One of the problems with Rangers front loading recruitment in 2018, is that there was always a high risk of the players all leaving at the same time or overstaying their welcome.
Covid-19 hit the club hard after winning the league and, instead of building on success, Steven Gerrard and the board, decided that backing the squad that went invincible would be enough to retain the title and earn automatic entry into the Champions League.
It wasn’t and the end result has seen 11 first-team players, key players, leave for free over the last two summers.
- READ MORE: Rangers Net Transfer Spend Summer 2024
Philippe Clement pleads for Rangers rebuild patience
Philippe Clement is the man who has been hit the hardest as a result, having to cut Rangers wage bill at the same time as rebuilding and re-energising the squad.
Speaking ahead of the first game back at Ibrox against Dundee in the Premier Sports Cup, the Gers boss was quick to urge patience amongst the support who had been hoping to see immediate success:
“No, because I know that’s football, that’s society also. And I know what’s going on inside the building. I see everything every day. We work hard with everybody, also every day to improve things. I believe a lot in the potential of this squad.
“I know it was incredibly challenging to get a squad like that together with the budget that we have and seven players going out without one pound coming into the club. I think a lot of good things have happened.
“We could not do everything in one transfer window. It was not possible. We didn’t have the resources for that. So, we need to build. But I’m also happy now that people start to see already the good things that have been done. And I’ve heard also from many people. “
The result at Parkhead was hugely disappointing and, with hindsight, it came too quickly for a team that had a lot of new players.
Either side of that game there have been signs of improvement.
Rangers are still a work in progress
From Motherwell, where the result should have been out of sight at half-time to St Johnstone where a comfortable 90 minutes wasn’t reflected in the scoreline.
The hammering of Ross County was as well as Rangers have played in 2024 and the trip to Tannadice saw two different sides to the team.
One where several clear-cut chances should have been taken through playing good football and the other where they absorbed pressure and restricted Dundee Utd.
As the weeks tick by, fans will want to see more of the new players including what could be a completely different forward line.
There is, as Clement said, a lot of work still to be done, however, there are positives, if you want to see them.
