THEY say hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.

When you show neither of those attributes, there is only going to be one outcome.

There are ways in which to lose a Scottish Cup semi-final, never mind an Old Firm game. That wasn’t it from Rangers.

The difference in quality, both on the park and in the dugout, across the Glasgow divide is clear at present.

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That is understood by supporters, but a lack of heart and fight will never be tolerated. Quite simply, too many players in blue aren’t capable of wearing the shirt.

The 5-1 hammerings Celtic dished out last season went down in the history books but this latest defeat will hurt just as much for a fanbase that have suffered blow after blow yet come back in the hope that a corner will be turned.

This was as inept and embarrassing a performance as Rangers have produced against Brendan Rodgers’ side and while boss Graeme Murty will take most of the flak, the players he entrusted at Hampden must carry their share of the blame.

It was a showing devoid of inspiration, bereft of energy, especially in the first half as Celtic sauntered into the final and to within 90 minutes of a second Treble.

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That fact should shame those that have pulled on the Light Blue jersey.

A manager can only do so much. When it really matters, it is up to the individuals.

It was left to James Tavernier, the Gers captain once again at Hampden, to face up and speak to the Press after the game and his assessment of it all was brutally honest.

As player upon player emerged from the Celtic dressing room, the remainder of the Rangers squad headed straight for the team bus to be alone with their thoughts.

The fear amongst supporters, for quite some time, is that this group doesn’t have the character or personality to be successful at Ibrox and events at Hampden only added further weight to that theory.

Concerns over the mentality of the Gers have persisted since Mark Warburton’s time at Ibrox and the changes that Pedro Caixinha and then Murty made to the squad didn’t alter the mindset considerably enough.

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Rangers are not short of players that should understand what it takes to play for the club but, on the biggest stage of all, they came up well short.

A manager that cannot overcome his Parkhead counterpart is no use to Rangers. Similarly, players that can’t raise their game on derby day have no place in the Ibrox dressing room.

Rangers didn’t go down fighting, they went out with a whimper and the chorus of boos from those that stayed until the end could reach a crescendo the next time this side stumble.

The pressure and expectation when Rangers play at home seems to get to too many too easily and the reaction from the stands and on the pitch against Hearts this weekend will be telling.

The prospect of a fourth-place finish in the Premiership is a real and dangerous one for Rangers and another abject showing at the weekend won’t be accepted by the Ibrox crowd.

But they will have little faith that Murty’s side will stand up to be counted. How can they when so many opportunities to show what they are made of have been squandered?

Read more: James Tavernier hits out at 'embarrassing' performance after Old Firm no-show from Rangers​

It is now a matter of when, not if, Murty is relieved of his managerial duties but a change in the dugout will only solve one problem for Rangers.

Those that took to the field at Hampden were playing for their own futures at Ibrox as well and that will be the case in every one of the final five fixtures this term.

If a new boss decides to make sweeping changes once again this summer, few could have many complaints about being victims over what will be yet another Ibrox clearout.

Some are just not good enough but better can rightly be expected from many. They have the talent, but it is meaningless without the effort.