There were a lot of expectations that were placed on that shoulder of Rangers FC from their fans and football fraternity, like giving their arch rivals Celtic an intense battle to clinch the league silverware and reclaim domestic supremacy, recreate their own selves as a superpower and excel to great heights under the tutelage of Mark Warburton. But reality set it, as the 2016-17 season of the Ladbrokes Scottish Premiership has been an abject one-horse race with Brendan Rodgers’ outfit leading the charts with a whopping lead of 24 points over second-placed Aberdeen.
Mathematically speaking, Rangers’ latest loss at the hands of Dundee by a 2-1 score line at the Dens Park has led to an incessant extension of their difference to Bhoys’ points tally to 30 points. Such a massive deficit was the last thing that could have been thought of at the start of the season, but sadly for Rangers, Celtic have indeed made the fellow Scottish sides suffer from the inferiority complex. Hearts are surging in from behind to clinch the third spot atoned by Rangers at the moment; so is it high time for the Gers to take things a bit more seriously as the season enters into its business end?
Warburton’s termination as the manager of Rangers might have come at an inappropriate time, for Graeme Murty has already started to feel the heat of leading the club. This season, second and third place guarantees a club entry to the Europa League qualifying stages and although the riches and lucre which Champions League offers is miles ahead of the Europa League, a European return for Rangers holds paramount importance. The Ibrox Stadium is echoing at the top of its lungs to witness the palpable magnificent atmosphere of the grand stages, but their side have been doing very little of late to aid their cause.
To challenge Celtic next season for the league title, they would need investments to make and the injection of financial prosperity into the club could be offered by their income from Europe. There is an intangible gulf between the Celts and Gers, which is why Rangers must cease to be complacent and strive for registering results right in their strides.
The defeat at the hands of Dundee added to their woeful run of form since Christmas and could have adverse consequences but then, it’s high time to get up, shrug the dust and strive forward to cater to their needs in the closing stages of the season.
