00:00Well, across the city then, Rangers, certainly the picture for the Scottish coefficient this week, Ben, doesn't look particularly rosy on the back of some disappointing European results.
00:11It all started on Tuesday night, Rangers losing 3-1 at home to Club Bruges, who we knew going into this game were no mugs.
00:20They've been stubborn stares in the Champions League.
00:24They've qualified for, I think, seven of the last nine league-faced group stage campaigns.
00:31So they were a step up on the calibre of opposition that Rangers have faced so far in previous qualifying rounds.
00:39And ultimately, a crazy first half, 20-minute period, blown apart by the Belgians, 3-0 down.
00:48And Danilo pulls a goal back in the second half.
00:52But you've got to say that their Champions League dreams look all but over now.
00:56It's going to be a minor miracle if they go over to Belgium and not only win, but win convincingly against a decent club, Borussia.
01:05And here we are, just four or five weeks into the season, and already fans are talking about Deanna Russell-Martin's position
01:13and how there's been very little sign of improvement since he came in the door.
01:19Yeah, it's concerning, again.
01:22It's been a pretty bruising week for all Scottish clubs, really, in Europe.
01:26But I think particularly so Rangers, because it already feels like you're at that stage where, you know,
01:31managers usually get to this point where fans are talking, like, in the kind of language they are, like,
01:35after a year, 18 months.
01:38Fans have already had enough.
01:39And I don't think some of that's down to Russell-Martin.
01:41And I think it's a build-up of, like, you know, they've had Clermont, they've had Van Bronckhorst,
01:45they've had Beal, you know, and it's all been, you know, there's been issues in each and every one of them.
01:50And now that this guy already looks like a bit of a, in some people's eyes, a bit of a busted flush,
01:58that they're not having him.
02:01Again, as you say, you can't legislate for the type of goals they conceded in the first half.
02:06But, you know, Rangers fans walking out of there after 20 minutes in fair, I wouldn't say large droves,
02:13but certainly sections of that stand.
02:15And then by the time it got to the end, the place was half empty.
02:18But there already seems to be a bit of a disconnect between manager and the fans, really.
02:25The fans, it wasn't a popular appointment to begin with.
02:28And the style of play at Celtic and Rangers that gets people going is fast, aggressive,
02:34looking to basically batter people, looking to pummel oppositions.
02:39Whereas this slow, calculated, you know, stat-driven passing football
02:46that seemingly is passing for possession's sake, at least on the eye test,
02:53it's not happening.
02:54And it's looked, the problem is, is it's looked awful in the first few games.
03:00And there are now concerns about the type of player they've brought in as well.
03:05Joe Rothwell started fairly well in the Panathinaikos game,
03:08but again, his performance levels have came down a wee bit.
03:10Max Aron's looks, you know, doesn't exactly look like an upgrade in Tavernier.
03:15Dejiga, again, started okay, but performances have come on the way.
03:19And against Aloua, another bizarre error that led to an Aloua goal,
03:24so they've been unconvincing pretty much in, I would say with the exception
03:29of the Victoria Pilsen game where they won 3-0,
03:32they've been pretty unconvincing in just about every other game.
03:36And when you look at the fixtures coming next,
03:38they've got St Mirren away, Bruges away, the old firm,
03:41followed by back-to-back games against Harts and Hibbs.
03:44You would not be, and it's crazy to say it,
03:49but you would not be surprised if Rangers didn't win any of those five games.
03:54It would not be a total shock.
03:57Every single one of those teams will think it's a disappointment
04:00if they don't take something off Rangers,
04:02which is mad at this stage in the season.
04:05And I think if he does go five without, you know,
04:08they've already shown it leads the 49ers that they're willing to try
04:13and not panic, not just right.
04:15First sign of bumping the road, we just get rid.
04:18But, I mean, this isn't Leeds.
04:22Rangers are a far different club to that.
04:25And I do wonder whether if some people,
04:28whether it be Kevin Thelwell, Russell Martin, whoever,
04:30have maybe come here and underestimated just how much of that is a factor.
04:36You don't get time here.
04:37You need to start winning.
04:39Regardless if you're having to field at under-18s,
04:41you need to win.
04:42And there are no exceptions for that.
04:45So, the next five games are huge.
04:47Because I do think if he comes out of that with, say,
Be the first to comment