dIt is pretty clear that Derek McInnes has endured an absolutely abysmal start to life as Rangers manager. While he managed four friendly wins in non essential matches over the summer, his competitive start has been absolutely abject. From horrendous team selections to awful substitutions and incoherent systems, McInnes currently looks no better than any predecessor. Rangers’ guilty parties are why.
Influences from upstairs remain unclear
We cannot yet be completely sure about the reasons for this. As Ibrox Noise has revealed, influences are coming from upstairs.
However, we cannot possibly know the extent of those influences. That is slightly intangible and consequently difficult to pin down.
We know that toxicity exists upstairs, especially in the form of Dan Purdy and Robbie Thelwell. Possibly one or two others are hiding in the shadows too.
Put simply, Derek McInnes must fight against a recruitment system bringing him utter slop.
Rangers have made nine signings this summer. Very few supporters would consider the majority of them remotely close to Rangers standard.
This is the big problem Rangers have these days.
Rangers no longer sign alpha players
If we hark back to the good old days before 2012, Rangers regularly signed serious international alpha players.
Think Steven Davis and even Maurice Edu. Going further back, think David Weir and Ugo Ehiogu.
These were Rangers class players. They were strong, solid and robust enough for the Scottish Premiership.
Today, it is all slop. It is all expensive nonsense that has no right to wear the shirt.
Daisuke Yokota might prove half decent. Nevertheless, on paper, he looks anything but the calibre of player Rangers need.
This is what McInnes is up against.
Dan Purdy’s recruitment record
Dan Purdy is clearly a big problem. His signing record across three windows as Rangers’ technical director does not look promising.
The number of absolute garbage signings made last summer for a total of £35M is overwhelming.
The only decent signing last summer was Mikey Moore on loan. Even then, it took until February for him to become a decent signing.
This is the record Rangers are up against. Only one player from a whole clutch during one window proved half decent.
Then came January. Once again, Rangers signed absolute mince.
Tuur Rommens was the only decent player. The rest were rubbish.
Now we come to this summer. Cammy Devlin and Lawrence Shankland are the only two who might actually meet Rangers standards.
When it comes to the rest, the jury remains out at absolute best. Vanja Dragojević is probably the one who gives many fans some hope.
However, the reality is that this window has fallen well below par. The same applied to the previous two.
Dan Purdy controlled all three windows at the helm.
McInnes has his hands tied
Consequently, McInnes has his hands tied. He is taking the fall for the rubbish he must field.
We may never know whether he selected such a poor team to take a shot at the board. Perhaps he wanted to say, “Look what I have to choose from.”
However, the simple fact is that he is selecting absolute rubbish. He has only rubbish within the Rangers squad.
It is a terrible group of players. Nobody of a Rangers persuasion in their right mind could suggest otherwise.
It means McInnes is fighting against the wind here. He is urinating into the gale.
We are unsure what he can possibly do when facing circumstances with Rangers’ guilty parties like these.
All we will say is that anything can happen when Hibs arrive.