JuicyTalk
Rangers manager Derek McInnes said he takes “full responsibility” after his side crashed out of Europe on Thursday night.
Holding a 1-0 aggregate lead heading into the second leg of their UEFA Conference League play-off against Jablonec in the Czech Republic, the Scottish outfit were beaten 4-3 on penalties following a grueling 120-minute contest. Despite leading early in the shootout, spot-kick misses from Findlay Curtis and James Penrice sealed their elimination.
The result leaves Rangers without European football beyond August for the first time since their 2017 defeat to Progrès Niederkörn, ramping up early pressure on McInnes following a difficult start to his Ibrox tenure.
Speaking after a match in which Rangers registered just one shot on target and under 47% possession, McInnes pulled no punches regarding the display.
“I’m embarrassed with the performance,” the Rangers manager said.
“The only people who represented the club well tonight were my staff and the supporters who were outstanding, getting behind the team despite watching what we all watched.
“I’m not going to make any excuses. Yes there’s been a big turnover of players, yes we looked inexperienced at times but the responsibility is mine to make sure we’re better than what we served up tonight.
“We got what we deserved. If we’d won on penalties we would have taken it, of course, but it would only have covered over the cracks.
“I’m mortified with the performance. I know you can lose games of football but we should have enough in the building to take care of that tonight.”
Rangers, who have one point from two games in the Premiership so far, face Aberdeen on Sunday.
