Rangers manager Danny Rohl has delivered a defiant message following his team's painful Scottish Cup quarter-final elimination at the hands of arch-rivals Celtic, insisting he could find no fault with his players' performance despite their blunt exit from the competition.
Dominance Without Reward
The dramatic encounter at Ibrox saw Rangers dominate proceedings over 120 minutes of football, registering an astonishing 24 attempts at goal without forcing Celtic goalkeeper Viljami Sinisalo into making a single save of genuine note. This statistical dominance ultimately counted for nothing as the match proceeded to a penalty shootout, where Rangers captain James Tavernier and forward Djeidi Gassama both missed from the spot, handing Celtic a 4-2 victory on penalties and a place in the semi-finals.
Defending the Mentality
Rohl strongly defended the psychological strength of his squad in the aftermath, rejecting suggestions that his players lacked the mental fortitude required to secure victory in such a high-stakes fixture. "Mentality, mentality — guys, this word should not be be the topic today," declared the Rangers boss. "I saw 120 minutes of just one team who deserved to win. It's not about mentality."
He elaborated further, stating, "When you do not have the mentality, not the personality, then you would not have reacted like we did today. We have this. There's no question mark when I see my group, what they did during the week, how we lift each other, how focused we are."
Silverware Hopes Now Rest on League
The Scottish Cup exit means Rangers' only remaining opportunity for silverware this season now lies in the Scottish Premiership title race. Currently, they sit six points behind league leaders Hearts with nine crucial fixtures remaining in the campaign. This cup disappointment follows closely on the heels of another frustrating result against Celtic just one week prior, where Rangers surrendered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 in a league encounter.
A Challenge Issued
Undeterred by the setback, Rohl has issued a clear challenge to his players. He revealed that the squad has made a collective promise to treat each of their remaining nine league matches as a cup final, aiming for a perfect run to the finish line. "We spoke after the game and we promised each other that we go now in nine finals and we try to win all these nine games," Rohl confirmed. "And then we will see what we get."
Reflecting on the overall performance against Celtic, Rohl remained proud. "Football is about results, I know this, but I can't blame my team today for this performance in any single minute," he said. "I saw a team from our side play 120 minutes how we wanted to. We should score... But when you have 24 to one shots, when you create so many great opportunities, then I must say I'm proud of my group, how we played football."
Looking Forward with Conviction
The manager pointed to the need for moments of luck in football, noting that despite having one of the best penalty takers in Tavernier and a goalkeeper renowned for saving spot-kicks in Jack Butland, the shootout did not go their way. However, his belief in the squad's trajectory remains unshaken. "I'm convinced if you work so hard and you improve so massively, this momentum will come back," Rohl asserted, looking ahead to the decisive final weeks of the season where Rangers' championship aspirations will be put to the ultimate test.
