Rangers lost 5-1 to Celtic at the weekend.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers with Rangers manager Mark Warburton before the game
Rangers’ first game against Celtic upon their return to the Scottish Premiership could not have gone worse.
They were beaten 5-1 by the reigning champions, and it was a chastening experience for Mark Warburton’s team, who struggled to cope with a team which were superior in every area of the pitch.
Ally McCoist was one of the Rangers’ managers who helped their rise up the divisions after their 2012 demotion, and he has given his assessment on their defeat.
Rangers’ manager Ally McCoist
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, McCoist said he believes Rangers fans simply have to be patient and wait for their team to be able to compete.
He said: “The expectations are unrealistic. It’s as simple as that. There is no realism with what has happened and what is happening.
“They are two or three years away from challenging Celtic to win the league. Especially now, Rangers are a long way from that, unless someone waves them a magic wand and gives them fortune to spend, the best thing would be injection of realism from supporters.
“They have the best group of supporters in the land, if not for the supporters there may not be a Rangers, but at same time they shouldn’t forget where they’ve been, come from, and where they are at the moment.”
Rangers are in their first season back in the Scottish Premiership since 2012, and already look off the pace when it comes to challenging for the title.
Celtic are four points ahead of Rangers, and have a game in hand, while Hearts sit in second, and Aberdeen are expected to bounce back after a disappointing start to the season.
How close Rangers end up to Celtic will likely depend on how they respond to their 5-1 hammering in their upcoming fixtures.
Rangers’ fans
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