RANGERS BOSS DEREK MCLNNES SAVAGED THE WHOLE CLUB IN HIS INTERVIEW AFTER FANS CELEBRATED LOSING 2:1 TO HIBERNIAN YESTERDAY

There was a growing sense of disbelief around Ibrox on Sunday as Rangers suffered a damaging 2-1 defeat to Hibernian, with the result leaving Derek McInnes still searching for his first victory as Rangers manager. What made the afternoon even more uncomfortable was the reaction from sections of the Rangers support, with footage and images circulating online appearing to show fans celebrating the final whistle despite their side having just suffered another painful defeat.

For a club of Rangers’ stature, that reaction tells its own story.

McInnes’ post-match comments also provided a brutally honest assessment of the problems facing the club. Rather than simply blaming his players for the defeat, the Rangers boss spoke about the wider frustration surrounding the club and the difficult circumstances he has inherited.

The defeat means Rangers have now endured a winless opening to McInnes’ reign, following a draw against Dundee United and a Europa League defeat to Jagiellonia Białystok. The Hibernian loss was particularly damaging because it came in McInnes’ first competitive home league game at Ibrox. 

Rangers dominated but still found a way to lose

On paper, Rangers had enough possession and territory to win the match comfortably.

They controlled approximately 76 per cent of possession, yet repeatedly struggled to turn that dominance into clear chances. Hibernian were organised, compact and prepared to defend for long periods before looking for opportunities on the counter. 

Josh Campbell put Hibernian ahead from the penalty spot after 12 minutes, giving Rangers another mountain to climb.

The hosts eventually found an equaliser in the 85th minute when Miguel Chaiwa put the ball into his own net. At that point, there was an expectation that Rangers would push on and find a winner.

Instead, Hibernian delivered the final blow.

Callum Wright scored in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 victory for the visitors, despite Hibs registering only two shots on target during the match. 

That statistic will concern McInnes enormously.

A Rangers side controlling three-quarters of possession should not be losing at home to a team with such limited attacking output. The problem was not simply possession; it was what Rangers did with it.

McInnes’ comments highlighted the deeper problem

After the match, McInnes was clearly frustrated.

He argued that Rangers were not as bad as some people might believe and pointed towards the opportunities his players had created and failed to take. He also criticised the way the game developed, particularly Rangers’ inability to make their dominance count. 

The manager also referred to the wider frustration that has surrounded Rangers for years.

Reports following the game highlighted McInnes’ reference to 15 years of frustration, an extraordinary acknowledgement of the pressure surrounding the club. 

That is perhaps the biggest story coming out of the match.

McInnes has not walked into a club where supporters are prepared to wait patiently for a rebuild. Rangers supporters expect trophies, European progress, dominant performances and victories against teams they believe Rangers should be beating.

Instead, the new manager has inherited a side that already looks short of confidence.

The fan reaction tells another story

The reaction inside Ibrox was particularly striking.

Rangers were booed at the final whistle, while images and videos circulating online showed sections of supporters celebrating the result in a manner that appeared to reflect their anger and frustration with the current situation.

It is important to distinguish between genuine celebration of Hibernian winning and supporters using the moment to make a statement about Rangers’ problems.

Either way, the optics were terrible.

When supporters begin reaching the point where another defeat becomes an opportunity to mock their own club, it suggests the relationship between the team and sections of the fanbase has reached a worrying stage.

TalkSPORT reported that Rangers were booed off following the defeat, while the result leaves the club five points behind Celtic after only two league matches. 

That is exactly the kind of situation that can quickly become toxic.

McInnes has inherited a massive problem

It would be unfair to place every problem at McInnes’ door.

He has only been in the job for three competitive matches.

However, football managers at Rangers do not receive unlimited time.

The biggest challenge for McInnes is therefore not simply improving results. It is convincing supporters that there is a clear direction.

The manager has already made numerous changes to his starting line-up during the opening games, highlighting how difficult it has been to identify his strongest team. The Times reported that McInnes has made 15 changes across his first three matches. 

That suggests there are still major questions over the balance and identity of the squad.

There are also concerns over injuries, with Youssef Chermiti suffering a serious-looking knee injury during the Hibernian match. His injury came at an especially unfortunate time after Rangers had rejected a transfer proposal from Galatasaray for the striker. 

The attack remains a major concern

For all the possession Rangers had, their attacking play lacked the urgency expected at Ibrox.

Hibernian were comfortable sitting deep because Rangers were often unable to create the kind of clear openings required to break down a disciplined defensive block.

That is where McInnes must find answers quickly.

Rangers cannot dominate matches statistically and continue losing them.

The manager needs his midfielders to move the ball faster, his forwards to attack spaces more aggressively and his wide players to create genuine one-versus-one situations.

Possession without penetration will not win Rangers the league.

The pressure will only increase

The timing of the defeat could hardly be worse.

Rangers already trail Jagiellonia Białystok 2-1 from the first leg of their Europa League qualifying tie, meaning McInnes faces another enormous test almost immediately. 

The European second leg now carries even greater importance.

A strong performance and qualification could give the manager breathing space. Another disappointing result, however, would send the pressure around Ibrox to another level.

Supporters are not simply demanding results anymore. They want to see evidence that the club is moving forward.

And that is why the scenes following the Hibernian defeat have attracted so much attention.

This is bigger than one defeat

Rangers losing 2-1 to Hibernian is painful, but the bigger concern is what the defeat represents.

It represents a team struggling to turn possession into goals.

It represents a manager still searching for his best XI.

It represents a fanbase becoming increasingly frustrated.

And, perhaps most importantly, it represents a club that desperately needs to rediscover confidence and belief.

McInnes cannot solve all of those problems overnight.

But he must start solving them quickly.

The Rangers manager has already acknowledged the frustration that exists around the club, while insisting that his team is not as poor as some people believe. 

His next challenge is to prove it on the pitch.

Because if Rangers continue to dominate possession, waste opportunities and lose matches, the boos will only become louder.

And when supporters begin appearing happier with a defeat than another disappointing Rangers performance, that is a warning sign no manager at Ibrox can afford to ignore.