We all wanted a flying start, me included. But the blunt truth is this is a proper rebuild, with big characters moved on and fresh faces coming in. That takes time. Expecting everything to slot together straight away is wishful thinking and it’s a recipe for panic among the support.

Remember the Souness days — patience mattered

You only have to look back to the Graeme Souness era to see how it can go. Different times, yes, but the point stands: even when you bring in top players it isn’t always an instant return. New players need to learn the shape, the press, how the team moves off the ball. The changing-room chemistry doesn’t happen overnight.

Rebuilds need time, not headlines

Press scrutiny has changed; the 24/7 reaction culture ramps up frustration and turns every dropped point into a crisis. When the media get the snipers out, it’s easy for fans to get drawn into that noise. It’s healthy to demand standards, but there’s a difference between being rightly impatient about performances and wanting wholesale upheaval after three poor results.

Belief, not blind optimism

Make no mistake — we should still be aiming to fight for the title this season. But that ambition doesn’t mean throwing patience out the window. Derick McInnes and the new squad need a fair crack at building understanding on the pitch. If we keep expecting miracles immediately, we risk repeating cycles of panic and reset until somebody else slips quietly into a long run.

Thoughts are things. If the majority of the support can stay behind the team, keep the belief and back the process, the chances of positive outcomes improve. That’s not spin. It’s common sense. Keep believing, call out what’s poor, but don’t demand instant perfection in a season of reconstruction.

Written by CO2: 11 August 2026

Tags: match-review tactics