There was a happy ending for Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, however, it doesn’t appear as if Rangers fans are going to be quite as fortunate.
Things looked bleak when Barry Ferguson took over as Rangers manager, and they look even worse now with Kevin Thelwell fully aware of the problem.
The summer should see another exodus in the Rangers squad with five players out of contract and more who simply aren’t good enough.
If the Ibrox trophy room is to see success once again, there needs to be more stability than there has been since 2021, but stability shouldn’t come at the cost of quality.
Ferguson, despite his flaws as a manager, knows what it takes to be a success at the club and knows that the axe will need to swing in the summer.
Barry Ferguson expects big changes at Rangers
The last four games of the season shouldn’t be when these players show that they are good enough to play for Rangers, that time has been and gone.
When asked if players should be worrying about their futures, Ferguson said:
“Yeah, I’ve said to them, even if you’re in contract, everybody’s playing for their future. As everybody here knows, there’s going to be a lot of changes and there needs to be a lot of changes.
“I said that last week after the game in Spain. We all know these changes need to happen. These changes are starting to happen.
“You obviously know with the takeover and obviously Kevin (Stelwell) coming in as sporting director, so they’re certainly moving in the right direction.
“As we all know, we’re coming to the end of the season and it’s a short period that you get off and then you’re straight back into pre-season. Then you’ve got qualifiers for Europe before you know it, the season starts. So, yeah, a big job to be done here.”
Will there be a mass exodus at Rangers in the summer?
As Rangers found out last summer, you can’t force other clubs to sign the players that you don’t want anymore.
Todd Cantwell left Rangers for peanuts despite a reasonably productive spell and Ianis Hagi was available all summer and yet there were no takers.
Then there was Cyriel Dessers. Rangers agreed a fee to sell Dessers, only for the player to fail to agree personal terms with Atlanta United.
Thelwell will appreciate the size of task facing him, there is barely a department that doesn’t need attention, with Nils Koppen coming under increasing pressure for some of the players that he has recommended that the club sign.
It doesn’t matter what anyone does between now and the end of the season, they are all – or should – be available for sale.
