KENNY McDowall said sorry to the Rangers support last night after the caretaker manager's first match in charge resulted in the club's heaviest domestic defeat since August 2000.
A rampant Hibs side raced away to a 4-0 win at Easter Road yesterday, leaving confidence in the Ibrox dressing room at an all-time low.
The result will do little for the long-term job prospects of Ally McCoist's long-standing assistant, regardless of the fact he has been told by chief executive Derek Llambias that he will remain in charge for the remainder of the season and possibly beyond, particularly with these two teams already appearing fated to meet again in the play-offs.
"I would like to apologise to the support," said McDowall last night. "I'm not sure I've had as heavy a defeat as that in my time here. I couldn't deny that obviously the goings-on have certainly not helped the situation.
"But do I want to make that an excuse? No. We are professional people, the lot of us. I will take responsibility - I set the team up. I'm sure the boys will take responsibility for their performances too. I don't know if lack of commitment is the right word, they just lacked a wee bit of organisation."
McDowall confirmed he had withdrawn midfielder Ian Black after just 33 minutes as he couldn't take the risk of him being sent off. "He was on a yellow, it's a hostile environment and there's no way I was prepared to take that chance," he said.
He admitted squad confidence is low and he has little option other than graft on the training ground to turn their poor form around. The club require £8 million just to see out the financial year, while there was officially no comment yesterday over reports suggesting a trio of wealthy Rangers supporters - bus tycoon Douglas Park, George Letham, and George Taylor - were prepared to invest £6.5 million to meet the club's funding shortfall.
With two of the three being existing shareholders and proof of funds in place, and Mike Ashley's funding package apparently being blocked by the SFA, it may prove politically difficult for the board to knock the offer back.
"At the moment I've got to work with the squad that is there," said McDowall. "I can't invent players. We've got Dumbarton next week and I'll just need to try and get the players in and ready for that."
His opposite number, Alan Stubbs, meanwhile, said it had been an almost perfect performance from his team - but warned Rangers that his team will be even better by the time the play-offs come around.
"I hope the players get the credit they deserve for the result and it is not all about what is going on off the field with Rangers," said Stubbs.
"I thought we were dominant from the first whistle to the last. But no, I don't wish this was the play-offs because I think we can get better, I really do.
"We will go into the window and we will look to try to strengthen, but as I have said all along - some might have chuckled and laughed - we are as good as anyone on our day."
Kenny Miller admitted things at Rangers are day-to-day right now. "The team has a severe lack of confidence at the moment," he said. We're lacking a bit of belief in ourselves and our team-mates. It's as simple as that. The manner in which we lose our goals, it looks pretty easy against us.
"Obviously it's been another tough week. When you lose your manager it throws things into turmoil, but Kenny has tried to keep it as normal as possible. For us it's just about finding a way to start performing better and win games."
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