Rangers regression: Heat on manager, shortcomings of Ross Wilson and other board members, press conference bristles, the Steven Gerrard clue

In the aftermath of a day which causes as much dissent in the ranks of Rangers supporters as Sunday’s Old Firm defeat has, Giovanni van Bronckhorst will need every layer of the thick skin he says he possesses in the face of criticism.

If his team’s season goes any further off the rails over the next few weeks, even armour-plating might not be sufficient for the Rangers manager to comfortably deflect all of the barbs aimed in his direction.

Van Bronckhorst understands and fully accepts the first rule of football management – publicly at least, the buck stops with the man who stands front and centre in the technical area.

But while it is an occupational hazard for any Rangers boss to effectively be a human shield for the failings of others in times of trouble on the pitch, it would be myopic not to recognise those who bear the greatest responsibility for the situation van Bronckhorst now finds himself in.

Having ended a decade of turmoil and pain by winning the Premiership title in emphatic style last May, the Rangers board were either unable or unwilling to sanction the level of squad strengthening which Steven Gerrard clearly felt was necessary to maintain and build upon that success.

The unrestrained relish with which Gerrard jumped at the chance to leave as soon as Aston Villa came calling last November wasn’t solely down to his ambition to manage in the English Premier League. It was also an indication of how the former England captain viewed the direction of travel at Rangers.

Since the appointment of Ross Wilson as the club’s sporting director in October 2019, the player recruitment at Rangers has appeared haphazard at best.

Of all the signings made on Wilson’s watch so far, perhaps only Ianis Hagi and Calvin Bassey