Derek McInnes has admitted Rangers are “not ready” to compete in the Europa League after the Light Blues were dumped out of qualifying by Jagiellonia Bialystok.
A 1-1 draw at Ibrox on Thursday night sent the Gers out 3-2 on aggregate, their earliest exit from the competition since 2017, according to Sky Sports.
The numbers make grim reading.
Barring caretakers, McInnes has now made the worst start of any Rangers manager after four games, as relayed by BBC Sport.
With home supporters streaming for the exits long before the final whistle even though a late goal would have forced extra time, Read Rangers set out the major talking points from a miserable night in Govan as the tie slipped away.
The boos and howls of derision from the stands said it all, at full time.
What Derek McInnes said after the Ibrox exit
The manager did not hide behind the performance, insisting that despite nine summer additions the squad is still short of the required standard.
“The club is built for the Champions League and Europa League, but I don’t think the team is ready for it and it pains me to say it.
“We need to get more quality, we need to get more confidence into the team. That is the job I came into Rangers to do, said Derek McInnes.
He was equally blunt about the reaction from the stands.
Asked about his side being booed off, McInnes said: “I think it was justified, to be honest. What we served up in the second half was not good enough.
He added that Jagiellonia are “a decent team with some good players” but that “Rangers at their best should be winning this”.
It is not the start the manager appointed in June imagined.
Conference League football is now the consolation, but that’s not even guaranteed.
With three wins from three league games, Jablonec will come to Ibrox full of confidence.
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