Since his £8 million arrival from Everton at the end of the summer transfer window, the narrative surrounding Youssef Chermiti has made consistently grim reading for Rangers supporters.
Through no initial fault of his own, Chermiti became the favoured stick those disgruntled punters used to beat the much derided and now departed sporting director Kevin Thelwell.
While the Portuguese under-21 international striker had no control over the size of his transfer fee and the added pressure it placed upon him, however, he has barely done anything to alter perceptions of him as an over-priced recruitment flop.
Just two goals in his 21 appearances for the Ibrox club so far is not the kind of return which will persuade anyone Chermiti has the potential to be a prolific and successful Rangers number nine.
Yet even when set against such a low bar, there have perhaps been some signs in recent weeks that the former Sporting Lisbon player may yet make a positive impact for the Ibrox club.
Chermiti earned praise for his hold-up and link-up play in Tuesday night’s 2-1 win over St Mirren which moved Rangers just three points behind Celtic ahead of Saturday’s Old Firm showdown in the east end of Glasgow.
Danny Rohl is backing Youssef Chermiti to come good with Rangers after a difficult start
Chermiti was praised for his efforts in the midweek victory over St Mirren at Ibrox
Goals have been harder to come by for Chermiti but Rohl says he could be a hero against Celtic
Manager Danny Rohl believes the stage could now be set for Chermiti to create headlines of a far more appealing nature for the Rangers fans in the biggest fixture of them all.
‘Sometimes in football, you need special stories,’ said Rohl. ‘Maybe tomorrow we can write a fantastic story with Youssef. And it would be for everyone, the support, Rangers. A fantastic story.
‘At first, I think for him it’s important to understand that one (good) game is nothing. He has to continue this performance, he has to show again what he showed against St Mirren.
‘Now we face our next opponent, they are of course with more individual quality, that means you have to step up again. But he should take the positive out from the last game. On the pitch, but also off the pitch. Hopefully this is a big, big boost for him.’
Rohl is gratified by the response he has received from Chermiti since he started working with the player after replacing Russell Martin in October.
‘His effort against the ball was already there,’ he added. ‘Now, he starts to be more of a link player and comes all the way from the last line.
‘He gives us an exit ball, he is the target player to hold the ball which means we can push out and travel together.
‘Now, it’s about his movements into the box. That is the next step for him, what he should do more and more.
‘In the second half against St Mirren, there was a fantastic situation where he was the link player but then was not waiting.
‘His movements in the box must be more and more, so that it’s difficult for defenders to mark him. If he does this, then he comes into more and more (scoring) situations. It’s not just for Youssef to make good movements, it’s also for all of the players to make good movements and improve the final pass in the box.’
The January transfer window provides Rohl with his first opportunity to influence the personnel at his disposal and he says he and his staff are ‘working 24/7 for new players’.
While the need to improve and enhance the unbalanced squad he inherited from Martin is obvious, however, Rohl has also worked diligently in trying to maximise the potential of those already at his disposal.
‘I also had that conversation with one of my coaches yesterday,’ said the German. ‘It was the same in my previous job, at first I look to my players and what is best for them.
‘It’s never about what is the best or perfect world for me. The players are the most valuable thing I have and now we go more in a direction that I want to see.
‘In the last few weeks, we have still had ups and down but I also understand that in our development. But I see more and more things that I like to see and if you continue this, then we are on a good way.’
Rohl has warned Chermiti that one good game isn’t enough… and that he needs to be consistent
Rohl is in an upbeat mood ahead of his first trip to Celtic Park as Rangers manager which offers the chance to make a major statement in Scottish football’s most intriguing and unpredictable title race for many years.
‘Let’s look back a little bit,’ he said. ‘If you asked me when I arrived that we are tomorrow maybe zero points behind Celtic, then I’m not sure if everyone was convinced that it could really happen.
‘I think this is a good signal where we are at the moment, in which direction we developed as a group, as a club. From this point we go forward with confidence and I will enjoy this game tomorrow. I will push my group.. But my players will be so motivated to deliver a proper fight and hopefully the result will be what we want.
‘Looking back to 2025, it was maybe not the best year for our supporters, for the club. We have a good chance to have a good start in the new year.
‘We finished the year strong with two wins in a row, that’s fantastic, we want to improve. We want to bring the pride back to the club, the success back to the club. Hopefully it starts tomorrow with a good game.
‘We will not make the mistake tomorrow of going into the game and underrating the opponent, even though they had a bad run. I think it’s totally wrong.
‘My experience from these big games when I was with Bayern Munich against Borussia Dortmund, I know what it means to play such a game. It always starts at 0-0. There’s a lot of emotional things involved.
‘But this is a good thing. When I look at the moment in my dressing room and I ask them if they’re ready to play this game, they will be ready.’
