He runs so hard — England-born coach warns his players to be like Super Eagles striker

The Scottish Premier League has begun, and for the third consecutive season, Rangers failed to pick up maximum points in the opening match of the season following a draw to Motherwell. 

Their performance during the 1-1 draw at Fir Park angered Russell Martin, and the  Scottish manager went in on his players, questioning their ego and commitment. 

However, one player avoided blame: Super Eagles striker Cyriel Dessers. Martin showered the Nigerian striker with praises and urged the rest of the team to emulate him. 

In an impassioned post-match press conference after the match, the former Southampton head coach analysed their draw with Motherwell. 

He called out his players, stating that their poor performance on the day was down to the low commitment levels of the squad. 

“Some of them have to drop their ego; I'll look at us tactically and accept my responsibility in it,” Russell Martin said, per Sky Sports.

“But today, it's not really tactical; it's a mentality problem, and we got more than what we deserved, actually. We need work out who really wants to be all in and who doesn't, but Europe is not an excuse. This club demands to play in Europe.

Cyriel escaped the tirade and was instead praised. Despite being linked with a move away from the club, the Nigeria international puts his best foot forward, to the admiration of his coach. 

“Cyriel [Dessers] is the only one that we've actually had a bid for and he comes on and he runs so hard. Some of them need to have a look at him and set that example,” Martin said. 

“There will be people left behind if they don't want to come. They'll be left behind because they need to understand really what playing for this football club will take and what it means and not just when it's having a nice time.

“I know what we're coming into, and I understand the fans' frustration. We are only one game in, and it is a work in progress. We need to work out quickly who really wants to listen, who will really fight, who will really run when the going gets tough.”

Meanwhile, Dessers was excellent for the Gers last season. He played 55 games for Rangers, scoring an impressive 29 goals and adding 7 assists across all competitions, which earned him a top-five spot on Pulse 30.