DANNY ROHL helped put on an impressive display at Ibrox.
Unfortunately for the Rangers boss, it was before the game started.
Rohl spent hours with supporters setting up their tifo in the Copland Road Stand.
But in this latest Europa League defeat his team laid out the welcome mat to rampant Roma.
The shrewd German literally went out his way on Wednesday night to assist the fans with their pre-match gladiatorial presentation.
Chairman Andrew Cavenagh also posed for pictures with punters before kick-off as he set out on a clear charm offensive.
But Rangers’ problem at this level is they just cannot defend.
One down after 13 minutes. Two behind before half-time.
Sure, there were signs of improvement in the second half but it was much too little, way to late.
These Europa League nights at Ibrox just aren’t what they used to be.
For a club that reached the final of this competition just three years ago, the drop in quality and standard of player is there for all to see.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s Roma side sit fourth in Serie A for a reason and they showed real class in the way they dismantled Rohl’s side before the break.
But the Ibrox side didn’t half make it easy.
Seven straight European defeats one after another is a new club record.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team were at least losing games at Champions League level when they lost six on the bounce during his final weeks at the club.
The fact Rangers sit bottom the 36-team group is just nowhere near good enough for a fanbase at the end of its tether.
The table shows their team is pointless. And ultimately that’s what this excruciating European campaign is in real danger of becoming.
Cavenagh returns to the States on Friday afternoon after his two-game trip to Scotland, and he must surely make that journey with big decisions swirling around in his head.
He couldn’t have failed to notice the anger and discontent towards sporting director Kevin Thelwell and chief executive Patrick Stewart throughout this 90 minutes.
There were banners draped around all four stands of the stadium – despite the best efforts of stewards to rip them down – with relentless chanting against the pair.
You really have to wonder if the time is fast approaching when enough is enough.
None of the fans’ fury is aimed at Rohl and nor should it be.
He cannot be held responsible for the lack of quality in the squad when he’s only just in the door.
But Rohl is certain to demand reinforcements in January, and the big question is whether the men in charge of recruitment until now can be trusted to get it right when the transfer window reopens.
When it came to the two goals conceded in the first-half, they were so poor from a Rangers point of view.
The first, scored by Matìas Soulè, came from a corner needlessly conceded after slack play from Jayden Meghoma.
The second strike from Lorenzo Pellegrini was a consequence of dire defending from John Souttar.
Put it this way, the Scotland centre-back will hopefully be on his toes more against Greece and Denmark when he’s on international duty next week.
Roma were on a different level all over the pitch.
They hadn’t played in Scotland since beating Dundee United at Tannadice in a controversial European Cup semi-final victory way back in 1984.
Ironically, here they were in their tangerine Adidas away kit, which was almost a replica of the strip Jim McLean’s men wore 41 years ago when Walter Smith was his assistant.
Rohl did his utmost to turn the game around in the second half and get revenge for that result.
He was forced to do something at half-time to attempt to bring change and Thelo Aasgaard – sent off against Celtic at Hampden on last Sunday – came on to replace Meghoma.
He switched from a back five to a back four with skipper James Tavernier reverting to his usual right-back role.
It brought improvement. But only slightly.
Half-chances before the hour mark came and went with the home support given nothing to celebrate.
Youssef Chermiti continued to frustrate with his inability to make the most of promising situations.
The £8million signing from Everton has the size and stature of a top-class striker, but it’s still almost unbelievable the club has paid out so much to sign him.
There were ironic cheers when he was hooked late on and replaced by Bojan Miovski.
Roma could have added to their lead and it looked like a frustration to wily Italian Gasperini that his dream didn’t get another goal at least.
They hit the crossbar in one near miss but it seemed like the players were satisfied with their two-goal lead.
For Rangers, it’s Braga next on November 27 and they know that another defeat will almost certainly bring an end to any lingering hope they have of progressing in the competition.
But on this evidence don’t be surprised if the Romans have ideas of conquering Europe.
The team stood in front of their travelling support after the final whistle almost as if they were asking ‘Are you not entertained?”
But there was no doubt they were.
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