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For Rangers, seasons without silverware have become a recurring theme over the past decade. Since their return to the Scottish Premiership in 2016, six out of nine full campaigns have ended trophyless. Following Monday’s loss to Heart of Midlothian, which effectively ended their title aspirations, that tally is set to become seven out of ten.
Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday summed up the stakes for Danny Rohl and his side ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm derby at Celtic Park. “Obviously, it’s not what they wanted, but the reality is Rangers’ trophy now is to ensure Celtic don’t win the league,” he told the Scottish Football Podcast.
Rohl, however, rejects the notion that Rangers’ season is solely about preventing Celtic from claiming the title, insisting his team is playing for themselves and their supporters. Keeping their Champions League qualification hopes alive remains the primary objective. A defeat on Sunday would leave them in third place with no route to Europe’s elite competition.
There is also a point to prove for Rohl and his chastened squad. After taking charge in October following Russell Martin’s brief and tumultuous tenure, Rohl earned praise for turning Rangers into unlikely title contenders. A 13-point gap to leaders Hearts narrowed to just one before the split, but back-to-back defeats by Motherwell and Hearts have shifted the debate as Rangers fell seven points behind with three games remaining.
At 37 and in his second head-coaching role, Rohl’s lack of experience has come under scrutiny in recent matches. Not starting Mikey Moore against Motherwell, despite the player arguably being Rangers’ best this season, and being slow to react as Jens Berthel Askou’s side raced into a 2-0 lead have been questioned. At Tynecastle, Rangers dominated the first half but failed to capitalize after Derek McInnes strengthened his midfield by introducing Blair Spittal at halftime. Hearts improved immediately, and Rangers found no response.
Rohl offered an interesting analysis of the issue on Friday, citing a lack of movement from his players to receive the ball compared to the first 45 minutes. “If you don’t move an opponent who is man-marking, you will still not find the right solutions,” the German said. “This is part of what we have to do better—to understand, even under the highest pressure, who is the free man, how we can take him, and how we can open up spaces.” However insightful, this explanation may fall on the unimpressed ears of many Rangers fans.
Rangers’ record against the rest of the top six under Rohl is poor. Exiting both cup competitions to Celtic and suffering two defeats at Tynecastle have not helped perceptions. Rohl did engineer a turnaround against Wilfried Nancy’s Celtic at the start of 2026, but he has yet to outsmart Martin O’Neill, having squandered a 2-0 lead in the last league derby. If Celtic emerge victorious on Sunday, grumbles about Rangers’ record in big games will grow louder. There is still plenty at stake.
Calmer heads might point out that Rohl inherited a squad widely criticized before his arrival and molded them into unlikely title contenders. Striker Youssef Chermiti has impressed, but the team must now focus on setting new standards.
