Derek McInnes openly acknowledged that Rangers are not yet equipped to compete at the level required for the Europa League. The Glasgow club hosted the second leg of their third‑round qualifying tie against Poland's Jagiellonia Bialystok at Ibrox, where the match finished 1‑1. Despite the draw, Rangers were eliminated on a 3‑2 aggregate scoreline, marking their swiftest departure from the competition since the 2017 campaign. The defeat also extended McInnes' winless streak as the club's manager to four games.
After the Polish side responded to a fan chant that likened the club’s name to a Wi‑Fi password, the Rangers supporters expressed their displeasure with a chorus of boos at full‑time. McInnes said he understood the reaction and did not dispute the fans' frustration. "It was justified, to be honest.
It wasn't good enough. What we served up, particularly in the second half, wasn't good enough," the former Rangers midfielder explained. He added that the club’s ambition is to be a regular participant in both the Europa League and the Champions League, but he doubts the current squad is prepared for that challenge.
"We need to be honest, the club's built for Europa League and Champions League and that's the intention, to get there. But I'm not sure the team is quite ready for it at the moment and it pains me to say that," McInnes said. He stressed the need for higher quality performances and greater confidence throughout the team. Injury concerns also hampered Rangers.
Left‑back Tuur Rommens and striker Youssef Chermiti were both unavailable, prompting McInnes to switch to a back three and make five changes following the previous weekend's loss to Hibernian. He noted that the tactical shift was intended to open up the game, though he felt the first half became too open at times. "Gassama and Yakota were effectively used as wing‑backs, and we asked a lot of them.
It paid dividends in terms of penalty‑box activity and we managed to score," McInnes said. He believed the team had earned the goal and that Jagiellonia had created a few scares of their own. However, he lamented that the performance fell short of a full 90‑minute display of quality. "Once again, it's not another 90‑minute performance.
That's been an issue for Rangers for a while now. In the four games we've played, there have been moments, but not enough to be considered a strong, consistent performance," he added. McInnes was particularly critical of the defensive lapse that led to the decisive goal, describing it as a failure of intelligence rather than a lack of physical presence.
"It's inexplicable how we didn't make a foul, how we didn't stop the flow of the attack, how we didn't simply neutralise the situation. It's not a lack of bodies; it's a lack of intelligence, a lack of doing the right thing," he said. He admitted the team lost composure after the goal and that the loss was, in his view, avoidable. At 55, McInnes is the sixth permanent manager appointed by Rangers since Steven Gerrard's departure in 2021.
Despite the poor start to his tenure, he remains convinced that a turnaround is possible. "What we served up last year wasn't good enough. You get a job for a reason. You get a job to try and make things better and sometimes you get it because things aren't quite right, and we have to try and get things moving the right way quickly," the former Hearts boss said.
He emphasized that Rangers should be winning matches and that there is work to be done before the next league cup tie against holders St Mirren. "There's no two ways about it, we should be winning this game. Rangers, as strong as they can be, should be winning this day and we have got work to do between now and the end of the window, but between now and Sunday to get ready to win a League Cup tie," McInnes concluded. The defeat underscores the challenges facing the new manager as he seeks to rebuild confidence, improve tactical discipline, and bring the squad up to the standards required for European competition.
With the transfer window still open, McInnes hinted that strengthening the squad will be a priority, aiming to add both quality and depth to address the shortcomings exposed in the Jagiellonia tie. The upcoming domestic fixtures will provide an early test of whether the changes he implements can translate into the consistent, high‑level performances needed to restore Rangers' standing on the continental stage.