Halliday accuses Rangers hierarchy of mismanagement as McInnes faces scrutiny

Former Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday has issued a defence of manager Derek McInnes, asserting the boss is operating at maximum capacity despite a winless start to the season. The intervention comes as pressure mounts on the Ibrox side, which has suffered four consecutive defeats, including a Europa League exit to Polish club Jagiellonia Bialystok.

Halliday, who spent five seasons at the club, argued that the responsibility for the current stagnation lies with the recruitment strategy rather than the manager’s tactical choices. He stated that McInnes is attempting to find a working formula but is constrained by a squad lacking pace and creativity, with no clear player capable of dictating the tempo of a game.

The former midfielder described the club’s recruitment efforts as a "gross level of mismanagement," pointing to the arrival of 27 players over the past 12 months. Halliday highlighted a specific imbalance in the squad composition, noting the signing of three centre-halves and multiple central midfielders with similar profiles, contrasted by only one left-back and two wingers.

These criticisms stand in contrast to the position held by chairman Andrew Cavenagh. Speaking at a shareholder Q&A, Cavenagh defended the recruitment department, claiming the current squad is superior to the one available 12 months ago. The club has welcomed nine new players this summer, although a £6.5 million deal for PSV winger Couhaib Driouech was cancelled after an injury was detected during his medical examination.

Halliday cautioned that any further additions to the squad must represent an immediate upgrade on existing personnel. He warned that without such targeted improvements, the club faces the prospect of a difficult season, suggesting that the current approach has not yet yielded the necessary quality to reverse the team’s fortunes.