RASK A SILLY QUESTION

Rangers owner at crossroads as protests rage on

- KEITH JACKSON

Will average performance against mediocre Hibs save Martin or does Nico's return show Cavenagh that boss is still a dead man walking?

HE looked pleased with himself when it was all over.

And after the week Russell Martin had just endured, it would have taken a heart of stone not to feel some relief for the beleaguered, traumatised Rangers manager on a purely human level.

Yet, the one insurmountable fact remains, this was a cup tie which was won in spite of his presence in the dugout rather than because of it.

Put simply, Martin is most probably toast already.

The savage nature of the demonstrations against him before kickoff and during the first half of a 2-0 win over Hibs will see to that. Eventually.

But that Andrew Cavenagh was there to see and hear the anger of the fans for himself does add a touch of intrigue to the seemingly inevitable.

Will he try to make a point of showing he will not be dictated to by a rebellious support? And risk being viewed as stubborn and intransigent?

Cavenagh would have to be very sure that thousands of supporters are all wrong and that Martin is indeed as capable as two - Kevin Thelwell and Gretar Steinsson believe him to be.

But that would carry a high tariff because if the fans are right and Martin continues to botch the job then Cavenagh's own judgement will also appear to be critically flawed.

Cavenagh is most certainly at a crossroads and in the most unenviable of positions. What the chairman and owner does now might determine the terms of his relationship with the club's support going forward.