THE Champions League was endured rather than enjoyed at Ibrox. At the start it offered incentives, but come the end it was just an inconvenience.
Mercifully, it is now done and dusted and Group A can be banished to the back of minds as Rangers settle down for the remaining domestic challenges without European exploits on the agenda.
Events of recent weeks have been hugely damaging to Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Reputations have been hit hard, while his squad has suffered mental and physical wounds as Liverpool, Napoli and Ajax condemned them to a shameful place in the record books.
It has been a campaign overall of small steps forward and bigger ones back, one where momentum has been lost just as quickly as it has been gained as continental defeats have overshadowed Rangers and their attempts to prove themselves as potential Premiership champions.
The final whistle against Ajax on Tuesday evening was something of a relief to a beleaguered support but midfielder Steven Davis insists the Ibrox squad will learn the lessons from what has gone on rather than use the experience as an excuse this term.
"I think that’s the one positive," Davis said as he reflected on a pointless Group A campaign and looked ahead to the trip to face St Johnstone this afternoon. "After a defeat you want a game as quickly as possible.
"St Johnstone gives us that opportunity and we need to go and show the same level as we did against Aberdeen.
"If we do that we will give ourselves a good chance to get back to winning ways.
"Listen, it has been a bit up and down so far. We wanted to qualify for the Champions League and we managed to do that.
"We have had some difficult results in terms of the league so far but there is still so much football to play. We need to get back to winning ways at the weekend and take it from there.
"I don’t think we’ve ever looked at it like [we needed to get Europe out of the road].
"When you come off the back of a defeat everybody is hurting. There are certain aspects that it affects the team and the team’s confidence.
"That’s always the case but there is a lot we can learn from this level, a lot we can improve on. That’s what we need to look at going forward."
The list of points that Rangers must improve on is lengthy. The step up from Europa League to Champions League was insurmountable and they were too easily and too regularly outclassed in Group A.
A sluggish start to the season at home and a wretched run abroad has raised questions over Van Bronckhorst's approach and his position and the World Cup break, following the fixtures with St Johnstone, Hearts and St Mirren, cannot come quickly enough for the Dutchman.
Midfielder John Lundstram offered a passionate and compelling defence of his manager in the aftermath of the victory over Aberdeen last week as he accepted that the players on the park had to stand up and be counted this term.
Van Bronckhorst often cuts a cool and calm figure in front of the cameras and on the touchline but that persona and personality should not be taken as a sign of weakness as he seeks to transform the fortunes of an underperforming squad.
"I think everybody knows how he wants to play," Davis said. "As John said, the responsibility is on the players at times.
"Domestically especially, I think the most important thing is that when you are not playing well you still pick up results and get your wins.
"That’s going to be important across the league campaign. We had the disappointment against Livingston but there was a good reaction against Aberdeen. That’s something for us to build on domestically.
"Definitely (Van Bronckhorst is animated behind the scenes). Look, I think everyone has their own personality.
"Obviously, the boss is the way he is, but everyone is right behind him, and we need to push on in the league.
"For everybody whether it’s the manager or the group of players you must look yourself in the mirror and see if you can do anything better.
"We try to move forward as a group. We’ve had some ups and downs this season, but we have always got together and tried to improve.
"We know we are capable of better at times, it’s about doing it consistently.
"That comes through the squad. We have good experience and everybody has their part to play.
"We have all been pushing, we are desperate success but there is a lot to play for."
The first fixture of the future comes just days after Rangers were awarded the unwanted and ultimate wooden spoon and labelled as the worst-ever side in the Champions League group stages.
It would only be natural, and perfectly understandable, if the Champions League campaign had impacted on confidence levels within an Ibrox squad that is now more depleted than ever.
That situation must be taken into account when considering Rangers' position at present. Yet Davis knows as well as anyone that it is results that will change the narrative around Van Bronckhorst's side.
"We just need to take care of our own business," Davis said. "We have three really important games before the break, so everybody is concentrating on trying to do that and that starts at the weekend against St Johnstone.
"It’s important we get through to the break and we have some key players coming back.
"We have been very unfortunate with the injuries we have had to key players. There is no hiding from that, and we will be stronger once they are back.
"Everybody knows the demands of being at this club. We all need to keep pulling in the same direction, keep working for each other and if we do that hopefully we will be successful."
