Rangers’ Season on the Brink: Why Danny Rohl’s Faith in Youssef Chermiti Could Backfire
Pressure is never far away at Rangers F.C.. Titles are demanded, European credibility is expected, and patience is often in short supply. With the stakes rising and rivals circling, manager Danny Rohl faces a defining call: whether to persist with Youssef Chermiti as his leading man. If he does, Rangers risk drifting from contenders to also-rans before spring has even turned to summer.
Chermiti’s profile is intriguing. Tall, mobile, and capable of stretching defences, he looks the part. But Scottish football is not a finishing school; it is a proving ground. Rangers require a striker who delivers now, not one who promises jam tomorrow. Too often, Chermiti’s play has been defined by nearly moments — nearly connecting with a cut-back, nearly timing the run to beat the offside trap, nearly converting half-chances into decisive goals. At Ibrox, “nearly” is not enough.
Rohl’s loyalty is understandable. Managers crave continuity, and strikers thrive on confidence. Yet blind faith can be costly. Rangers’ system demands a focal point who can occupy centre-backs, link with midfield runners, and, above all, convert under pressure. In tight domestic fixtures — the very games that define title races — profligacy proves fatal. When opponents sit deep and deny space, the striker must manufacture goals from scraps. Chermiti, still adapting to the tempo and physicality of the league, has not consistently shown that ruthless edge.
There is also a tactical imbalance emerging. Rangers’ wide players and attacking midfielders deliver volume into the box, but the penalty area presence has lacked conviction. Crosses flash across goal unanswered. Second balls are not attacked with hunger. In Europe, where margins are finer and defensive lines smarter, inefficiency becomes magnified. A single missed chance can tilt an entire tie. Rohl’s insistence on building around a developing striker may signal long-term thinking, but Rangers’ competitive reality punishes long-term indulgence.
Critics argue that dropping Chermiti could shatter his confidence. The counterpoint is simpler: competition sharpens elite squads. A rotation policy or a shift toward a more clinical alternative would not represent abandonment; it would represent ambition. Rangers cannot afford sentimentality while chasing silverware. The club’s history demands decisive management, not hopeful persistence.
Moreover, the psychological ripple effect matters. Teammates sense when opportunities are squandered. Midfield creativity can wane if belief in the finishing touch erodes. Defenders feel the strain when slim leads remain unextended. A striker’s drought rarely exists in isolation — it seeps through the side. If Rohl persists without tangible improvement, frustration could ferment in the stands and dressing room alike.
None of this suggests Chermiti lacks potential. On the contrary, his attributes hint at a player who could flourish with time and refinement. But Rangers’ margin for experimentation is narrow. The club is not a developmental project; it is an institution built on immediate success. If Rohl’s gamble fails to pay off swiftly, scrutiny will intensify and questions will multiply.
Ultimately, leadership at Rangers demands pragmatism. Faith must be balanced with realism. If Danny Rohl continues to pin his attacking hopes on Youssef Chermiti without demanding decisive returns, the season could unravel in increments — a draw here, a squandered lead there — until failure is not dramatic but inevitable. At Ibrox, that is a risk too great to ignore.
