Danny Röhl has been appointed head man at Rangers. He officially took over as manager on Monday, taking over one of the most difficult situations in all of baseball after a disastrous recent stretch. Just days later, the German manager was to encounter his first major test. The 3-0 loss to Brann in Norway in the Europa League group stage was a bitter pill to swallow. Sadly, Röhl’s debut would be a disastrous one with this defeat. Friday’s result set Rangers at the foot of the league-phase table.
In Bergen, the Rangers attack once again failed to make their mark, finishing the 90 minutes with just one shot on goal. An unexpected result highlighted the huge obstacles that the team must overcome. They need to lift themselves from it as soon as possible prior to the visit of Kilmarnock on Sunday. After the defeat, Röhl spoke to the travelling fans, apologising for the “disgraceful performance.”
“At first I apologised for this defeat and this performance,” – Danny Röhl
Even the team captain, James Tavernier couldn’t resist jumping on the bandwagon to profess anger and discontent. He has called the display “disgraceful,” insisting that the opposition were able to exploit it was “too easy” after Rangers. Tavernier’s statement highlighted a widely shared concern from the players that they were losing their intensity and competitive streak.
“It’s a disgraceful performance, it’s as simple as that.” – James Tavernier
Tavernier further elaborated on the team’s struggles, stating, “You can get instructions from managers, but we simply have to put that on the pitch and we were just second best: first ball, second balls, not enough fight.” His comments describe, arguably, the impressive lack of a need for players to convert accumulated managerial wisdom into on-field results.
Röhl understood the heavy lifting that still remains. He knows that he faces a monumental task to repair the damage rendered on this franchise in its current state. Despite that, he’s incredibly upbeat about what’s possible with this young group. He stated, “I see a lot of potential, what we have to improve,” indicating his belief that with the right adjustments and effort, the team can turn their fortunes around.
Our recent 5-2 reversal to Brann highlighted that it wasn’t just tactical inadequacies. There seems to be a fragility of spirit through the ranks. Röhl calls on his players to be more doggedly persistent. He emphasizes a dangerous edge and wants their games to be “scrappy.” That shift in mindset is going to be key. This is crucial for the Rangers to get back on track on both domestic and European fronts.
So as they prepare to take on Kilmarnock next, expect all eyes to be on Röhl. Supporters are indeed looking forward to his quick hands making some dramatic changes around here. The next league fixture provides Rangers with another opportunity to highlight their progress. It’s about time that they begin to climb out of the league-phase doldrums.
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