Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday has stepped forward to protect the club's new manager, Derek McInnes, amid a difficult start to his tenure at Ibrox. Halliday, who spent five seasons playing for Rangers, argued that the blame for the team's early struggles does not rest with McInnes but rather with deeper structural issues within the organization.
He described the current situation as a case of "gross mismanagement" by the club's hierarchy, especially concerning player recruitment and squad composition. Halliday explained that McInnes is still in the process of establishing a tactical identity and identifying the players he can rely on. "He's trying to find a formula, he's trying to find a solution, he's trying to find players that he trusts," Halliday told Sky Sports News. He emphasized that the manager is still scratching the surface of what the squad can become, and that the lack of pace, creativity, and a player capable of dictating the tempo are systemic problems that predate McInnes's arrival.
The pressure on the manager has intensified after Rangers extended their winless run to four matches, culminating in a disappointing exit from the Europa League at the hands of Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok. The defeat has sparked criticism from supporters and media alike, many of whom have questioned the club's recruitment policy. In the summer transfer window, Rangers completed nine new signings, but a high‑profile deal for PSV winger Couhaib Driouech, worth £6.5 million, fell through after a medical revealed an injury.
This setback added to the perception that the club's transfer strategy is fragmented. Chairman Andrew Cavenagh attempted to defend the recruitment efforts during a recent shareholder Q&A, insisting that the squad is stronger than it was a year ago. However, Halliday countered that point by highlighting the sheer volume of players brought in—27 signings in just twelve months—and arguing that the sheer number of arrivals suggests a lack of clear direction.
He noted that the new players largely share similar profiles, creating redundancy rather than balance. "Only one left‑back in the door, three centre‑halves, only two wingers, a whole host of central‑midfield players that all kind of fit the same profile," Halliday observed. According to Halliday, this homogeneity has left the team without the variety of attributes required to compete at the highest level. The lack of a genuine playmaker means that Rangers often struggle to control games, while the shortage of pace hampers their ability to break down organized defenses.
These deficiencies, he argued, are why McInnes has not yet found a winning solution. "Derek McInnes is doing the best that he possibly can with what's at his disposal to try and get results. At this moment in time, he's not found that solution," Halliday said. Halliday's comments also touched on the broader implications of the recruitment policy for the upcoming season.
He warned that unless the club secures players who represent an immediate upgrade over the current roster, the team could face a protracted period of underperformance. "They need an upgrade, and I think it's hard to say they've done that," he concluded. The former midfielder's remarks highlight a tension that is common in football clubs undergoing transition: the need for a manager to have a clear set of tools—players who fit his tactical vision—while the board must provide a coherent recruitment strategy that avoids over‑stocking certain positions and neglecting others. For Rangers, the challenge now is to reconcile these two aspects, ensuring that McInnes receives the personnel he needs to implement his ideas while also addressing the systemic issues that Halliday has identified.
In summary, Halliday believes that McInnes is working within the constraints of a squad that lacks balance and depth, and that the club's leadership must take responsibility for the missteps in player acquisition. Only by correcting these strategic errors can the team hope to reverse its current fortunes and return to the winning ways expected of Scotland's most decorated club.