekend and now he - and the Ibrox fanbase - will be watching closely to see how they perform against Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday night. This Champions League third qualifying round tie is an important one for Rangers. They are already assured a place in the Europa League, but reaching the play-offs - where they will face either Club Brugge or Salzburg - would be an excellent achievement given the state of flux, and indeed tumult, the team is in. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Martin has presided over three competitive matches: one win, two draws, a trio of unconvincing performances. Had Panathinaikos not been so meek in front of goal, it would be them preparing to face the Czechs. Rangers showed admirable fortitude in the last round, only to let their mask slip and revert to type with a sloppy display at Motherwell in the Premiership. As Martin said, they were lucky to draw 1-1. Rangers trudge off after the 1-1 draw with Motherwell. | SNS Group Old habits die hard. Martin alluded to that in his frank post-match interview at Fir Park. If that is the case, though, then we can expect a strong performance from Rangers against Plzen. Europe is where they have excelled over the past three seasons. In that time, no manager has been quite as honest as Martin. His assessment of the squad chimed with many supporters and onlookers. The coach questioned work-rate, attention to instructions and attitudes. Will some his players have dropped their 'egos'? Will they be given a chance to? Martin's team selection for the visit of Plzen will be telling. He made his ninth signing of an already frantic transfer window on Monday afternoon when Finland internationalist Oliver Antman arrived from Go Ahead Eagles. Rangers are believed to have spent upwards of £3 million for the winger, who will surely come in on the right flank. Depending on registration, he may not play on Tuesday, but should enhance the Ibrox forward line in time. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Plzen are without their star man Rangers will hope they can unleash him on a play-off. Viktoria Plzen are a handy European outfit with recent experience of going deep in the Europa and Conference Leagues, but they are not a fearsome outfit. They arrive in Glasgow diminished after Lyon brokered a £7.5m deal for their star midfielder Pavel Sulc. Plzen came back from two goals down to overcome Swiss side Servette in the previous round, and last year defeated Hearts home and away in the Europa League play-off. The goal at Ibrox is to take a lead over to Plzen next week - the beer capital of the Czech Republic. Ibrox has been a fortress for Rangers on the continent and regardless of the angst and rancour from Saturday, the players will need their backing. In return, Martin and the fans want to see a proper response. Many of this squad are dining in the last-chance saloon. The number of new signings will hit double digits by the end of the month. Lyall Cameron and Cyriel Dessers were two in a minority to win praise from the manager after Motherwell and they are both pressing for starts. Who doesn't make the starting XI will be just as revealing. Cameron was the Rangers player chosen to do pre-match media duties, which is a clue in itself. 'We know Saturday wasn't good enough,' the midfielder said. 'I want to come on and help the team to win. We need to win games. We all understand the manager was justified at the weekend as we were not good enough. We need to show that this has motivated us to be better.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
