Russell Martin Addresses Team Leak Ahead of Champions League Qualifier
Russell Martin, the head coach of Rangers, has stated that he will not let the recent leak of his team's lineup affect his focus ahead of Tuesday's Champions League qualifying match against Viktoria Plzen.
Following a disappointing 1-1 draw against Motherwell last Saturday, Martin decided to drop four players, including captain James Tavernier and standout midfielder Nicolas Raskin, for the first leg at Ibrox against the Czech team.
Despite the team's 3-0 victory, details of Martin's lineup were widely circulated on social media hours before the match.
"I’ve told the players that it’s not ideal, but I’m not going to lose sleep over it," Martin said.
He acknowledged that such leaks have become more common in modern football. "I found out about it when I arrived at the stadium because I’m not active on social media," he explained. "Players communicate with their agents, friends, and family, and somehow that information reaches the media quickly. I can’t really control that. I don’t think anyone here would intentionally leak information to harm us. I doubt it changes the opposition’s strategy just hours before a match since they would have completed most of their preparations by then."
Despite the leak, Martin prefers to announce his lineup early. "This way, players don’t waste time or energy worrying about their inclusion, and we can focus on specific strategies," he added. "There are enough challenges in this job, so I’m not going to overly stress about the team being leaked."
Looking ahead to Saturday's Scottish Premiership match against Dundee, Martin will again be without new signings Mikey Moore and Thelo Aasgaard, as well as forward Hamza Igamane. Moore is awaiting international clearance due to being classified as a minor by FIFA, but the Tottenham Hotspur loanee will be eligible once he turns 18 on Monday. Meanwhile, Aasgaard and Igamane are both working towards full fitness.