The Boos That Echoed Around Ibrox
The atmosphere at full-time was poisonous. Boos rang around Ibrox as the reality of a 3-2 aggregate defeat set in. The furious fans lashed out at everybody in sight as they booed their team off at the end.
And Derek McInnes had no complaints.
“I think it was justified, to be honest,” the Rangers boss admitted after the match. “It wasn’t good enough. What we served up, particularly second half, wasn’t good enough.”
The new manager, still searching for his first competitive win after four matches without victory (D2 L2), delivered a brutal reality check to supporters who had watched their side crash out of the Europa League at the hands of Polish outfit Jagiellonia Bialystok.
The Nightmare Unfolded
Rangers entered the second leg trailing 2-1 from the first encounter in Poland. But there was a brief moment of hope.
Captain Lawrence Shankland levelled the tie on aggregate by smashing a penalty down the middle for his first goal since his summer move from Hearts. Ibrox erupted. For 19 minutes, the dream was alive.
Then came the collapse.
McInnes had started with an experimental 3-5-2 formation due to a mounting injury crisis — Youssef Chermiti ruled out with a long-term ACL injury and Tuur Rommens sidelined with a groin strain. But a switch to a back four at half-time handed the initiative back to the Poles.
Former Celtic defender Yuki Kobayashi — of all people — had already played a role in Rangers’ goal by handling a cross for the penalty. But it was Nik Prelec who delivered the knockout blow in the 65th minute, nodding Rangers down into the Conference League for the first time in the club’s history.
The Painful Admission
McInnes didn’t hide from the truth. He couldn’t.
“The club’s built for the Europa League and Champions League. And that’s the intention, to get there,” he said.
“But I’m not sure the team’s quite ready for it at the minute. And it pains me to say that, to be honest. It does.”
The admission is alarming for a club of Rangers’ stature. Last season aside, Rangers had been a pretty good Europa League team across recent campaigns — reaching the final in 2022. To hear their manager say they are now not ready for that level is a devastating indictment.
McInnes lamented another performance where Rangers only played for 45 minutes — at best.
“Once again, it was not a 90-minute performance,” he said. “Last season, strong 45 minutes were not followed up or they just played in stages. We have to be honest, it’s been a continuation of that already.”
He didn’t hold back when describing the goal they conceded.
“For us to lose the goal that we do, where it’s your set-play — and for it to end up scoring at the top right-hand corner in front of the Broomloan stand is just madness,” he said. “It’s inexplicable how we don’t make a foul, how we don’t stop their flow and attack. There’s no lack of bodies. It’s lack of intelligence. It’s lack of doing the right thing, to be honest.”
The Fans’ Fury — And Where It Should Be Directed
The furious Ibrox fans booed McInnes too — but many believe their ire should really be targeted elsewhere.
Rangers’ American owners faced a grilling from the irate Ibrox faithful at this week’s shareholder meeting, with complaints centred around relentless recruitment mistakes. Nine new signings have come in this season, but they’ve yet to properly address the dire lack of creativity and inability to control matches.
Chairman Andrew Cavenagh admitted results were “not where he would like them to be”. But he expects three to five more signings before the window closes.
“The club is working so hard,” McInnes insisted, defending the recruitment team. “We’re not just signing any players. We’re hopeful we can land a few.”
The Klopp Comparison That Aged Badly
Rangers CEO Jim Gillespie left fans scratching their heads this week when he compared McInnes to former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Given there’s not been much sign of the German’s trademark brand of ‘heavy metal’ football at Ibrox, you could understand the confusion. The comparison hasn’t aged well. McInnes’ team now tumble into the Conference League for the first time in the club’s history.
What Next for Rangers?
Rangers will now face Czech side Jablonec in the Conference League play-off round. The first leg will be played at Ibrox on August 20.
There is no time for McInnes to lick his wounds, with a Premier Sports Cup last-16 tie against St Mirren looming.
McInnes’ winless start has hit its lowest point. The new manager knows he has a race against time to earn the faith of Rangers fans.
The Verdict
Derek McInnes fired back at the booing Rangers fans — by telling them the truth.
His squad isn’t ready. The performances aren’t good enough. And it pains him to admit it.
The Ibrox faithful have every right to be furious. But McInnes is right about one thing: this team is a long way from where Rangers need to be.
And the clock is ticking.
