(Photo credit: Reuters/Jason Cairnduff)
Humiliation does not feel like a strong enough word to describe the indignity Rangers suffered on Sunday.
A five-goal capitulation at the hands of Celtic to gift wrap the Scottish league title to their cross-city rivals.
Four of those goals came in a 12-minute spell as the Gers fell apart like a cheap suit when the players appeared to want off the pitch, coming across hopelessly both individually and collectively.
Interim basis
Graeme Murty is not a manager and was only appointed on an interim basis until the end of the season due to the club’s failure to land Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes.
The Dons boss turned down the ‘temptation’ of Glasgow and left the Blues in a position where they felt compelled to appoint their Academy coach.
(Photo credit: REUTERS/Russell Cheyne)
The former Reading full-back is now gone with coaches Jimmy Nicholl and Jonatan Johansson overseeing the final three league games of the season.
This means that Rangers will have had four different managers over the course of the season.
Perhaps the more damning statistic is that they have had seven different captains – a total lack of direction and leadership both on and off the pitch.
Omnishambles
It is hard to imagine a worse performance from the Gers in the most recent Old Firm encounter.
They demonstrated they had no tactical plan, they were not set up to defend, they could not launch any counter-attacks and they could not retain possession to ease the relenting pressure from the hosts.
(Photo credit: Reuters/Jason Cairnduff)
It should not be forgotten that before Sunday, Rangers had scored four more league goals than their Glasgow rivals this season.
Celtic have not had a vintage season and the previous week had been defeated at Hibs. Brendan Rodgers’s side once again underwhelmed in Europe but are now winning leagues and cups by default. Seven straight league titles in a row and the hegemony shows no sign of ending anytime soon.
Scottish football is uncompetitive at the highest level and the main blame for that lies at the door of Rangers.
Total overhaul
The Blues have already slipped behind Aberdeen to third and they only lead Hibs on goal difference and it would be little surprise if they were to miss out on a top-three finish, never mind missing out on second.
Rangers appear to have based their transfer policy in recent years upon signing players on the basis of their fondness for the club, which is an elementary mistake.
(Photo credit: Reuters/Carl Recine)
This is a club who need a total overhaul both on and off the pitch. They need to recruit smartly and be tactically astute. Should they succeed in those aspects, there is no reason why they could not challenge for the league title.
Is Steven Gerrard the man to bring that success? It’s impossible right now to know for sure but Rangers can surely not sink any lower than this.