Danny Röhl, Rangers’ head coach, let loose his anger following a shocking UEFA Europa League display at home to Ferencvaros. This loss almost destroyed the team’s chances of advancing in the tournament. Bojan Miovski’s opener was as good as a Rangers goal gets these days. Unfortunately, their defense came up short and they didn’t walk away as champions. This defeat continues Röhl’s struggles on European competition. He’s having a harder time finding that success after having replaced Russell Martin at the helm.
Röhl’s tenure has been dominated by a much different story told at home in domestic competitions. Under his stewardship, Rangers have enjoyed five victories in their first seven games in the Scottish Premiership. Their success does not translate to the Europa League. The team has claimed just one point in their last 12 games in the tournament. Now, the burning question is if Röhl will be able to help redirect this trend outwards and thereby save his squad’s season.
Defensive Struggles Highlighted
In their latest match against Ferencvaros, Röhl had to deal with a makeshift central defence thanks to injuries. This seemingly strong lineup would soon become one of the team’s greatest weaknesses. That early advantage for the home team, given by Miovski’s fourth minute strike, went up in smoke as cracks in the backline appeared. In a Twitter tirade, Röhl vented his anger at how the squad was being performed. I’m really mad about the goals we gave away. Today, for me personally, is very disappointing.”
While the team got off to an impressive start, the team’s defensive unity broke down when faced with duress. Röhl noted the importance of maintaining focus throughout the match: “To take something, you have to be sharp in 90 minutes, 95 minutes, and every duel if you do it, the chances are on today to win this game.” He was passionate in his concerns about it. He highlighted that mistakes at bad times led to giving up important goals.
Things started to get worse for the Rangers as they continued to let Ferencvaros punish them for these defensive errors. Röhl elaborated on the impact of these errors: “Then the second one, it’s too easy. We have a positioning, it’s a long, long, long ball. I think the ball is 40 metres in the air. If you have the right positioning, nothing happens.”
Missed Opportunities and Future Challenges
As Röhl would later query, the disappointment had been exacerbated by lost chances in transition moments between phases of play. He lamented how these moments could have changed the course of the match: “Go in to half-time with a lead, then they have to open more and more, the spaces go open and then you’ve got the first conceded goal.” This lack of command on transitional plays has been a consistent theme for Rangers with Röhl at the helm.
Looking back on these struggles, Röhl is the first to admit that he and his players must do better—both personally and as a collective unit. He stated, “This is now the second game in a row in this competition I see a team who is competitive, I see a team who is in the process forward, but I see a team destroy the hard-working in two or three situations.”
The new head coach is about to face a big one. He will be looking to bolster his squad in the forthcoming January transfer window. Particularly with injuries and performance inconsistencies still haunting this team, the need for reinforcements has grown more apparent by the week.
Looking Ahead
Röhl’s frustrations just about this match are the tip of the iceberg. These criticisms point to deeper problems caused by decisions made prior to his arrival. His predecessor’s mistakes during the summer transfer window have left a lasting impact on the team’s current state. These are the challenges Röhl’s site takes on, and his content dives deeper into these issues. He remains determined to forge a competitive team that’ll recover from recent misfires.
Röhl has had a difficult tenure as head coach thus far, collecting only one point from the last twelve European contests. Unfortunately, he’s never been able to nail down a victory in this win. The heat is on for the Rangers. They will have to collectively regroup, reprioritize and strategize properly to relaunch their hopes and fortunes in future rounds.
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