It’s rare for a Rangers manager to receive backing from his city rival, but Brendan Rodgers stepped up to defend his embattled counterpart Russell Martin on Friday.

Without directly naming them, the Celtic manager seemed to target Barry Ferguson, Billy Dodds, and Neil McCann, questioning the ‘morality’ of the criticism Martin has been subjected to.

Ferguson, who was interim boss at Ibrox following Philippe Clement’s sacking, took a major swipe at his beleaguered successor this week. 

Ferguson’s former assistants Dodds and McCann have also been forthright with their opinions on the 39-year-old’s struggles.

Rodgers feels that Martin, a young head coach attempting to put his mark on Rangers after a disappointing season, deserves more respect.

The Northern Irishman disclosed that he also engaged his players in a low-profile team-building activity this week, coinciding with the criticism Martin faced for taking his players on a hill-walking and wild-swimming expedition.

Martin is expected to encounter protests from Rangers fans this weekend after supporter groups demanded his ousting due to a poor season start that has Celtic’s rivals in 10th place in the Premiership.

Yet, Rodgers became an unexpected supporter, stating: ‘I have some concerns about the moral aspect when I witness individuals commenting on his performance, especially when not too long ago they were in his position or on the bench.’

‘So I don’t like that, when I see a manager being pulled up on certain parts of the game, certain tactics of the game that not so long ago other people couldn’t work that out either.

‘Everything is on him. He will be stronger for it. He’s got a bit of experience behind him at 39. I was 39 when I managed Liverpool so I know exactly what it’s like.

‘This will make him stronger. You’ve just got to have that inherent belief in what you’re doing, believe in it, and hopefully then you get the opportunity to come through that.’

Rodgers did not directly reference the individuals who he felt had been unfair in theiranalysis of Martin’s early reign.

But all four of the interim management team who led Rangers in between the sacking of Clement and appointment of Martin — Ferguson, McCann, Dodds and Allan McGregor — have returned to their previous roles as media pundits.

The Celtic boss said: ‘There’s nobody, unless you’ve been in the shoes of a manager or a coach, do you really, really understand what that person’s going through. And if you have been in that position then you should respect more.

‘You know how tough it is, you know how challenging it is. You know certain things that you can’t change, that you can’t bring out into the open.

‘I’ve always found that interesting when managers that are currently in a job are taking a bit of stick from people who weren’t that long ago in the job and found it challenging.’

Rodgers added: ‘I spoke to Russell after our game when we played at Ibrox. He’s a good man.

‘He has done well with the clubs that he’s been at and has now taken on an opportunity to try and transform Rangers. So give him room to breathe.’

Asked about the specific criticism of Russell’s decision to take his team wild swimming at Loch Lomond amid intense pressure from fans, Rodgers revealed that team-bonding exercises are something that he has found worthwhile.

The Celtic manager said: ‘Being a manager in this modern game and especially at the high-end clubs and the big pressure clubs, it’s a big challenge. Because all the eyes are on you.

‘It can be a lonely place. The voices of safety are even less. There’s hardly any time to breathe but you have to find a way.

‘I see some of the stuff from during the week when the team went on a team-building exercise. Every team does that. In another time, if Russell does that and they had won a few games, everyone would be saying: “What a great idea”.

‘We had a team-building exercise during the week with the players and the partners, wives and girlfriends — and it was really nice. Thankfully, you guys didn’t get to hear about it.

‘I see the scrutiny that’s on Russell and whatever happens for him, he will be better for it.’