Derek McInnes faces mounting pressure as Rangers manager after failing to win his opening four matches, culminating in Europa League elimination by Jagiellonia Bialystok.
The manager now heads into a League Cup tie against St Mirren at Ibrox, where defeat could bring an early end to his tenure. McInnes has worked all his career to manage Rangers, but his position is in serious danger after a nightmare opening fortnight.
Rangers entered the campaign as early title favourites after appointing McInnes, who was expected to restore discipline, organisation, structure, and a strong backbone to the squad. McInnes understood the demanding environment and club landscape, making his arrival a sensible appointment by common consensus.
However, the Rangers hierarchy admitted that they did not interview any other candidates during the hiring process, a decision that appeared at odds with a proper recruitment procedure. Club official Jim Gillespie also asserted that McInnes was selected based on his similarities to former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Before the domestic season started, Rangers were widely viewed as being in far better shape than both Celtic and Hearts. To bolster the squad, McInnes brought key players Lawrence Shankland and Cammy Devlin with him from Hearts, where both had been among the best performers in the country last season.
Rangers also added Ivor Pandur, Vanja Dragojevic, Daisuke Yokota, Olwethu Makhanya, Dan Neil, and Ross McCrorie over the summer transfer window. In total, the club completed nine new summer signings heading into the second leg of their European tie.
The squad building follows a total transfer spend of £60 million since last summer. Yet, Rangers have regressed further after a disappointing end to last season under Danny Rohl, who was left as a dead man walking when the team lost four of their final five post-split fixtures and collapsed in the title race.
European elimination against Jagiellonia Bialystok
The current crisis deepened on Thursday night when Rangers crashed out of the Europa League against Polish outfit Jagiellonia Bialystok. Following a 1-1 draw in the tie, Nik Prelec scored the decisive goal at Ibrox to send the Polish side through.
Five summer signings started the match for Rangers, including Shankland, Pandur, Yokota, Makhanya, and Neil. Three additional new recruits, Devlin, Dragojevic, and McCrorie, came off the bench in the second half.
McInnes shifted to a back four at half-time, but the tactical adjustment proved disastrous as Rangers degenerated into a rabble in the second half. Speaking after the game, McInnes admitted that he was forced to select square pegs in round holes due to squad imbalances.
While McInnes pointed to a shortage of natural left-backs and requested further squad additions, critics argue that squad depth does not excuse the poor performance. Having made nine signings, McInnes bears responsibility for team selections and tactics that have appeared erratic and unconvincing.
The aggregate defeat to Jagiellonia Bialystok is considered Rangers' worst European result since losing to Progres Niederkorn. The outcome stands in contrast to last season under Russell Martin, who defeated Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen in Champions League qualifiers before losing 9-1 on aggregate to Club Brugge.
Domestic struggles and fan reaction
On the domestic front, McInnes opened his Scottish Premiership campaign with a draw against Dundee United, followed by a defeat to Hibernian. Four consecutive matches without a win mark one of the worst starts by any manager in Rangers' history.
Supporters at Ibrox reacted with apoplectic anger at full-time following Thursday's European exit. While those demanding McInnes' immediate departure do not yet form a majority, a growing section of the fanbase believes he lacks the credentials to take the club forward.
Off the pitch, club official Andrew Cavenagh claimed this week that culture eats strategy for breakfast. However, Cavenagh has been forced to publicly apologize multiple times for mistakes made since his arrival just over a year ago.
Crucial cup tie against St Mirren
Rangers host St Mirren this afternoon in a crucial League Cup encounter. St Mirren arrive at Ibrox in strong form, having won both of their opening league matches and five of six fixtures across all competitions.
A defeat against St Mirren would trigger severe fan backlash, exceeding the vitriol directed at former manager Russell Martin last year. Another loss could push McInnes past the point of no return so early in his managerial tenure.
Beyond the League Cup match, Rangers face Czech side Jablonec in the Europa Conference League qualifiers, with the first leg scheduled at Ibrox on Thursday. Given Rangers' recent displays, the upcoming European tie presents another stern challenge in what has quickly become a sink or swim situation for McInnes.
