When ‘facts’ become guesses at Ibrox

Rangers fans are right to chase clarity, but there’s a line between what’s actually been said and what’s been filled in by guesswork. The so-called traffic light chat is a good example.

There’s nothing wrong with Rangers supporters wanting chapter and verse on what’s happening behind the scenes. Truth is, we’ve all been burned before by vague talk that never quite matches what we see on the pitch. But there’s a difference between genuine information and folk (or papers) colouring in the blanks for us.

High-level talk is still just high-level talk

A lot of interviews from club figures, and even some outside voices connected to Rangers, tend to sit at 30,000 feet. They’ll speak about standards, culture, recruitment processes, “alignment”, the need for time. All fair enough. It’s normal football language and it keeps things tidy in public.

The issue for fans is that it rarely comes with proper examples. If you’re trying to work out what’s really meant, you go looking for something concrete and come back with the same handful of broad phrases. That’s not a crime, but it does leave plenty of room for interpretation.

The traffic light system: useful idea, fuzzy detail

The traffic light system is a cracking bit of shorthand in theory. Everyone understands the concept straight away: green, amber, red. It sounds like a quick way to communicate where players stand, what needs done, and who might be moving on.

But unless the club, or the manager, actually says who is in which category, it’s basically a framework without a key. Rangers supporters can discuss it all day, but we’re still guessing. And once that guessing lands in the media as “reporter understanding” or “sources suggest”, it can start to feel like fact when it isn’t.

That’s where frustration can creep in. Not because fans are daft, but because we’re trying to interpret a system without being shown the actual outputs.

Media guesses aren’t the same as the manager’s view

A big part of the noise usually comes from someone printing their own assumed list. That might drive debate, but it’s not the same thing as Danny Röhl going public with his own assessment of the squad. If he hasn’t put names to it, then any list is just an opinion dressed up as insight.

So for me, the sensible approach is simple enough: treat the “traffic light” idea as a general principle until Rangers make it specific. Analyse performances, talk about balance, talk about profiles we’re missing, sure. But don’t confuse a headline-friendly guess with an official stance.

At Rangers News Views we’ll always have opinions, that’s the point. The trick is making sure we’re clear about what’s known, and what we’ve just inferred.

Written by Angus1812: 18 January 2026