Regrets, Rangers should have a few
Season review Ibrox side had chance to flex their muscles and fell short this term
THE SEASON can be confined to the history books. The lessons from it must now shape the future at Ibrox as Rangers pick up the pieces and aim to rebuild on and off the park.
It was emotional and controversial, one of a late success and tales of what might have been as the Scottish Cup was won, the Europa League missed out on and the Premiership surrendered at the first time of asking.
Rangers are now set for a summer of change. Here, Herald and Times Sport assesses how each area of the club has performed this term and looks at what must improve next time out.
The board
Marking them down as a ‘could do better’ would be the understatement of the year. This hasn’t been a smooth season for those at the Ibrox top table and their approval rating with supporters is as low as it has been for some time.
The Sydney Super Cup shambles leads the way in terms of brain-dead decision making but it is not the only farce Rangers have been embroiled in as petty fights have been picked with the Press and SPFL and the hierarchy have come under fire from Dave King and Club 1872.
Edmiston House remains a scaffold shell, the Champions Wall has yet to be erected and the new Castore kits – once again leaked online weeks ago – feature a sponsor that has gone bust and should never have been signed up in the first place.
Barely a week goes by without fans raising concerns over their level of customer service, especially regarding the ticket office or retail issues, and the MyGers scheme continues to cause confusion and raise resentment.
Refusing to host a Europa League final event at Ibrox was the last shoot-yourself-inthe-foot storm of the season. Given how regularly the board have made a mess of things recently, we won’t have to wait long for fans to be up in arms over the summer.
Punters are being treated like customers rather than supporters these days. The board should remember, then, that the customer is always right.
Football department
The positives deserve praise first and foremost and the signs are encouraging in terms of the Auchenhowie academy structure. Players have come to the fore at Ibrox, while the Scottish Youth Cup was won with victory over Hearts and the Lowland League campaign can be classed as a worthwhile exercise.
On the other side of the building, credit must go to the women’s team for their unbeaten league run and first SWPL title win. A maiden outing at Ibrox was historic and should inspire a generation of girls to fall in love with the game.
But there are issues in the way the first team squad has – under the guidance of Ross Wilson – been managed and Rangers find themselves staring down the barrel in terms of player contracts. Connor Goldson will leave for free, while the likes of Joe Aribo, Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos must now either be convinced to sign on or be sold off as Giovanni van Bronckhorst faces a significant summer overhaul.
The record in the transfer market over the last two seasons is frankly awful. Wilson took ownership of the deals for Aaron Ramsey and Amad Diallo and, having seen both turn out as badly as feared and predicted, must now have two permanent black marks on his record.
Too many moves have backfired and gambles failed and Rangers are on the back foot just 12 months after they should have been building from a position of strength.
Wilson is now under huge pressure to deliver. If the summer signings don’t pay off, it will be the sporting director who must carry the can.
The manager
A culmination of factors resulted in the Champions League failure
against Malmo. Ultimately, Steven Gerrard must take responsibility for that one and his exit to Aston Villa continues to split opinion amongst supporters. There were moments when Van Bronckhorst’s suitability for the position was questioned, and the Dutchman must shoulder the blame for a largely abject Premiership title defence. Given the situation he inherited, Rangers should never have relinquished their crown and improvements must be made next term if they are to regain the league flag. Winning the Scottish Cup was non-negotiable and the semi-final victory over Celtic was so important for Van Bronckhorst, especially on the back of the derby defeat at Ibrox that all but ended their Premiership ambitions. The character, tactical astuteness and squad fitness shown on that day, and at other stages this term, has certainly silenced some of the manager’s critics. The run to the Europa
League final was a remarkable achievement. Rangers should have rewritten the history books, though, and the frustration will undoubtedly linger.
Van Bronckhorst has done enough to suggest he could be the man to bring the title back to Ibrox and to continue Rangers’ progression on the continent and he has now earned the right to have a crack at it next term.
He will, of course, need the required backing from the board but he deserves the chance to put his stamp on the side and will surely benefit from a proper pre-season alongside his staff and his squad this summer.
The players
The Scottish Cup win at Hampden will be the final success for many members of the squad and, given what they have put in over the last four years, it was a fitting way for them to bow out. It is not the end of an era, but it does feel like the end of a cycle.
The heights of last term have not been hit across the board and the heroes of 55 cannot be absolved when the fingers of blame are being pointed in the Premiership. For too many, the consistency and the hunger were just not there as Rangers fell short.
Captain James Tavernier was a driving force once again and his record in Europe especially was incredible. Had Seville panned out differently, he and his team-mates would have been spoken about as Ibrox legends forever.
If it proves to be the end for Allan McGregor and Steven Davis, they will receive nothing but well-earned plaudits and praise. The same should go for the key men who seem set to depart.
This is a group that has achieved unique triumphs in terms of title 55, a European final and a first Scottish Cup in 13 seasons but it should have been even better. Another league crown and a couple of cups were certainly not beyond their capabilities.
The fans
It was the power of the people that forced Rangers to withdraw from the Sydney Super Cup and the entire debacle was an example of the board underestimating the strength of feeling amongst the support. Given that such a big deal is made of the directors and staff having the club at heart, it was staggering that the mood could be so badly misjudged.
The banners, songs and statements certainly hit the mark. Time will tell how willing the support is to forgive and forget as they keep a close eye on the words and actions of those in positions of power at Ibrox.
Many feel that their loyalty and their money is taken for granted but the way in which they continue to fund Rangers is eye-watering. From merchandise to MyGers, collectable coins to commemorative crests, there is not an avenue that Rangers haven’t sought to exploit and that punters haven’t put their hard-earned cash into.
No support has been through more, both on and off the park, in recent years and the disappointments won’t dissuade them from coming back for more next time out.
Seville could have been their finest moment. To take 100,000 to the final was an incredible effort and their conduct and backing overall deserves praise and recognition.
Their treatment by the Spanish authorities wasn’t befitting the occasion or the way in which fans brought a party atmosphere to Andalusia. In time, people power may come to the fore once again as supporters hold UEFA to account.