Rangers have been eliminated from European competition entirely, leaving them five points adrift of league leaders Celtic even before September has fully arrived. The disappointment has amplified the scrutiny on both the playing group and head coach Derek McInnes at Ibrox. Their next assignment is a trip to Pittodrie on Sunday, where they will take on McInnes’s former side Aberdeen in a fixture broadcast live on Sky Sports. The central question now is whether McInnes can spark a response from a squad that, by his own admission, is currently underperforming, and what underlying issues are plaguing the club.
**What has been the reaction?** Following the 1‑0 loss to Jablonec, McInnes described himself as "mortified" and "embarrassed" by the performance. The numbers back up his sentiment: the team managed just a single shot on target across 120 minutes, held less possession than the visitors, and appeared bereft of attacking ideas while lacking confidence in defence. Jablonec, a club that finished fifth in the Czech top flight last season, deserved a far stronger showing from a side of Rangers’ stature.
Sky Sports analyst Kris Boyd even labelled the display an "all‑time low" for the Glasgow giants. McInnes accepted full responsibility, stating his players were "miles short" of the standard required. The reality is stark – Rangers will not feature in any European group‑stage competition this season, a situation not seen since 2017.
Some supporters will point fingers at the manager, others at the players, but the defeat was undeniably a collective failure. **Why did the defeat happen?** Rangers entered the tie with a clear week to prepare after securing a 1‑0 victory in the first leg.
They even requested a postponement of their league game against St Mirren to maximise preparation time. For the first time this season, McInnes stuck with the same starting eleven that had earned the first‑leg win. Yet, by halftime he made three changes – a pattern that has recurred throughout the campaign – indicating that the initial plan was not working. Throughout the 120‑minute encounter, McInnes altered both the formation and personnel multiple times, but none of the adjustments produced the desired effect.
Post‑match, he admitted his side looked uncomfortable on the ball, ineffective on the counter‑attack, and uneasy when forced to play a direct style. Boyd interpreted the frequent changes as a sign that McInnes lacks trust in certain players, which in turn has eroded their confidence. **How poor has the start really been?** Every season presents its own challenges, yet a comparison with recent predecessors paints an unsettling picture for McInnes.
Russell Martin, who began the previous season in charge, recorded three wins and one loss in his first seven games before being dismissed after ten more fixtures. Danny Rohl, who succeeded Martin in October, managed four wins and three defeats over an identical span before departing for RB Salzburg.
By contrast, McInnes’s record stands at two victories and three defeats from his first seven matches – the worst start among the three. **What lies ahead on the calendar?** The next test is a return to Aberdeen, a club McInnes knows intimately, with the game televised live on Sky Sports. After that, Rangers travel to Falkirk three days later, then host Motherwell at Ibrox the following Saturday.
The international break will be sandwiched between two Old Firm clashes – a League Cup tie at Ibrox on September 13 and a Premiership showdown at Celtic Park a week later – both also on Sky Sports. The schedule is dense, offering McInnes ample opportunity to reverse the trend. **Is there room for patience or is change inevitable?** Historically, a poor start can quickly erode the patience of the Ibrox faithful.
Some fans are already calling for a shake‑up, while others argue that constant managerial turnover – seven permanent bosses in less than five years – is unsustainable and that stability is needed to rebuild. The broader issue may extend beyond the dugout, prompting the board to give McInnes more time.
Chairman Andrew Cavanagh and the American consortium that now own the club have publicly committed to "sustained winning and winning sustainably." Yet, at a recent shareholders’ meeting, Cavanagh conceded that merely finishing second – or worse – has begun to infiltrate every corner of the organisation. Over the past 15 seasons, Celtic have claimed the league title 14 times, and Rangers finished third last season, behind Hearts, a side managed by McInnes himself. Significant off‑field changes are underway: a new CEO, revamped recruitment processes, and a refreshed playing staff. The club has already invested in 12 new signings this summer, with striker Kevin Kelsy poised to arrive from Portland Timbers for a reported £9.2 million.
McInnes, acknowledging his squad’s youth and inexperience, hinted that further acquisitions are on the way to bolster depth. **Will the board continue to back McInnes?** All signs point to continued support.
The financial outlay this summer would not have been approved without confidence in the manager. Chief executive Jim Gillespie, who oversaw the hiring process, described McInnes as the "only one name that ticked all the boxes" when they lured him from Hearts in June. While results are expected to improve swiftly, Gillespie has consistently expressed belief that McInnes can restore Rangers to the summit. In summary, the immediate future is packed with fixtures that will test the squad’s resilience and McInnes’s tactical acumen.
The manager himself admits there are "huge improvements to make," and he hopes the team will deliver a stronger performance against Aberdeen. With a congested run of games, two Old Firm meetings, and the looming pressure of a demanding fan base, the coming weeks will be decisive in determining whether McInnes can turn the tide or if the club will look elsewhere for leadership.