The pressure is mounting at Ibrox. Rangers manager Danny Rohl finds himself under the microscope after his side's title hopes took a devastating blow. A defeat to Heart of Midlothian on Monday has left the Gers staring at another trophyless season—a scenario that has become painfully familiar for the club's faithful.
Since returning to the Scottish Premiership in 2016, Rangers have ended six of nine full seasons without silverware. Barring a miracle, that number will soon become seven out of ten. For a club of Rangers' stature, that's a bitter pill to swallow.
Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday didn't mince words when assessing the stakes for Sunday's Old Firm derby at Celtic Park. "It's obviously not what they were looking for, but the fact of the matter is Rangers' trophy now is to make sure that Celtic don't win the league," he told the Scottish Football Podcast. It's a sentiment that cuts to the heart of the rivalry—when your own title dream fades, spoiling your arch-rival's party becomes the next best thing.
Rohl, however, isn't buying that narrative. He insists his team is playing for themselves and their supporters, not just to deny Celtic glory. And he has a point. Beyond pride, there's a Champions League qualification spot on the line. A defeat on Sunday would relegate Rangers to third place, slamming the door on Europe's elite competition and the financial windfall that comes with it.
There's also a personal redemption arc at play. Rohl took over in October after Russell Martin's short, turbulent reign, and he quickly earned plaudits for dragging Rangers back into contention. A 13-point gap to league leaders Hearts was narrowed to just one before the split. But back-to-back losses to Motherwell and Hearts have reversed the momentum, leaving Rangers seven points adrift with only three games remaining.
At 37, Rohl is still young for a head coach, and his inexperience has been exposed in recent matches. Critics point to his decision to bench Mikey Moore—arguably Rangers' best player this season—against Motherwell, and his slow reaction as Jens Berthel Askou's side surged to a 2-0 lead. At Tynecastle, Rangers dominated the first half but failed to capitalize. When Derek McInnes brought on Blair Spittal to bolster Hearts' midfield at the break, the home side transformed, and Rangers couldn't find an answer.
Sunday's derby isn't just about stopping Celtic. It's about restoring belief, proving resilience, and giving the Rangers faithful something to hold onto in a season that promised so much but is slipping away. For Rohl and his squad, this is more than a game—it's a chance to reclaim their narrative.