Celtic Watch McInnes Blame Game Continue as ‘Wi-Fi Password’ Side Exposes £59m Ibrox Excuse
Derek McInnes says his side are not equipped for the Europa League after Jagiellonia Białystok sent them crashing out — despite huge transfer spending.
Phillip Cooney 
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 13: Rangers Manager Derek McInnes during a UEFA Europa League Third Qualifying Round Second Leg match between Rangers and Jagiellonia Bialystok at Ibrox Stadium, on August 13, 2026, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Craig Williamson/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Celtic watch as McInnes produces another explanation
At some point, Derek McInnes is going to run out of excuses.
The latest arrived after Jagiellonia Białystok dumped the Ibrox club out of Europa League qualifying.
A 1-1 draw at Ibrox completed a 3-2 aggregate defeat and sent McInnes’ side tumbling towards the Conference League play-off.
Jagiellonia then delivered perhaps the most brutal punchline of the evening.
The Polish club joined in with the joke about their name resembling a Wi-Fi password, posting: “Correct WiFi password.”
The joke is funny. For McInnes, however, the reality behind it certainly isn’t.
His side have now failed to win any of their opening four competitive matches.
Yet McInnes’ assessment afterwards included another remarkable admission. He effectively conceded that his current team isn’t good enough for the Europa League.
That deserves serious scrutiny.
Celtic comparison makes spending difficult to ignore
Transfermarkt records €16.46million of expenditure in 2024/25 and another €43.66million during 2025/26.
Another €8.30million is listed for the current campaign so far.
That makes €68.42million — roughly £59million — in transfer expenditure across the three seasonal windows covering approximately the last two years.
So how much money does a club need to spend before its manager believes it should be ready for the Europa League?
This wasn’t Real Madrid. It wasn’t Bayern Munich. Wasn’t even one of Europe’s established second-tier powers.
It was Jagiellonia Białystok.
McInnes inherited a club which reached a Europa League quarter-final as recently as 2024/25. Now he is explaining why they aren’t equipped for the same competition.
There is also more money being spent.
Couhaib Driouech was at Ibrox on Thursday ahead of a proposed £7million move. Reports suggest McInnes still wants several additional players.
At what point does rebuilding stop being an explanation?
Wilfried Nancy received 33 days and eight matches at Celtic. He was dismissed after six defeats.
Ange Postecoglou also endured a dreadful beginning at Celtic. However, there was an important difference in his language.
After losing at Livingston in 2021, Postecoglou said the team’s preparation was his responsibility.
That’s leadership.
McInnes increasingly sounds like a manager explaining why circumstances prevent him succeeding rather than demonstrating how he intends to overcome them.
Injuries. Recruitment. Individual mistakes. Players needing time. The squad isn’t ready.
The explanations keep coming.
Meanwhile, four competitive matches have produced no victories and Europa League elimination.
For Celtic supporters watching across Glasgow, the most embarrassing part may be the identity of the executioners.
The supposed “Wi-Fi password” worked perfectly.
Unfortunately for McInnes, his European password has already expired.
Tanny Rohl
Oh dear …Del ‘BillyBoys’ McWinless is in deep doo doo ! The man with the long gone tan makes excuses for his hopeless 50 bob plan for theRangers …washed away on both accounts before September weekend ! So who is next up ? Because any coach with a decent reputation for knowing and doing his job competently will not touch the Ibroxland job with a 10 foot pole ? It’s the coaching post equivalent of liquid Nitrogen ! It’s already happening with possible recruitments ? Young Mr Criouch won’t be signing for the tribute act after watching the calamity against the Partick Thistle lookalike team Bialystock in the losing EL tie last night . As the old saying goes …’quicker than a cat can blink it’s eye ..Billy boy ! ‘