Derek McInnes is still chasing his first win as Rangers manager, a brutal reality check for a club that’s racked up just one point in their first four games. It’s been two draws and two defeats to kick off his tenure, and the heat is already on, big time.
Euro Exit Leaves Rangers Bleeding Cash
Talk about a rough start! Not only are they struggling in the league, but Rangers are already out of the Europa League after losing to Jagiellonia Bialystok. That means they’ve dropped into the Conference League qualifiers, and if they can’t beat Czech side Jablonec over the next two Thursdays in August, they’re completely out of continental competition for the season. That’s a massive blow, not just for pride, but for the bank account too, with the Europa League exit already costing them financially.
McInnes isn’t shy about it either. He’s overseen a summer rebuild, bringing in nine players, but he’s already saying it’s not enough. “It’s not been the start we wanted,” he admitted, “but the intention is still to have the outcome that we want come the end of the season.” He’s doubling down, saying they’re “still working hard towards that and we’ve got money to spend. We’ve got a lot of younger players and what we could do with is just a wee bit of help.” “A wee bit of help” when you’re already 0-2-2? That sounds like a manager begging for more reinforcements, right now.
Fans Want Action, Not Patience
It’s tough when you’re forced to put “square pegs in round holes” due to injuries, which McInnes admitted happened in their 1-1 draw against Jagiellonia. You gotta feel for the guy to some extent, but results are results. He knows it, too. “We need to try and win games as we go along because if you don’t, everything becomes so much more difficult. Everything gets scrutinised.” Preach it, coach! The only thing that’ll fix this early mess is getting more winning performances.
The fans, man, they’re not asking for understanding or patience. McInnes gets it. “I quite understand the frustrations and it’s been more than just these four games where the frustration starts to build.” They need “to see action,” something “to get behind.” It’s on the squad to deliver that.
Former Rangers defender Richard Foster is calling for patience, saying McInnes hasn’t “become a bad manager in four games” and believes he’ll get them “challenging for the league and the cup.” Andy Halliday, another ex-midfielder, points out that if you’ve signed 27 players in a year, “something’s gone seriously, seriously wrong” with recruitment. That’s a lot of churn!
Next up, Rangers host St Mirren in a League Cup last-16 tie on Sunday. This isn’t just a cup game; it’s a chance to show the fans they can actually win, to build some momentum, and maybe, just maybe, give McInnes that “wee bit of help” he’s looking for from his current squad. Get it done, Rangers!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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