Rangers supporters have been let down in every way in the last few seasons as the team has gone from being the Scottish Premiership winners to total chaos in a couple of years.
Positively, the club has finally decided to alter direction after acknowledging their severe failures over the last few seasons. However, tensions are rising as Rangers supporters, pressed further by the dilemma of rising living expenses, keep putting money into a team that isn’t returning enough to them.
Players these days have swiftly evolved into the collective sounding boards for fan resentment that extends far beyond the sacred grounds of Ibrox.
Although the players’ counterproductive verbal attacks may not be helpful, Rangers supporters are obviously unsure on how to better organize their understandable annoyances.
Who has the blame? We don’t know, it appears, like everyone else at Rangers.
Even though Rangers did not invest nearly as much in developing their team as Ligue 1 powerhouse Lyon, expectations for their Europa League play remained high.
While Rangers supporters have had to put up with a terrible string of defeats at home, performing well in Europe has proven to be a huge consolation prize.
However, there was a hint that our European shine might have vanished as James Tavernier’s head appeared to be gone for what would be the last time in Ibrox colors as the fourth goal against Lyon went in.
Tavernier has received a lot of flak this season after getting hooked early for the first time in his Rangers career.
Although it goes with the territory for the club’s captain, there’s a sense that Philippe Clement made a mistake by keeping the right-back in the firing line this season.
The post-Old Firm abuse is unacceptable, but if Tavernier keeps putting on these substandard defensive performances, paying fans will become disenchanted with the sluggish jog-back.
Vaclav Cerny is also learning that Rangers supporters are demanding, and the Czech winger hasn’t exactly done himself any favors in recent games.
Although it’s not acceptable to abuse people online, Cerny insulted Hibs supporters before Philippe Clement dragged him from the field.
The winger, who frequently misses crosses and shoots, then missed the crossbar from around three yards out on Thursday before Lyon moved into attack gear.
Cerny has been used as a scapegoat ever then, forcing the Wolfsburg loanee to temporarily delete his Instagram account.
It’s not acceptable and never will be.
However, the Czech is just the most recent in a long series of athletes to suffer the wrath of an irate fan base that has simply had enough.
In Glasgow, we’re told, everyone needs time. The Rangers run at a leisurely jog.
It’s all handshakes and welcomes; take your time, settle down, put your feet under the desk, and who knows, maybe at some point during your pricey contract you can start producing.
While this is going on, the fans, who are spending a small amount on football strips and tickets, are looking for instant results, dedication, and intensity—things they are not seeing from Ibrox.
This is a complicated problem that will take time to resolve.
While online harassment is a problem in modern football, it seems to be becoming worse at Rangers, where players seem to have nowhere to hide.
While Tavernier and Cerny are recent examples, other celebrities who have encountered expectant supporters include Cyriel Dessers, Todd Cantwell, and even Malik Tillman.
The Rangers supporters are always on edge since the players play the game and are regrettably directly witness to all of the club’s problems.
There has been a clear, unmistakable decrease in quality at Ibrox with domestic triumph a long-shot even by the most optimistic fan’s expectations.
Football in Europe today appears to be a step too far.
The issue is that, with such a high player turnover rate, it is difficult for Rangers supporters to build strong bonds with the team and vice versa when every disappointing outcome prompts angry demands that the entire endeavor be abandoned.
Philippe Clement, who is also facing termination, may not have the time he believes he needs to make a difference.
Fans are aware that it is ineffective and that there is a growing rift between the dressing room and the fans, but the conflict continues and the Rangers are starting to lose their identity.
Rangers are in dire need of leadership, which the club’s hierarchy has not been able to deliver, both on and off the field. From the chaos at Ibrox to another disappointment in not making it to the Champions League.
Supporters won’t care about anything other than continuous triumph.
We don’t think Rangers will be a fun location to play football for a while yet since the team is still a long way from demonstrating that they can deliver it.