NafisaRangers’ European disappointment has plunged Ibrox into another difficult period, but Derek McInnes has now made a decision over his future as manager following the club’s elimination from the Europa League.
The pressure surrounding the new Rangers boss has intensified dramatically after a miserable opening spell in charge, with the Gers still waiting for their first victory under McInnes.
Thursday night’s result only added to the growing frustration around Ibrox.
Rangers were held to a 1-1 draw by Jagiellonia Białystok at home, a result which confirmed their elimination from the Europa League qualifying rounds and left supporters struggling to understand how a campaign with so much expectation had gone so badly wrong.
McInnes inherited a huge challenge when he replaced Danny Rohl, but few would have expected his opening run to be this difficult.
The former Hearts boss has now gone four matches without recording a victory since taking charge, leaving his position under the spotlight at an extremely early stage of his Rangers reign.
And after the latest European setback, questions inevitably began to emerge over whether McInnes could be tempted to walk away.
However, despite the mounting criticism and the brutal nature of Rangers’ European exit, McInnes has no intention of resigning as Rangers manager.
The Rangers boss remains committed to the job and is determined to turn the situation around rather than abandon the rebuilding project at Ibrox.
That decision will come as significant news to supporters who have watched frustration grow rapidly since his appointment.
McInnes knows the results have not been good enough, but the manager has been given responsibility for overseeing a major rebuild and has already seen Rangers bring in a host of new faces during the summer transfer window.
The club’s European exit will undoubtedly increase the pressure, but McInnes appears determined to respond on the pitch rather than allow the disappointment to derail his tenure.
McInnes Has No Plans to Walk Away
The scale of Rangers’ summer rebuild means McInnes has already had to make major changes to his squad.
Nine new players have arrived, while Rangers have also agreed a deal for PSV Eindhoven winger Couhaib Driouech and are continuing to work on further additions.
That rebuilding process has now been made even more urgent by the Europa League elimination.
Rangers will have to regroup quickly, with the Conference League now providing their remaining route into European group-stage football.
There is also domestic silverware to fight for, meaning McInnes has little time to dwell on Thursday night’s disappointment.
The Rangers manager will now be expected to produce an immediate reaction.
The upcoming fixtures will be crucial, particularly with supporters demanding a significant improvement after the club’s winless beginning under their new boss.
For McInnes, however, the message is clear.
He has no plans to resign.
Instead, he intends to stay at Ibrox and attempt to prove that the club’s decision to appoint him can ultimately pay off.
The Europa League exit may have delivered a painful early blow, but McInnes’ response is not to walk away from the challenge.
It is to fight his way through it.
And with the pressure already building around Ibrox, his next few matches could go a long way towards determining whether the mood surrounding his appointment begins to change.
Nafisa
