McInnes Europa League record now reads eight failed attempts

Derek McInnes’ Europa League record is one statistic Rangers supporters will not enjoy reading.

Thursday’s 1-1 draw with Jagiellonia Bialystok at Ibrox, which sent the Gers out 3-2 on aggregate, was the eighth time Derek McInnes has tried and failed to reach the competition’s group stages, according to the Evening Times.

It is a run that stretches across his managerial career and has now followed him to Govan at the first attempt.

The defeat also extended a more immediate problem – McInnes has not won any of his opening four competitive matches, and BBC Sport Scotland’s analysis noted that, caretakers aside, no Rangers manager has made a worse start.

Read Rangers set out the major talking points from the Ibrox exit on Thursday night.

What the McInnes Europa League record says about Rangers

The manager was not looking for mitigation afterwards, and he was clear that the standard of opposition made the result harder to accept rather than easier.

“Jagiellonia are a decent team with some good players and I think they’re well coached, but Rangers at their best should be winning this,” he said.

Rangers now drop into a Conference League play-off, so there is still European football to be won this month as much as the fans are turned off.

Rangers transfer news continues, with imminent news expected on James Penrice, and a bid lodged in the U.S for striker Kevin Kelsy.

Several players are required if Rangers’ season is to be salvaged, but that is only part of the story for Derek McInnes.

This Rangers side has no redeeming qualities. Can’t score, can’t keep clean sheets, not creating chances and far too easy to play through.

A League Cup exit is unthinkable on Sunday. If that happens, a Europa League record will be the last thing on McInnes’ mind.