After their Europa League success, was Steven Gerrard right to say Rangers have “relaunched”?
The Rangers manager made the remarks to the press after his side knocked out FC Ufa in the Europa League play-off round. The victory was won with nine-men and secured progression to the group-stage round of Europe’s secondary club competition.
It’s also the first time Rangers have been in Europe during the group stages since 2010.
Therefore, it was a huge victory for Rangers and a landmark step for Gerrard.
Was it too far?
Yet, did he go too far by claiming the club have now relaunched? There’s arguments both ways.
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Getting Rangers back on the European map is a big achievement. Ultimately, the club want to be operating in the Champions League, but this was a huge step regardless.
Ally McCoist, Mark Warburton, and Pedro Caixinha all failed to qualify for European competition. Yet, within months of taking charge, Gerrard has already achieved it.
In that sense, it’s step one of a massive rebuilding job at Rangers. This is a club that is getting rebuild brick by brick, and qualification for Europe is certainly a big brick.
In saying that, Rangers won’t be fully operational until they’re challenging for the title.
Domestic form
Gerrard has only won one of his opening three Premiership games since taking charge. The performances have been something to be pleased about, but the results not overly.
Only when winning consistently both at home and in Europe will this club truly be relaunched.
Credit must go to the Rangers manager for the overhaul he has overseen since beginning his work in June. This has seen an incredible 13 players come in and take part in this new Rangers Revolution.
The new man has done as much as he can since arriving, but this is yet to be a club that’s relaunched.
Perhaps, all things going well on Sunday, that viewpoint could be taken under more consideration.
For now, however, it’s just a stretch too far.