August was always going to be an extremely difficult month for Rangers and Philippe Clement. After the news about Ibrox on Thursday afternoon, the challenge has become even harder as we assemble a new squad and look to hit the ground running in the new season.

Rangers potentially have nine huge matches - including those vital European qualifiers - to come in the first month of the season. When it comes to the start of the league campaign, there will be very little wiggle room in terms of results. And don’t forget, in those fixtures we may face a trip to Parkhead and will have a League Cup game as well.

That was always going to be a test for the manager and the players, even if the matches were played at Ibrox. Chuck in a squad rebuild with many new faces and youngsters within those arrivals, familiarity was vital and an early requirement. Now we will face that August schedule with the added pressure of playing away from Ibrox after the club confirmed that work on the Copland Stand has been delayed. Rangers are now looking for an alternative venue to play those fixtures. 

READ MORE: Check all the Rangers transfer news & rumours throughout the transfer window

To add more complications, it’s not even possible to play ay Hampden, as they have pitch issues themselves. So the fans will likely be asked to make the jaunt along the motorway to the capital as Rangers seek a new home. It remains to be seen for how long.

Now you can flip that negative situation. If you have a strong month and the performances and results are there then this team could go from strength to strength, but that’s a huge ask in this scenario. The pitch and the surroundings at Murrayfield, if that’s where we end up playing, will be a new factor, and even if they do get used to it they will face the challenge of a new environment twice as when they go back to Ibrox as that will be a completely fresh experience at that stage.

Away from the pitch, the other issue is that this is becoming all too familiar. The Blue Sky Lounge, the G51 bar, New Edmiston House, the memorial garden, Walter’s statue. Every time this club chooses to do something it is never as easy and straightforward as it very well should be. That’s as disappointing as it is frustrating. Listen, we’ve been through worse but fans are weary of repeated cycles, on the park or in the boardroom. 

This team may finally be getting what we asked for in terms of fresh, new enthusiasm and a fresh, new desire with a signing strategy that is now clear to see. Connor Barron is a signing I like and have championed on this very site for a long time, so that will keep me positive for five minutes at least.

READ MORE: The broken promises and contingency talks inside Rangers' Ibrox woes

More will follow but the immediate task may now just be a little bit more tricky than we initially anticipated. August will be a really tough task, but it’s also a massive opportunity. Get through it, see some promise on the park and it may be the catalyst for a really good season. That’s the only way we can look at this once the noise dies down a bit.

But the issues off the park and issues on the park have to be a thing of the past. Rangers have to embrace change everywhere in the football club. We have to be ready for August on the pitch even if we aren’t ready off it.