If you think Rangers form is bad just now, cast your minds back – if you are old enough – to the title-winning side of 1989/90. A team full of talent with a manager in the process of rebuilding a sleeping giant.
Graeme Souness has the same presence today as he did when he first arrived at Ibrox in 1986, a presence that saw a star-studded squad of internationals be assembled and one that would provide the core of Walter Smith’s nine-in-a-row team.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst is currently under pressure for his results in Europe and his performances in domestic football, however, Souness’s all-star outfit was even worse, especially when you consider just who he had available for selection.
#Rangers Scottish Premier Division Champions 1989-90 #Match 1990-06-16 pic.twitter.com/eDLiJlD246
— Scottish Footy Cards (@ScotsFootyCards) October 24, 2022
Chris Woods was in goals, Gary Stevens, Richard Gough and Terry Butcher were in defence, Trevor Steven, Ian Durrant, Derek Ferguson, Ray Wilkins, Nigel Spackman and Mark Walters made up the midfield most weeks and a formidable strike duo of Mo Johnston and Ally McCoist were tasked with scoring the goals – it’s not even worth thinking about how much it would cost to put together a similar squad now.
Two wins in eight games at the start of the season, dropped points in 16 out of 36 games and just 48 goals scored in the league – we’ve already scored 27 this season – and yet this is a team that is remembered fondly, but it is remembered because we won the league, even if Europe and the cups were a disappointment.
For Rangers to be top of the league just now, we would have to have bettered our best start ever to a season, which begs the question, are we asking too much of Van Bronckhorst given the squad he has to work with and the injuries he has had to contend with?
We were patient with Steven Gerrard, surely the current Gers gaffer deserves the same courtesy working with one hand tied behind his back?