When Rangers look back on the 2022/23 campaign they will reflect on opportunities that passed them by. After securing a Champions League place against PSV following an incredible run to the Europa League final the previous season, there was reason to believe that this side could provide another memorable year for the Ibrox faithful. Sadly, that could not have been further from the truth. Michael Beale’s new-look side might have won the final Old Firm derby of the season but that will serve as little consolation for what has been a disappointing year for the Gers. No major trophies domestically as rivals Celtic earned their eighth treble and a dismal European campaign saw Rangers finish rock bottom of their Champions League group without a single point. On the big occasions, Rangers fell short of the mark, leaving the door wide open for Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic to claim the major honours in 2022/23. Having said all this, fans still have reason to be optimistic as with the dawn of a new season, the dark clouds have started to lift around Govan. Here’s why Rangers are set for a significant improvement in 2023/24.
Beale’s rebuild bearing fruit
Giovanni Van Bronckhorst might have led Rangers to their first European final in 14 years but the club was undoubtedly in a poorer state when he left than when he arrived. An awful start in Europe filtered into the league as a run of bleak form started the downfall of Rangers’ season. Since Beale took the reins from the Dutchman the club has found more consistency and confidence on the pitch, showing glimpses of what they’re capable of. However, his biggest task will be how he handles recruitment this summer. After the departures of Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield, and Allan McGregor Rangers need to bring in suitable replacements to help the club in their bid to reclaim the Scottish Premiership title from Celtic. The January signings of Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell were a fine start to this project but Beale is not stopping there. The manager has wasted no time delving back into the transfer market, with Keiran Dowell, Dujon Sterling and Jack Butland all already through the doors of Ibrox this summer. This is exactly the kind of approach the club requires. There is still more on the way to Ibrox this summer, but what’s been the most impressive aspect of Beale’s business so far is that he is replacing like for like instead of risking destabilizing the side and causing friction within the squad. When he took the job he insisted the squad ‘wasn’t broken’ and by standing his ground on that statement he has given the players all the backing they need to have a better go of it in 2023/24.
Improvement in Europe is almost a certainty
Before the most recent campaign, Rangers were ranked as the second best performers in European competition across the previous four seasons. A virtually immaculate run in 2020/21 Europa League was followed by a legendary journey all the way to the final the following season. When the team earned a Champions League spot for the first time in 11 years, there was hope that Van Bronckhorst’s side could do some damage in Europe’s elite club competition. Sadlt though, the team fell well short of replicating their previous form. A 4-0 loss to Ajax in Amsterdam to start the campaign was followed up with another bitterly disappointing performance on Napoli. Back-to-back losses to Liverpool, including a miserable night at Ibrox, brought Rangers European campaign to an abrupt end, but given the way it was going several fans would’ve been happy to see it draw to a close; a sad display after so much joy less than eight months earlier. Beale’s arrival saw Rangers get back on track as the English boss produced a record of 27 games in charge, 22 wins, 2 draws and 3 losses. Players who were previously underperforming were rediscovering their form. Should Beale continue to find the best from his squad then Rangers will do better in Europe, it’s almost a guarantee. The Champions League qualifiers provide the perfect opportunity to show that last year was an outlier in an otherwise commendable European showing across several years. There’s a very good chance of a much improved performance across the continent next season.
Time to capitalize on Celtic’s uncertainty
The rivals across the city had a mountain to climb after their bid for ten in a row collapsed in monumental fashion. Postecoglou was the man charged with mounting that recovery and credit where due he did a fine job. After a massive overhaul Celtic reclaimed the title and built off that success went on to earn back-to-back Scottish Premiership trophies. Fans who enjoy betting using Trustly can bet on Rangers to win the title next season. The Australian made some clever moves in the transfer market, using his Japanese experience to full effect with the signings of Reo Hatate, Maeda and Furihashi Kyogo. He turned Celtic from a dismal side with no direction into a title-winning force in less than 12 months. However, now that he has left Celtic Park this presents a remarkable opportunity for Rangers to capitalize on. The 55-year-old is heading for Tottenham and his replacement Brendan Rodgers is making a return for his second spell at his boyhood club. The Northern Irishman inherits a side that is not his, that don’t know him and while brimming with potential, might be forced to play a different style than they’re used to under Rodgers. That adjustment will take time and it’s all while Celtic fans get used to seeing a man they branded a traitor for leaving, once again walking up and down the touchline. The Glasgow crowd is well known to be an impatient one; while Rodgers had a spectacular record in his first tenure, should results not match those exceptional levels in his second stint then the players will start to feel the pressure. If Beale and his squad can maintain their composure in the early stages of the new campaign and underline it with victory in the first Old Firm then it could set the tone for Rangers’ success in the season to come.
