'It's not excuse' - Rangers ace makes 'Desperate' Ibrox admission

Jack Butland admits Rangers are “desperate” to get back to Ibrox, but that it is no excuse for certain performances.

Philippe Clement’s Gers side were confronted by fans upon their return from Celtic Park on Sunday following their 3-0 defeat by their fierce rivals in the season’s first Old Firm.

The team sit fourth in the Scottish Premiership, and after just four games are already five points adrift of league leaders Celtic.

Butland told the print edition of the Daily Record [3 September, page 47]: “I’m here to try and help. Getting back to Ibrox is huge, in general, just for the club. We and the fans are desperate for it.

“But it’s no excuse. It’s something we have to deal with. We have dealt with it fairly well.

“We appreciate the fact the fans have made differences and changes to their weekends to come and support us. Hopefully we’re back in Ibrox soon, but that’s by the by.”

Rangers have a long way to go

Rangers have shown in the early stages of this season that they are certainly capable of performing at Hampden Park, with the 6-0 rout of Ross County preceding the derby day defeat.

But that is the bare minimum to be expected – and the proposed return to Ibrox later this month is bound to be a positive curve.

Being unable to start the season on their own patch is going to negatively affect any team, but there are deeper issues within Rangers – whether that be the squad not being capable enough, a heavy transition period, or unsettled figures inside the club.

The international break provides some ample respite to Clement after a ridiculously chaotic past few weeks, in which he was in regular consultation with John Bennett and Nils Koppen over transfer dealings.

That this focus has now passed for the Belgian will come as a weight off his shoulders, but further ground on Celtic cannot be lost and Ibrox must immediately return with the effect of a fortress.

In other Rangers news, the reported reaction of Kevin Muscat to missing out on the Gers job.

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