THE urgent need for Rangers to appoint an interim manager has been highlighted by this utterly abject display against Dundee and the potential consequences of a costly defeat.
There have been a few woeful performances by the Ibrox club since they moved seven points clear in second place in the Ladbrokes Premiership table back on Christmas Eve. But this was possibly the worst of them.
Harry Forrester could certainly have snatched an equaliser for the visitors at Dens Park if he had shown more composure in the six yard box in the closing stages of the game.
The Englishman, who has just come on for Barrie McKay, fired over the crossbar after being teed up inside the six yard box by Martyn Waghorn.
But it would have been an unfair reflection of just how poorly Rangers had acquitted themselves in their worst 90 minutes in some time, arguably this season, if the substitute had netted.
They were repeatedly exposed at the back and muscled off the ball by rivals who exhibited far greater desire and a more ruthless edge to their play in every area of the park.
When they did win possession they were devoid of confidence, energy and ideas. Scott Bain in the Dundee goal will not have enjoyed many easier afternoons or evenings during the 2016/17 campaign.
Joe Garner scored a stunning effort in the second half, only his fourth for the club he joined in a £1.8 million transfer back in August, to give his side hope they could salvage a draw.
But it was a long-range strike. At no stage during the course of the game did they manage to cut open the home team's backline. Garner headed wide and Kenny Miller got a shot on target. But Rangers were toothless.
The defeat, their first at Dens Park in nearly 25 years, leaves them six points behind Aberdeen, who had earlier come from behind against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park to win 2-1.
But it is perhaps Hearts, who are now just five points behind them, who they should be more concerned about. Never mind coming second, failing to finish third would be nothing short of disastrous.
Getting into the Europa League next season is important to the club financially as well as for the morale of the legions of supporters who have stuck by the club loyally throughout five difficult seasons.
Being relegated to fourth place will be a huge setback in Rangers' ongoing bid to return to the forefront of Scottish football after years of struggle.
The winners of the Scottish Cup are handed a place in Europe and Rangers are in the quarter-finals. But few people who were at Dens Park yesterday will be putting any money on them lifting their first major trophy in six years.
It would be unfair to point a finger of blame at caretaker manager Graeme Murty, whose side lost after conceding first half goals to Mark O'Hara and Kevin Holt, as the under-20 coach has inherited a difficult situation.
But this wretched reverse underlined that the sooner an established coach with experience of managing a club of Rangers' size and stature is brought in the better.
Murty made three changes to the starting line-up which he had fielded against Greenock Morton in the William Hill Scottish Cup at Ibrox seven days previously.
Centre half Philippe Senderos, midfielder Jason Holt and left back and captain Lee Wallace, who was unavailable through injury, were replaced by Rob Kiernan, Garner and Lee Hodson respectively.
Senderos found himself out of the squad altogether and Kiernan, whose last appearance had come in the dire 4-1 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle at the start of the month, started.
The defender was apparently subjected to abuse from his own side’s supporters following that heavy reverse in the capital and he did little to win a place back in their affections here.
He failed to halt the run of Craig Wighton immediately after kick-off and allowed the midfielder to pick out O’Hara who headed wide. The attacking player and Clint Hill suffered a clash of heads and both men required medical attention.
The first goal came from an identical move to the one they nearly netted with in the first minute. Henrik Ojamma broke into the visitors’ area and cut the ball back to O’Hara who turned in a left foot shot off the right post.
Rangers’ hopes of getting back into the game suffered a setback on the half hour mark when Hill, who has arguably been their most reliable defender in a difficult campaign, had to go off as a result of the head knock early on. Danny Wilson came on in his place.
Rangers did have chances to equalise in the opening 45 minutes, but Dundee dealt with them comfortably. Garner headed a James Tavernier cross wide of goal while Miller got on the end of an Andy Halliday chip and turned a shot towards goal.
It was the home team, though, who edged in front four minutes before half-time after Wilson brought down O’Hara on the edge of his penalty box. Holt stepped up and curled the free-kick through a sea of bodies and watched as Wes Foderingham palmed the ball into his own net off the post.
Rangers played with far greater determination in the second half and Tavernier had a free-kick tipped over the crossbar by Dundee keeper Scott Bain in the 48th minute.
Garner pulled one back for his side in the 61st minute after receiving the ball from Emerson Hyndman. He cut inside and unleashed a low right foot drive that ended up nestling in the back of the Dundee net.
But the striker was promptly booked by referee Craig Thomson for a foul on Julen Etxabeguren and will now miss the match against Celtic at Parkhead next month. It was a further blow for a club which is on the ropes.
The final word has to, though, go to Dundee who were cheered off the pitch after jumping above both Kilmarnock and Partick Thistle into the top half of the Premiership table.
If Paul Hartley's charges continue to perform like this they will be hard for their fellow contenders for a lucrative top six spot to dislodge.
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