Rangers are grappling with the financial and sporting repercussions of their latest European setback, after failing to secure a spot in the Conference League following a defeat away to Jablonec in the Czech Republic. The result leaves the Ibrox club without any European football this season, compounding a difficult run that began with a third-place finish in the Scottish Premiership last term, which cost them a Champions League qualification route, and continued with elimination from Europa League qualifying at the hands of Polish side Jagiellonia Bialystok.
The absence from continental competition carries significant financial implications. Clubs reaching the Conference League's league phase typically receive around £2.72 million, with additional payments of roughly £343,000 per win and £114,000 per draw at that stage. The rewards grow substantially for teams progressing to the knockout rounds, as demonstrated by last season's winners Crystal Palace, who banked at least £15 million from the competition and also secured Europa League qualification for this campaign. Beyond prize money, Rangers will also lose out on matchday revenue, hospitality income, and corporate sales tied to hosting European nights at Ibrox.
The defeat has raised questions about whether Rangers' recent heavy investment in the squad will now be reined in. The club has been linked with a move for Portland Timbers forward Kevin Kelsy as a potential replacement for the injured Youssef Chermiti, while talks are reportedly progressing with Brighton over winger Amario Cozier-Duberry. Rangers have already strengthened their wide options this summer with the arrivals of Daisuke Yokota and Kim Min-su, joining existing wingers Ross McCausland, Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama. There is speculation that midfielder Nicolas Raskin, who was left out of the squad that travelled to Jablonec, could be sold to help fund further additions.
Former Hibernian and Celtic midfielder Scott Allan was critical of the display on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, saying the performance fell well short of expectations despite the result not surprising him. "When you look at the performance, it is nowhere near good enough, but not a result I didn't expect," Allan said. He pointed to comments suggesting the team lacks identity, adding: "He literally said himself the team doesn't know what it is. And ultimately that falls on Derek McInnes and what they're doing on the training pitch." Allan also questioned the club's preparation, stating: "He talked about elite preparation - the performance was anything but that. If we're totally honest, they're devoid of quality." He further argued that given the club's spending, victory over Jablonec should have been comfortable rather than in doubt.
The defeat also has wider consequences for Scottish football's standing in Europe. Scotland's Uefa coefficient ranking has fallen sharply, dropping from as high as ninth between 2021 and 2023 to 18th by the end of last season. This ranking determines how many European places a country's league receives and in which competitions. Scotland's allocation has already been reduced from five European spots to four for the coming season, with just one Champions League berth remaining, entering at an early qualifying stage.
With Celtic's exit from Champions League qualifying proving less damaging, having moved into the more forgiving Europa League, the elimination of Rangers and other Scottish clubs leaves little room for Scotland to climb back toward the top 15 needed to reclaim lost European places. Scotland has already slipped to 19th in the live standings, though a drop to 34th would be required before further allocation cuts take effect. Hearts now carry added responsibility to progress in the Conference League, though results there yield fewer coefficient points than in Uefa's higher-tier competitions. One piece of encouraging news is that the poor 2022-23 season will drop out of the five-year coefficient calculation at season's end, offering Scottish football a potential boost if performances improve.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.