Kris Boyd Exclusive Interview with BestBettingSites.com

by Luke Andrews, 4 August 2025

Former Rangers and Killie striker Kris Boyd sat down with our team at Best Betting Sites to discuss the season ahead. With Russell Martin now in charge, Boyd offers his take on where Rangers need to improve, whether Champions League qualification is realistic, and what fans can expect both on and off the pitch.

Kris Boyd, Scotland striker in a Kilmarnock kit.

Kris Boyd, playing for Kilmarnock © Getty Images

Questions on Rangers

What would success look like for Rangers this season?

I think now they’ve obviously qualified at least for the Europa League, so you can put that to bed. They’ve still got a chance to get into the Champions League, and that’s going to be very difficult to secure. I don’t think Rangers can give up on that when the opportunity is still there.

There’s a two-legged tie coming up over the week against Viktoria Plzen, and you expect them to get through that. What’s certain is they’ll have to improve on their performance against Motherwell, and if they get through, there’s a play-off game. That’ll be tough.

Domestically, Rangers have to look to win every trophy going, it’s just the nature of the beast. At Rangers, you’re always under pressure to win trophies. It’s been a long time since they were serious contenders, and they started off the season with a setback already.

But you know what? It’s only one game in so far and there’s a long way to go. Silverware has to be top of the list for Russell Martin and the rest of Rangers.

What other positions do Rangers need to strengthen before the window shuts?

Having seen that performance at the weekend, there’s no doubt they still need players, probably four or five are needed to bring the standards up. The problem they’ve got though is that the squad is already bloated, and there are players that need to be moved on. I expect Antman to come in from Go Ahead Eagles.

Cyril Dessers and Igamane look like they will be moving away, so there’s plenty of comings and goings to be sorted at Ibrox. Conor Coady has decided to go to Wrexham, so you think they will be in the market for a centre-back at the very least. Max Aarons is playing at left-back, but he’s been brought in to play on the right, so they will need to bring in another left-back.

How should Rangers deal with this Hamza Igamane and Cyriel Dessers situation?

I think Hamza Igamane is the interesting one. He’s a young kid who got an opportunity, and he took that with both hands last season. But if they’re selling him, they’ve got to maximise the fee they’re getting from him. There’ve been rumours of a couple of French teams sniffing around for him.

For me, I think for Igamane, if you can get decent money for him, it makes sense to let him go. For Dessers, it does look like he will be leaving, but I wouldn’t want to let him go. Goalscorers are hard to find and he keeps hitting the back of the net for Rangers.

I know he might divide opinion, but Rangers could struggle to get someone in to match those numbers.

Are Celtic weaker than they were last season – and how close are Rangers to them?

Well, I think Rangers need to focus on themselves first and foremost. The weekend really wasn’t the best of starts, and European games are coming through, and the main thing there is the win, not the performance.

I think Celtic will still sign a few more players before the end of the transfer window, and both teams will look pretty different compared to how they are now. Brendan Rodgers is looking to get players in, and so is Russell Martin. I think we’ve got plenty of changes in the offing.

Because of that, it’s difficult to sit here and make a firm prediction, because they still have so much business to do.

In Russell Martin’s post match interview, who in particular do you think he could have been firing a message to?

He obviously called out two players without saying their names. I’m sure whoever it is will know behind closed doors. The worry is that Russell Martin won’t have done this if he hadn’t already asked for more in private.

Whether he gives more details to the press, I don’t know. Obviously there are some players who’ve been there for a while now, and they must be his targets, because he was saying they have reverted to type. That won’t be true of the new players who’ve arrived because they haven’t had a chance to make an impression yet.

I’m sure those it concerns will be aware, and the dressing room will know. It might show up in the next team selection.

Has the weekend changed your opinion on what Rangers need to do transfer wise? Of the players still at the club, who are candidates for exiting?

I think there’s no doubt that there will be more outgoings, there will have to be. McCausland went to Cyprus, but he won’t be the last. You can’t have a squad that is this big.

Yilmaz looks like he’ll be going back home, Robin Propper has already left.

Obviously Dessers and Igamane are linked with moves away, and there will be other bits of business.

The left-back area that still needs to be strengthened, because he’s got Max Aarons playing out of position there, but overall, there are some players who have to leave. Rangers have underperformed for years now, and they need to make room for fresh talent to move the club forward.

Can you see Rangers using their 49ers connection again to sign players from Leeds United or who have been with Leeds United such as Joe Rothwell?

I’m not sure there will be many players going in either direction, even if there’s a connection with the owners. The two teams play with totally different styles of football, and they’re going to be recruiting in entirely different player pools.

If there are players who have done well for Leeds, they won’t be suited for Rangers. I think the scouts and the analytics teams will be looking for different types. Leeds are huge in their own right, and they will be focused on acquitting themselves well in the Premier League and getting established there, so that is what they will be shopping for.

One option might be that players who do or did well for Leeds in the Championship might be handy, if they’re surplus to requirements. Rangers could have a look there, but that’s about it.

Reaction to Motherwell Draw

Your Sky Sports sparring partner Chris Sutton was shocked by Russell Martin’s criticism of his Rangers team after they drew 1-1 on the opening day at Motherwell. Do you think Martin will regret digging out his players like that so early or do you think it’s what this group needs to hear before a crucial Champions League qualifier on Tuesday night?

No, I don’t. Russell Martin has come to Rangers and he has to hit the ground running in terms of winning games and then winning trophies.

If there are players who he is already questioning, I don’t think he’s going to be bothered about upsetting them. Either you knuckle down, train hard and play properly, or you’ll get moved on. That’s more or less what Russell said. They’re going to need to make major changes, and the players can either improve and come with him, or they won’t be here much longer.

I think what this does now is put pressure on the players to perform, because this will already have been said behind closed doors. For him to come and say it publicly isn’t a surprise. Rangers players have got away with it for a long time, putting in mediocre performances against other teams in Scotland. So I’ve got absolutely nothing against it. It was a long time coming.

Do you think this Rangers dressing room needs some tough love?

If you’re Russell Martin and you look at Rangers’ performances from last year, their efforts in Europe have never really been the big concern. You can expect the players to turn up, just like they do against Celtic in most of the derbies.

The worrying thing is the performances they turn in against clubs like Motherwell. He’s not been able to change that yet. I know he’s only just arrived, and they’re learning a new style of play, but some of the performances on Saturday were not good enough.

In Europe, he’s going to get that reaction but that’s because they always turn up in Europe. It won’t surprise me if they find a way through to the next one. That next round will be tough, but there won’t be a problem with motivation. Ibrox is going to be bouncing for the match and the players will respond to that.

Questions on Rangers in the Champions League

What kind of role will the Ibrox crowd play on Tuesday night?

The crowd play a huge part in Rangers’ successes and performances. It’s the same at Celtic Park, too. When you look at some of the top European names that come to either side in Scotland, they get spooked by the atmosphere and turned over.

It’ll be the same for Rangers on Tuesday, because they make it a daunting place to go to. There are clubs who have big crowds, but they can’t touch the Ibrox atmosphere. When you listen to top players around the world, they always say Celtic and Rangers produce something special. Glasgow Rangers fans will be looking to create that atmosphere again for the team, and they’ll get behind them.

Even with the disappointment from the weekend, you know that Rangers will come back and back the team against Viktoria Plzen.

What’s your message to this squad ahead of a vitally important clash for Rangers?

The players need to go and enjoy the occasion. But when they take it all in, they need to realise what is at stake. They’ve got a great opportunity of going through in this two-legged tie. They might be the better side, but they can’t pass up this opportunity.

I’ve been in the same position, where we managed to find a way to just fight our way through to the Champions League. I’ve also been there and lost, been knocked out at the early stages. It’s not something that lingers around the club if you don’t manage it. There won’t be shame if they give it their all and they come off second best against a better side.

But for this one, I think Rangers should have enough to go through and start building again. Two decent showings against Panathinaikos helps but the result on Saturday night is a concern. They need to get straight back at it.

Could Rangers fans turn on the side?

It could happen. On Sunday there were a lot of boos at the final whistle. That comes with the expectations of the fans. It comes with the anticipation of a new manager, with a fresh start, a new season, and everything that comes with it.

Then when it stalls, and the same performances are still happening, there’s a frustration that the Rangers fans have started to feel over the last few years. It’s not going to stop them supporting the team, though. They will still turn up, Ibrox will be packed again for the game. They will travel in Europe again next week. Rangers fans will always turn up in big numbers.

The financial rewards for Rangers to qualify for the Champions League are huge, and if they overcome Plzen, there is one more tricky two-legger to navigate. How big would it be for the club and for Russell Martin if he can guide the Gers into the Champions League proper?

It would be huge. I don’t think they showed just how good they could be the last time they were in it. It was a disappointing campaign with a few heavy defeats in the group stages.

This new format could benefit Rangers, just as it did Celtic. But there’s a long way to go before they get there, to that league format. I think Rangers need to focus on the domestic side of things. Right now, Europe is just a bonus.

I think that they need to focus on winning trophies, and right now they will only do that domestically. They’re already guaranteed Europa money, but the Champions League cash would be amazing for the club. The money would be wonderful, but Russell Martin and his squad need to start delivering trophies.

General Rangers Questions

Can you give us a word on Rangers captain James Tavernier, who just keeps blasting in the goals. He’s got a couple more than you now for the Gers with a 131 – how impressive is his record considering his right back role?

There’s no doubt about it. He’s been contributing incredible numbers. James Tavernier has been an exceptional servant to Rangers for a decade now. His numbers are extraordinary over the years, and I feel sorry for him. He’s been Rangers captain during an exceptional period of Celtic dominance, and he’s become a whipping boy for Rangers.

But one thing about him is he always turns up. He has shown over a period of time that he’s a good footballer. Unfortunately for him over that period, Celtic have been the dominant team in Scotland and he’s going to have to deal with the criticism that comes his way.

People have a lot to say with him being the captain and having a go at that, which I do think is a little bit unfair. You look at James Tavernier, he turns up day in, day out, obviously, because he never misses any games.

But you do get the feeling that this might be the right time to move on when his contract is up at the end of the season. This could be his last. His time at Rangers hasn’t been littered with trophies, but he can look back at it with pride, and be pleased with what he’s done at the club, especially in terms of his goals.

He’s had some trophy wins, but he will always wish it was more.

Who is the best signing Russell Martin has made so far?

I think the lad from Sheffield Wednesday, Gassama, is the best of the lot so far. He’s shown in two European games already that he’s got something. Two goals, two great finishes. I think on Saturday you could tell that he needs games to develop, but he looks like a potential star signing for Rangers.

But there’s a long way to go for him, and the other signings too. Gassama would be the one who I think has a great future ahead of him if he stays focused.

Djiga, who came in from Wolves, has also impressed me a lot, so there are a couple of players who have already shown they have what it takes to be successful in a short period of time. But they’re going to be judged on winning trophies. They can be exceptional individual performers, but they need to help the team, and everyone will be judged at the end of the season on whether they actually won something.

Rangers have landed Tottenham wonderkid Mikey Moore. What kind of role do you think he’ll play this season?

I think it’s an interesting one. I mean, a lot of Spurs fans have got high hopes for Mikey Moore coming in. When you usually go on that first loan, it can be a little bit daunting and you might go to a team that you’re looking to just play in and get used to the men’s environment, because it is a big step up.

He’s shown in glimpses, coming off the bench, what he can do. But he’s going to be under pressure. Rangers are a huge football club with a different pressure to what Tottenham Hotspur are under and it will be good for him in the long run.

I think when you go back a couple of seasons, Amad Diallo, we never really saw the best of him at Rangers. He had a loan spell at Sunderland too, and those are two massive clubs. With Rangers they were chasing Europe and looking to progress in Europe. At Sunderland, they were pushing for promotion. He got to experience huge pressure at two giant clubs. That will have helped him in the long run.

For Rangers, they need to get Mikey Moore performing right away, and hope he is better than Amad, because they need more quality high up the pitch.

Most of Martin’s signings have been young players. Do you worry that his team may be lacking some experience?

I think obviously Joe Rothwell’s come in, and he’s got experience. There are players within that Rangers working environment that are experienced. But, I think you have to find that balance. But I think Rangers need to turn a profit in the transfer market, so they will be looking for younger players with less experience, to move them on in a couple of years.

You look at Antman arriving from Go Ahead Eagles, you’d imagine that he’ll be someone who they would like to come in for maybe a season, two seasons and try and move them on.

And Celtic have done that really well, in that bracket of players between 22 to 25, and get them in for a couple of seasons, get them European football and then move them on for big money. I think Rangers are trying to adopt that style, but it’s a lot easier to do it when you’re winning like Celtic.

Rangers do need experience in their team. Celtic have got that and the spine of a team has always been experienced. You look at Callum McGregor in the middle of the pitch, someone who drives standards every single day.

I think Rangers do need to have a few experienced players there, but also you can’t say you’re going to have a player trading model and then keep signing players at 29, 30, 31, because you do need to get some youngsters and if you’re going to go down that route.

Are you confident that Rangers would have the firepower to be competitive if either forward left? Is there a striker you would like to see your old club bring in?

If Igamane and Dessers both stay, even then, I think they need to get a striker in, regardless. Obviously Dessers is going to move on, and the fact that he’s not started any games this season suggests that Russell Martin has already come to terms with it.

Danilo has started a couple of games, but he came in for £5 million a couple of years back and I think he’s been a disappointment. He’s had a decent pre-season under his belt at last, which might help, but I am not convinced he can be the focal point for Rangers.

I think if Rangers can get behind defences and create opportunities for him then he’ll score. But the way Russell wants to play, your No. 9 needs to be linking the play and working with midfield runners. I don’t think Danilo is that type. For me, Rangers need another striker anyway, and if they lose any of Dessers, Igamane, and Danilo, then it’ll be a busy time in the market before it shuts.

For me, there’s a real dearth of goalscorers. I think that’s why Rangers will not be keen to let Dessers go. But if he does depart, then Rangers will need someone who can come in and hit the ground running.

It’s not happening in other areas of the pitch for Rangers so they can’t afford to weaken another position. They’ve been OK but the central role for Rangers is really missing someone who can make the shirt their own.

Russell will be looking at his players in training desperately trying to work out who will lead the line for him for the big matches, like on Tuesday. You need to know your first-choice striker and your first-choice keeper, those are the two most important positions on the pitch. Jack Butland has settled one of those questions, but the striker position is far from nailed on.

Questions on the SPL

Was it a mistake of Celtic not to re-sign Kyogo Furuhashi?

With Kieran Tierney and Jota back, they’ve been able to move them on for big money and then bring them back on the cheap. But for Kyogo, I think there will be a reason that Brendan Rodgers let him go and decided not to bring him back.

Kyogo went to Rennes probably thinking it was his last chance for a big contract. It didn’t happen for him in France but he’s now with Birmingham. I think if they create opportunities for him then he’s going to score.

He’s such a dangerous striker, he plays on the shoulder, and there’s no way he won’t cause problems for teams in the Championship.

I’m not surprised Celtic didn’t move to bring him back, even if Celtic are another side in the market. Adam Idah isn’t really finding the level of performance he needs, but I still think they wanted someone other than Kyogo.

Do you think he could be the Championship top scorer this season?

I think there are a few candidates to top score next season, and Kyogo is definitely one of them. His partner at Birmingham, Jay Stansfield, is another one with a chance. There are always some obvious tips to be the top scorer in this league at the start of the season, but there’s always a challenger who comes from leftfield too.

If Birmingham can create chances for either of their players, they will smash them in. But there are obviously other strikers in the league who you can say the same thing about. I think with a strong squad and good attacking players, Southampton will be feeling the same, as will Leicester if they get players in.

Sheffield United have still got players who can score freely, so it’s a difficult pick, but you know from Kyogo’s time in Scotland that he converts chances if he’s given them.

Do you think this could be Brendan Rodgers’ last season with Celtic? He seems to have done it all with them, twice.

He’s got a year left on his contract, and the way Brendan Rodgers has spoken, it seems that he wants the club to match his ambition to improve on what they’ve done so far.

I can see both sides of the situation. Brendan wants to get better players in, move the club further, maybe go even further in Europe this season. But I think it’s a bit of a glass ceiling for Celtic now. It’s hard to see them get into the knockout stages, and as things are in football, they won’t win the Champions League.

Even the Europa League is a stretch, because there are strong teams in that, and it’s a difficult competition to go and win. For Celtic and Rodgers, it’s a very unusual situation because usually a club will come in for a winning manager, like Leicester did last time, or they will be under pressure and sacked. Neither seems to be happening this year, and I don’t think Celtic will get a better manager than him any time soon. For this situation, he is an elite manager.

If he does choose to leave then Celtic will have to act fast and get a difficult decision right. I can’t imagine the decision will be left until the end of the season, because they will need all the time they can get.

Could a Jamie Vardy reunion be just what Rodgers needs at Celtic?

I don’t think Jamie is the kind of player they will be looking at. Obviously he’s a fantastic player. Whoever gets him will get goals, and will get value.

Celtic have rarely gone down that role of buying Rodgers’ former players, or older players. Joe Hart and Kasper Schmeichel were both older, and they did well, but goalkeeper is a different position.

I’m not sure how Brendan will feel about it, but I think Celtic know that their remit is to buy in younger players, develop them, and then sell them to turn a profit. I don’t think Vardy has any resale value, so he doesn’t fit the strategy.

Is there a young player you are expecting to break out this season? Is there someone who would flourish in the Premier League?

I think there are a few players who could make it. Kilmarnock are a club who give youngsters a chance, and Ben Brannan on the left has done really well.

I mean there will be players who could stake a claim at Rangers, and Dundee United have a very good youth team. But there isn’t always good value for SPL sides to promote youth players. Dundee United, Aberdeen, Hearts and others are looking further afield for talent and it might mean they drop down a division to get minutes.

I think Kieron Bowie at Hibs is exciting, and opened the season by scoring two goals. He can do well, and he could get a big move if he shows he’s got over that bad injury last season. He looks like he’s sharper and leaner. There’s a big future for him.

Lennon Miller has multiple suitors, including a number of Italian clubs. We’ve seen Scottish players thrive in Serie A – what should he do? Head to the continent or sign for one of the Old Firm?

I think Lennon Miller is a unique player right now. There are a lot of youngsters coming through, and usually the dream is to get to Celtic or Rangers, or go to England.

I think because he’s played a lot of games, he will want something different. He will probably be thinking about where he can go so that he isn’t guaranteed games, because nobody is guaranteed games, but where he has a strong chance of playing regularly if he’s performing.

A lot of youngsters move and then they struggle to get minutes on the pitch and their development is hindered.

If he wants to keep developing, I think he’s nailed on to go abroad. He’s been linked with teams in Belgium, Italy and Germany, and he will have to go somewhere he will get games.

It’s never guaranteed, but he will want to move somewhere where he feels he can really contribute to the team.

Questions on Scotland

Do you think Scotland can qualify for the 2026 World Cup?

It’s going to be difficult. There’s Greece and Denmark. It’ll be tough, given Greece absolutely wiped the floor with us at the Nations League, they’ve shown they’re a country on the rise. Denmark are always difficult to beat, whatever era we’re talking about.

I think Scotland can definitely take care of Belarus, but with Greece and Denmark, that’s a tough old group. And they will be the three sides to battle for qualifying.

It’ll be tough for Steve Clarke, but you just never know. They’ve had some fantastic runs, qualifying for the last two Euros, but we’ve not been to the World Cup since 1998. That’s far too long.

But you get the feeling if there was a group that we could qualify from and reach the World Cup, it’s this one under Steve Clarke.

Is there an outsider that you would advise Steve Clarke to take with him?

I think Kieron Bowie of Hibs is definitely someone Steve Clarke should be keeping an eye on, and he probably already has been. Che Adams and Lyndon Dykes have been there, and Lawrence Shankland, I imagine he’ll come back and do well this year.

If Hearts create chances for him, and if Scotland do, then he’ll be scoring goals just as he has his whole career.

But I think Kieron Bowie is an interesting one, someone who could make a breakthrough in the Scotland setup very soon. He’s definitely one to keep an eye on.

Is Scott McTominay Scotland’s best player of the millennium?

I think everybody gets bogged down in the here and now, but there’s no denying he’s done exceptionally well, there’s no denying it. I think over Steve Clarke’s time in charge, Andy Robertson has been a great captain, but I think John McGinn and Scott McTominay have been the standout players for Scotland.

McTominay went to Napoli after leaving United, won the league, has hero status in Naples for life after the season he had.

Scotland have had good players over the years but haven’t managed to get the national side into major tournaments. We’ve had Barry Ferguson and Darren Fletcher who’ve been excellent too, but McTominay is the best over the last few years, no doubt.

How much of a mistake was it for Manchester United to let him go?

I think Scott McTominay would be perfect for what Ruben Amorim wants from his players at Manchester United. He wants players with legs who can get up and down the pitch. That’s definitely what he’s got, and he’s got a good size physique as well.

United produced him so he had that in his DNA, and Amorim must wish he had never left. He’s gone away and shown how good he is, perhaps he felt he had a point to prove too. I think maybe absence has improved his reputation as he’s now showing the club what they’re missing.

I think McTominay might have needed time to rebuild his career, and I think Amorim wishes he had him in the squad. He ticks the boxes of what Amorim has been signing and wants at United.

Questions on Nottingham Forest

How important is it that Morgan Gibbs-White stayed?

It’s huge. I know Marinakis comes in for plenty of criticism, but if there’s one thing about him, it’s that he will always back his team. It may overstep the mark sometimes, but he has passion for the club.

We saw that with Morgan Gibbs-White. Even though the release clause was triggered, he didn’t back down. He went hard and got him to sign a new contract to stay at the club. He was really bullish about how he got things done, and I don’t mind that. If you are going to be successful, you need to be determined.

Forest have already brought a few players in, but if you look at it, keeping Gibbs-White is massive. They had already lost Antony Elanga to Newcastle, and it could have been a disaster to lose another big part of last year’s surprise European qualification.

For Forest, their first objective was survival, and they did that. Next season, they pushed on further, and now they want to stay that way. To achieve that, they had to keep hold of him.