Rangers’ Europa League exit deepens crisis despite heavy investment in new signings | OneFootball

Jagiellonia Białystok did not miss the chance to wind up Rangers after eliminating the Scottish side, joking about its own name after becoming a meme on social media. Dubbed 'Wi-Fi password' online because of its complex name, the Polish club claimed it had the 'right password' for the Europa League after knocking out the more historic Scottish side.

The video can be seen below but the reality inside Rangers has never matched the light-hearted tone of social media. Even before the match, the Gers were already taking a cautious and humble line. A reflection of the recent crisis, and of the admission that preparations for 2026/27 are behind schedule

"The club is built for the Champions League and the Europa League, but I don’t think it is ready for that, and it hurts me to admit it," acknowledged head coach Derek McInnes.

McInnes, incidentally, is going through difficult days...

The worst start in the club’s history

It has only been four matches, yet it has been enough to raise questions about the future. Derek McInnes left Hearts to take charge of a Rangers side coming off a difficult year; a third-place finish, behind old rivals Celtic, the champions, and the manager’s own former club.

At a club that usually dominates in Scotland alongside Celtic, four matches carry real weight... Derek McInnes has become responsible for the worst start by a permanent manager in the club’s history. He drew with Dundee United, lost to Jagiellonia Białystok in Poland, to Hibernian in the Scottish league, and has now been eliminated after a home draw against the Poles in the Europa League preliminary round.

Champions of the old European Cup Winners’ Cup, their only major international honour, Rangers have been reborn in recent years after enduring their darkest period, with the club’s bankruptcy and relegation. The Glasgow side even made it back to the Champions League, although they went through that campaign in 2022/23 with nothing but defeats.

The good spell, however, does not seem to have lasted very long...

Rebuild fails to deliver

With disappointing results in 2025/26, Rangers had to embark on a major rebuild. The biggest change was on the bench, with the appointment of Derek McInnes. But the incomings on the pitch did not stop there.

Among the key names was Lawrence Shankland, the experienced striker and a familiar face to the manager, after scoring 20 goals last season for Hearts before leaving at the end of his contract.

In goal, there was heavy spending on Croatian goalkeeper Ivor Pandur from Hull City for £6 million. Dragojevic cost just over £4.5 million and arrived from Partizan as a long-term gamble at the age of 20. Japanese winger Yokota joined from Gent for £2.75 million, costing slightly less than defender Olwethu Makhanya, formerly of Philadelphia Union. Ross McCrorie also arrived from Aberdeen while Dan Neil joined on a free transfer from Sunderland, to name just the main moves.

All of that rebuilding has yet to produce results on the pitch. Derek McInnes may not even get the time to try to put the team back together, with pressure for him to be dismissed already mounting this early in the season. It does not look like it will be an easy year for the Gers...