Following Saturday's disappointing opening-day draw away to Motherwell, Rangers head coach Russell Martin cut a frustrated figure in his post-match interview.
He admitted he was “extremely disappointed and hurt” after seeing his side drop points on the opening weekend for the third consecutive season.
Martin didn’t hold back, lambasting “two men on the pitch who want to do what they want to do” and calling on certain players to “drop their ego.”
“The default is to revert to type,” he added. “It’s not really tactical, it’s a mentality problem.”
Naturally, speculation has swirled around who those two players might be. But we may now have our answer, with tonight’s starting XI for the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round first-leg tie against Viktoria Plzeň reportedly leaking online.
The leaked line-up is said to be Butland, Aarons, Djiga, Souttar, Jefte, Cameron, Rothwell, Diomande, Antman, Dessers, and Gassama.
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Notably absent are club captain James Tavernier and Nico Raskin, two players who have been mainstays in the starting XI over the past year. Also missing are Kieran Dowell and Danilo.
Dowell and Danilo underperformed at Fir Park, and with fitter, more dynamic options now available in Cyriel Dessers and Oliver Antman, their omissions aren’t surprising. But the exclusion of Tavernier and Raskin speaks volumes.
It suggests Martin was deeply unimpressed with their displays, and perhaps even more so with their willingness to follow his instructions for the new style of play at Ibrox.
Of course, this line-up remains unconfirmed until the official team sheet is released at 6:30pm. But if it proves accurate, it could be a watershed moment, potentially signalling the beginning of the end for two key figures of recent seasons.
Will they respond to the challenge and fight their way back into the team?
Or are we witnessing the first steps towards their exits from Ibrox? Only the players, and Martin, will know for sure.
One thing is clear: the early leak of the team is another concern. In a time when unity is paramount, such breaches of discipline are the last thing the new head coach needs.