Ally McCoist 'appalled' by new Rangers low as one word comes to mind over Hamza Igamane bombshell
The Ibrox legend watched Sunday's stalemate in Paisley as the problems continue to mount for Russell Martin
Ally McCoist insists Rangers should throw the book at Hamza Igamane - unless he really was injured.
Under-pressure Gers boss Russell Martin dropped a bombshell yesterday by revealing wantaway Igamane refused to come off the bench as his struggling side toiled at St Mirren.
The maverick Moroccan claimed he was crocked and wasn't fit enough to play - just days after the club rejected a bid for the Lille-linked striker.
McCoist admits he doesn't know what to think after suffering a knock before a Cup Final back in his own playing days.
But the Ibrox legend admits the whole situation stinks as he told talkSPORT: "I think the lad wants away regardless of Russell Martin's approach to his job.
"It's a tough one, right? Because we've all got an opinion on it, but effectively we don't know. If he says he's injured himself in the warm-up, there's not a lot you can do about it, right?
"I find it very, very strange, you know, at that particular time. But I'm talking to you as a man who has effectively injured himself in a warm-up of a cup final and had to pull out.
"So, it can happen. But there's just something not right about it. See if he's not injured, you fine him as much as you possibly can.
"I don't want to contradict myself regarding the Isak situation, but it's appalling.
"If he is fit to play and he said, 'No, I'm injured, I'm not going on,' then that's diabolical. To tell you the truth, it's absolutely diabolical.
"But it's a very, very difficult thing to prove. The bottom line is, I don't know.
"The lad might have injured himself in the warm-up, and if that's the case, as I say, I've done it myself. So, it is possible. But you can tell he wants away."
It's the last thing Martin needs after watching his side fall six points behind leaders Celtic ahead of Sunday's Old Firm clash at Ibrox.
Gers also face a monumental task attempting to keep their Champions League dreams alive as they head to Club Brugge 3-1 behind in their playoff.
Fans aren't buying into Martin and McCoist accepts the problems are mounting up for the new boss.
He admitted: "Oh, he's skating on thin ice, of course he is. There's no doubt about it.
"The first thing I've got to say, St Mirren more than deserved a point. They played really, really well. But that wasn't a surprise. That side of it wasn't a surprise.
"Stephen Robinson is doing a fabulous job at St Mirren. It's a difficult place to go at the best of times. He's got them well organised.
"But Rangers look soft. They look really soft. They look weak physically. They look weak mentally. They've got nothing about them. There's problems here. Big, big problems.
"And there's a lot of it not Russell Martin's fault. However, we know where the buck stops. As always, it'll stop at the manager's door.
"But there are a lot of the problems not his fault. Some of them, all of them, he's been having to deal with. Whether he can do it quickly enough, time will tell. I hope he does."
Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.