McInnes Defends Rangers After Hibernian Defeat: Not as Bad as People Think

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

Derek McInnes pushed back against the reaction to Rangers' winless start, telling Sky Sports that his team "aren't as bad as people think" after the defeat to Hibernian. The comment came after Rangers lost 2-1 at Ibrox, a result that kept McInnes waiting for his first win as manager.

This is not a separate result story so much as the manager's first public framing of the problem after another setback. The supplied source confirms the quote, the context of the Hibernian defeat, and the wider fact that McInnes remains winless at Rangers. It does not provide a full transcript, detailed tactical explanation, or specific personnel assessment in the summary.

Why it matters:

Managers in this position are trying to do two things at once: protect the dressing room and keep the outside pressure from becoming the only story. McInnes' line is an attempt to stop the early judgement from hardening too quickly. By saying Rangers are not as poor as the reaction suggests, he is arguing that the underlying level is better than the results column currently shows.

The risk is that supporters and rivals measure that claim against outcomes, not tone. Rangers are judged by wins, especially at Ibrox, and a winless start gives every post-match message a narrow landing zone. A manager can ask for perspective, but the fixture list usually decides how much perspective he gets.

Tournament impact:

The immediate tournament consequence is psychological and competitive. Rangers are not out of anything because of an early August run, but they are already carrying a pressure tax into the next match. Every point dropped now makes later fixtures more expensive, and every game without a first McInnes win gives opponents a simple target: keep Rangers anxious for long enough and the atmosphere can turn.

For the wider field, the Hibernian result and McInnes' response both matter because they suggest Rangers are still searching for rhythm. Clubs competing around them will see a window to bank early points while Rangers work through the opening phase of the new management cycle.

What to watch:

The next useful evidence will be whether McInnes changes anything substantial or doubles down on the idea that performances are closer than results imply. Watch for selection stability, the first goal in Rangers' next match, and how the crowd reacts if the game stays level late.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: McInnes said Rangers are not as bad as people think, and he remains without a win after the Hibernian defeat. The supplied material does not confirm detailed tactical reasons for the run, individual player assessments, or whether any internal changes are planned.