Rangers' McInnes admits squad not ready for European level after Jagiellonia defeat

Rangers manager McInnes has acknowledged that his squad, despite heavy investment, is not yet at the level the club expects. With nine players added this summer, the team still falls short of the quality needed for the Champions League or Europa League, he said after Thursday's qualifying defeat.

McInnes described the loss to Jagiellonia as another example of the team's repeated failure to perform for 90 minutes. He said the club is built for European competition but admitted the current side is not ready, adding that more quality and confidence are required. The manager also noted that finishing third last season was not good enough and that the team needs to improve quickly.

The Scottish side took the lead but faded after the interval, and fans' boos at full-time were understandable, McInnes said. He admitted the second-half display was not good enough and that the team had failed to maintain its performance over the course of the match.

The defeat means Rangers drop into the Conference League playoff, where they will face Czech side Jablonec. Off the pitch, the club learned that striker Youssef Chermiti will be sidelined long term with a knee injury, shortly after rejecting a significant bid for the 22-year-old. As a result, Rangers are now seeking a new forward in addition to the wingers and defenders already on McInnes's target list. PSV Eindhoven winger Couhaib Driouech is expected to become the next arrival.

Former Rangers player Andy Halliday criticized the squad's imbalance so late in the transfer window, suggesting the club needs three centre-backs, a left-back and two or three wingers. Still, he argued that the current group should be strong enough to beat Dundee United, Hibernian and Jagiellonia.

Rangers had hoped that reuniting McInnes with Lawrence Shankland would give the team a boost after the striker nearly helped Hearts win the title last season. However, former striker Steven Thompson believes Shankland is feeling the extra mental pressure of being Rangers captain. Thompson said the striker's every touch is being scrutinized, and adapting to that environment is likely to take time.