Derek McInnes insists that Rangers "aren't as bad as people think" even though his tenure at Ibrox has begun without a win. His first home match in charge ended in a 2-1 defeat to Hibernian, and the club’s leading striker, Youssef Chermiti, was forced to leave the field on a stretcher after sustaining a knee injury. Both Celtic and St Mirren sit on six points after two league fixtures, leaving Rangers five points adrift and already in pursuit of the early-season leaders. McInnes, now in his third game at the helm, is desperate to secure his inaugural victory.

"We’re not as bad as some people will be saying at the minute," McInnes told Sky Sports. "It’s important that we batten down the hatches, stay strong and stay together. As a club we want to emerge from this window in a good position and we will.

Right now we’re managing the situation – a few players aren’t fully fit yet, but we need to get them playing so they can regain fitness." He added that Chermiti’s injury was "far from ideal" but stressed the need to build a side that can develop rhythm and cohesion to win games. "We didn’t start the way we wanted, but we still plan to finish the season the way we aim to and we’ll work towards that," he said. Hibernian took the lead after just 11 minutes when Josh Campbell converted a penalty.

VAR had intervened after Vanja Dragojevic, making his first start for Rangers after arriving from Partizan Belgrade, fouled Hibs defender Jason Kerr inside the box. The penalty was the away side’s first shot of the match. McInnes felt the decision was incorrect.

"I think it was a wrong decision that put us behind early on," he said. He praised moments of quality in the first half but admitted the team was often slow and pedestrian.

"Hibs are a side that organised themselves well, and their shape forced us to fight for space. We did have good moments, but losing Youssef so early was a blow for both him and the team." Regarding the penalty, McInnes expressed surprise. "It came out of the blue. I didn’t see it at the time and after reviewing it I still don’t think it was a penalty.

I don’t think the referee should be brought over." He remained optimistic about the remainder of the game. "We’ve put ourselves in a position to try and dig out of it. I thought we were the side more likely to score. In the last 25 minutes the substitutes helped, and overall we were the dominant team.

Sometimes you don’t get what you deserve, but nobody will tell me otherwise." McInnes reiterated that Rangers were the better side, even if they were not spectacular. "We weren’t great but we were better than Hibs and it was harsh on my players to lose. Still, we keep going.

I was delighted with the effort, with how they kept pushing for a win. That’s the style we want. I didn’t see the second goal coming.

Both goals felt harsh – the penalty, a slight deflection that went past Ivor for the winner – and sometimes you just have to dig deep and try again. It was a tough way to lose." The match was further marred by Chermiti’s injury. The 22‑year‑old forward, who recently turned down a reported £22 million bid from Galatasaray – a club‑record offer for Rangers – had to be substituted after picking up a knee problem.

Ibrox officials are reportedly keen to retain the striker, valuing him above the £19.6 million fee received for Calvin Bassey’s move to Ajax in 2023. Chermiti joined Glasgow last summer in a deal worth up to £10 million and contributed 15 goals and five assists across all competitions in his debut season.

McInnes commented on the situation: "The fact the club rejected such a big number shows how important he is to us, so we’re delighted on that front. He’ll have a scan tomorrow; he left the pitch in a boot and a brace. It’s a knee injury of some sort but we’ll wait for the results before speculating. Hopefully he’s lucky because we could certainly use his talent.

He’s a big part of our plans moving forward and we hope for a positive scan." Looking ahead, McInnes stressed the need for squad fitness and cohesion. He noted that several players are still returning from minor knocks and that the coaching staff will manage their minutes carefully to avoid further setbacks. The manager also hinted at possible tactical tweaks to break down well‑organised opponents, emphasizing quick transitions and more fluid attacking movements.

Rangers fans, while disappointed by the narrow loss, have been urged to stay patient as the new manager implements his philosophy. The club’s board appears supportive, having backed McInnes with a reasonable transfer budget and expressing confidence that the team will improve as the season progresses. In summary, despite a bruising start, McInnes remains convinced that Rangers are not as dire as critics claim. He is focused on steadying the ship, restoring player fitness, and building a cohesive unit capable of challenging for titles.

The upcoming fixtures will be crucial in determining whether the manager’s optimism translates into tangible results on the pitch.