Rangers, Rohl and the Entertainment Question

Rangers fans are wrestling with a style debate: is Danny Rohl right to prioritise defensive structure now, even if it means weekends feel a lot less entertaining at the moment?

Rangers supporters are split just now between those who are simply bored and those who see a longer-term plan taking shape under Danny Rohl. The football has often felt flat, and many fans no longer look forward to the weekend in the way they once did. Yet there are signs of improvement, and the real issue feels less about ability and more about confidence.

Defensive structure first, entertainment later

It is usually far easier for a coach to organise a team defensively than to turn them into a fluent attacking side. That is why Rohl appears to be concentrating on shape, structure and discipline without the ball. If you can make Rangers harder to score against, you stop the rot, calm the stadium down a bit and give players something solid to rely on.

The trade-off is obvious. A more controlled, cautious approach can keep scorelines down but it does little for those paying good money expecting fast, aggressive attacking football. For a support raised on sides that would take games by the throat at Ibrox, watching a team prioritise caution can feel like a step backwards, even if the underlying idea is to build a platform.

Confidence before creativity

The argument that this Rangers team is underperforming because of confidence rather than a lack of talent feels fair. When belief drops, players take fewer risks, pass backwards more, and the tempo falls through the floor. That is when games become functional rather than thrilling.

Rohl’s task is to rebuild that confidence while keeping the defensive structure intact. The hope is that as players trust the system and trust themselves again, the forward-thinking side of the game will grow in parallel. Movement, combinations and more adventurous passing usually follow once a squad stops worrying about every mistake leading to a goal at the other end.

If that balance is found, Rangers can become both secure and entertaining. The support will accept pragmatism for a period, but only if it clearly leads towards a more assertive, attacking version of the team.

Why neutral games feel more entertaining

Part of the frustration comes from watching matches between evenly matched European sides and wondering why Rangers cannot produce the same spectacle. When two teams feel they are on the same level, both are more willing to play expansively. The risk is shared and the game opens up, which is brilliant for the neutral.

But entertainment is always coloured by emotion. A high-scoring tie that looks fantastic to a neutral can feel anything but enjoyable if your own side is on the wrong end of it. Supporters want Rangers to be the team dictating the tempo, not hanging on in a tactical battle that only analysts appreciate.

Rangers News Views aims to give supporters honest, thoughtful coverage without the usual rumour mill. Right now, the honest truth is simple: the football has not been much fun, but there is a logic to Rohl’s approach. If confidence returns and the attacking patterns start to flow, the entertainment will follow. The question is how long the Ibrox crowd is willing to wait.

Written by Angus1812 4 12 2025