The Rangers manager speaks to the media as he dissects the opening-day Scottish Premiership defeat to Kilmarnock.
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00:00 You're right, not the start that we wanted at all.
00:07 We had good control in the game for large parts.
00:09 We obviously had the most, or the lion's share of possession.
00:12 I thought Kilmarnock defended extremely well throughout the game.
00:17 Lots of people in and around their box and we had a couple of moments at the end of the first half where I think we need to come away with a goal.
00:24 In the game we had 18 shots but I can't remember their goalkeeper being troubled enough.
00:30 In a game like today, where it's stuffy and you're struggling to create clear-cut chances, you can't concede a goal like we did.
00:39 I think we all know that.
00:40 So it's bitterly disappointing.
00:42 We can't do anything about it right now.
00:46 It's disappointing for the players, staff, but ultimately the fans who have been excited in the summer.
00:51 So there's a bit of realism in the air with that result and certainly a lot of work to do moving forward.
00:57 But we bounce back on Wednesday.
00:59 You talk about realism.
01:00 Michael, were you surprised by that performance, that result?
01:03 Or do you think it can't happen?
01:05 No, I wasn't surprised because I knew there wasn't going to be a beauty contest coming here.
01:09 I knew that it was going to be difficult.
01:11 You know, the panning against Derek's teams are difficult.
01:13 You know, he's very good at setting his teams up defensively and I knew the pitch would play its role as well.
01:19 So I wasn't surprised that the game wasn't so free-flowing.
01:22 We had a lot of possession in their half.
01:25 We couldn't find the right moments.
01:28 We had a couple of big moments towards the end of the first half.
01:30 I'm expecting us to do better.
01:33 As I say, when you can't create or you can't score a goal, it's important you keep a clean sheet.
01:38 And that's damaging.
01:39 The goal we concede today from nothing is a poor one.
01:43 You've brought in so many players, is it always going to take time for these guys to gel in?
01:49 Is this just a reflection of that?
01:52 I don't want to go down that road because it would seem like a cop-out.
01:55 I don't want to do that.
01:56 I thought Koeman had played well today and I thought that we looked a bit stuffy at times.
01:59 But I don't want to go down that road.
02:01 They're quality players.
02:02 We had four or five weeks together.
02:04 There is a lot of new players coming in, but there was enough players on the pitch today who know what this is about.
02:11 And as I say, we had enough of the game in terms of possessions, set plays.
02:16 We had more than Koeman.
02:18 We couldn't find the answer.
02:20 And if you can't find the answer, you cannot concede a goal like the one that we did.
02:23 Mike, we had a good record away from home after coming in last season.
02:26 What do you think was different in the way that your side played today that made you not come away with a win?
02:32 I just think we didn't find the key moment.
02:34 We had a big one maybe at the end of the first half where Cyril didn't get his shot off.
02:37 And this time it was a stuffy game.
02:40 You're looking for someone to show that moment of quality.
02:42 And I didn't think everything was bad today.
02:45 I thought some of our play was good.
02:46 I thought Nico Raskin was probably our best player.
02:49 And you could see he tried to drive the team forward throughout and cut a frustrated figure at the end because we couldn't find that moment of quality.
02:58 And listen, if you play a game of football and you have as much possession as us and as much shots more than the other team, you'd like to work the goalkeeper a bit more.
03:06 We didn't today.
03:07 Does it change at all what you're thinking?
03:09 I know the game just happened.
03:10 You were thinking for the rest of the window or is it just a case of players challenging?
03:13 No, nothing's changed in terms of the window.
03:15 There's a little bit of uncertainty of one or two players that are not here today.
03:19 Well, it's not uncertainty.
03:20 They're on their way out of the club.
03:21 It's a matter of time when they move on.
03:25 And this group's coming together.
03:26 Look, there wasn't a lack of effort today.
03:28 If anything, it was a lack of a little bit of connection.
03:30 But the games are here.
03:33 They're not going anywhere.
03:34 We play a team so that in the week we'd be a very, very good Genk team and show lots of quality themselves.
03:40 And so we'll go to Ibrox on Wednesday.
03:42 We need to bounce back and then we have Livingston next week.
03:45 And all we can do is play the game that's in front of us.
03:47 It's clear that today was hugely disappointing for everybody.
03:53 But all we can do is move forward now and quickly.
03:56 Can you talk us through the decision to leave Todd Catlett on the bench today?
04:00 Yeah, I can.
04:01 I didn't feel that this first part of the game would suit Todd.
04:05 I thought the game would open up.
04:07 I thought he came on.
04:08 He clearly tried a little bit too hard in moments, but there's no issue.
04:13 He'll be available for selection on Wednesday and we'll see.
04:18 How did you think Seema and Declan did?
04:23 OK, I thought the moments fell with them.
04:25 I thought at times Seema took us up the pitch well.
04:29 Listen, it's difficult coming here.
04:30 It's not.
04:31 Even for those guys, that experience you're talking about, it's two internationals.
04:36 They've not played too many games that are like today's game.
04:39 It was a high energetic Scottish first game of the season.
04:43 I thought Kilmarnock brought lots of energy and passion to the game.
04:46 OK, there was moments in it where we could do better, those two included.
04:50 But listen, they'll be fine over the season.
04:53 We've proven they're very good players.
04:54 Did you have any concerns about using Gorton on that pitch?
04:58 A little bit, but no more, less concerns than I had with Suter and Balogun, to be honest.
05:02 So this week, obviously, you have those three senior centre-halves fit and you're trying to work.
05:08 The plan was for Connor to play an hour and see and he felt fine.
05:11 And I thought, to be fair to Connor, I thought he actually had a decent game.
05:14 Do you think it was an eye-opener for some of your new players to come into a venue like this?
05:19 Do you see a stiffy pitch and aggressive crowd?
05:23 Yeah, maybe.
05:24 But look, we didn't get beat by any moments of quality today.
05:27 It wasn't as if we didn't have the possession of the ball and the stats will prove all of that.
05:30 We just didn't find a way to score.
05:33 Listen, I felt some of our build-up play was a bit stuffy and you're lacking in connections.
05:37 And listen, that's the work for us to do.
05:39 That's the work for me to do and these players quickly.
05:41 But I don't think anyone was caught unawares by the type of game it was.
05:47 I just thought, kill Marnuk.
05:48 They got under our skin.
05:49 They worked extremely hard.
05:51 They defended very, very well in their box and they didn't make a mistake like we made.
05:55 And in that crucial moment of the game, the moment they score it, their energy retains
06:00 and it goes up at the end of the first half.
06:02 We have one or two moments and that's the big story for the game for us.
06:06 You have to toe-date when they come.
06:07 [BLANK_AUDIO]