Rangers have now crossed the 100‑day threshold of Derek McInnes' tenure, and the period has felt like a wild roller‑coaster. The opening four fixtures produced no victories, and the side suffered a stingingly embarrassing exit from Europe at the hands of Jablonec. Yet, as the squad returns from the international break, the ambition is clear: to climb to the summit of the Scottish Premiership for the first time this campaign. That optimism rests on a refreshed playing group and a run of six straight wins, highlighted by back‑to‑back triumphs over their Old Firm rivals.
The atmosphere at Ibrox has shifted back to a feel‑good vibe, and supporters are beginning to believe that the club is finally moving in the right direction. In this piece we examine how a pivotal summer transfer window laid the groundwork for this dramatic reversal – a reversal that McInnes knows must be sustained as Rangers prepare to face Kilmarnock on 10 October. --- **The broader context** Before diving into the minutiae of each signing, it helps to step back and view the bigger picture.
This was the second summer in a row that Rangers brought in 14 new players, yet the two windows could not have been more contrasting. To understand why, we must rewind a full year.
A new era had just begun at Ibrox under head coach Russell Martin, with CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell steering the ship. That fresh start quickly proved ill‑fated. Martin was dismissed after just 123 days, and Stewart and Thelwell followed not long after.
Of the fourteen recruits approved during that period, only four remain on the roster today. Chairman Andrew Cavenagh later admitted that mistakes had been made, and after issuing a wave of P45s he adopted a far more hands‑on approach.
Many observers assumed that Robbie Thelwell – who carries the title “head of recruitment” – was the architect behind those signings. In reality his role is more limited; he sits within the scouting department and does not hold ultimate decision‑making power. Fast‑forward to the present day, and the decision‑making team now includes CEO Jim Gillespie (who joined in March), outgoing technical director Dan Purdy, Paraag Marathe, and former San Jose Earthquakes executive Gretar Steinsson, alongside Stig Inge Bjørnebye, appointed performance director in June after a consultancy stint.
Together they evaluate not only a player’s technical attributes but also their character, injury record, resale potential and how they would gel in the dressing‑room – criteria that were previously given less weight. Purdy identifies the pool of candidates, Cavenagh and Gillespie sign off on the deals, and the backing of the San Jose ownership and the manager ensures the plan moves forward. While every recruitment campaign produces both hits and misses, this time the club operated with a unified, club‑wide strategy. **From ten to fourteen – why the numbers rose** Initially the target was to bring in fewer signings than the previous summer, aiming for a leaner overhaul.
However, injuries and emerging opportunities pushed the total back up to fourteen. The leadership group set clear parameters: a defined style of play for domestic and European contests, a financial ceiling, and a focus on long‑term value creation. With those guidelines in place, the new recruitment team moved swiftly – much like the January window when Tuur Rommens, Tochi Chukwuani and Ryan Naderi were secured on permanent deals. **The tactical blueprint** McInnes, a veteran of Scottish football, entered the season with a single objective: to reclaim domestic glory.
The plan to break Celtic’s stranglehold did not involve mimicking the Old Firm champions’ possession‑heavy approach. Instead, Rangers chose to double down on physicality, speed and intensity. The philosophy was simple – to beat Celtic, they could not become Celtic; they needed to play a different brand of football that leveraged their own strengths.
The departure of long‑standing captain James Tavernier and vice‑captain Jack Butland created a leadership vacuum, prompting the club to inject fresh leaders and to lower the average age of the squad – a goal already achieved in part during previous windows. Chairman Cavenagh signaled a willingness to spend on the right talent, but emphasized that each acquisition should possess resale value and contribute to the club’s sustainable growth. This created a complex checklist: youth, athleticism, mental toughness, tactical fit, and commercial upside. **Early signs of progress** The results are beginning to show.
The average age of the starting eleven that defeated Celtic twice before the international break was under 24, compared with Celtic’s roughly 27‑year‑old lineup. That youthful edge manifested in a spine composed largely of summer signings: goalkeeper Ivor Pandur, defender Olwethu Makhanya, midfield captain Dan Neil, wide‑man Minsu Kim, and striker Kevin Kelsy, supported by James Penrice and others. In the League Cup quarter‑final, Rangers displayed a cohesive identity – strong, fast, and dominant in second‑ball battles. A week later at Parkhead, they replicated that intensity, while Celtic appeared to be searching for answers that never materialised.
**Building a squad for the future** Both the January and summer windows have been guided by a clear recruitment blueprint. The current roster blends speed, physicality, ambition and the kind of profiles that could attract interest from larger European leagues. That potential is already being recognised internationally: 13 members of the squad have earned call‑ups during the three‑week international window, and 12 of those are 26 or younger – a testament to the club’s youth‑centric direction. Among the notable youngsters are Ivor Pandur (26), Dujon Sterling (26), Emmanuel Fernandez (24), Olwethu Makhanya (22), Minsu Kim (20), Nicolas Raskin (25), Dan Neil (24), James Penrice (27), Djeidi Gassama (23), Ryan Naderi (23) and Kevin Kelsy (22).
**Challenges ahead** While the early indicators are encouraging, September is far from a guarantee of success. Rangers still need to close the gap on Celtic in the league and navigate a demanding fixture against Aberdeen. A win would keep them on course for a spot in the League Cup final, where they could face either Hearts or Hibs.
Nevertheless, for the first time in many years, after a busy transfer period and consecutive Old Firm victories, Rangers head into autumn on a solid platform that could finally deliver the long‑awaited silverware. *Play Super 6 for a chance to win £1 million – enter for free.*