Attendance 11,745
It was ironic that the new manager's task officially commenced this afternoon with a League fixture at Motherwell, just as five years ago so did Alex McLeish's reign as Rangers' Manager, that game ending 2-2. For the Fir Park men, there was a new man at the helm – Maurice Malpas.
Six out of the last seven Ibrox Managers have failed to win their opening League fixture (Walter Smith being the notable exception).
There were four new signings in the starting line-up, namely Lionel Letizi, Karl Svensson, Libor Sionko and Jeremy Clement against a Motherwell side containing two former Rangers' players in Graeme Smith and Ross McCormack.
The visitors were in command right from the opening seconds with Thomas Buffel, through from a Charlie Adam pass, shooting wide in three minutes, then before one could draw breathe the Belgian was away again on a long ball from Julien Rodriguez only to see Smith block his initial effort, then Bobby Donnelly clear off the line from his second.
In the twinkling of an eye however the opening goal duly arrived in seven minutes – and it was new boy Sionko who drew first blood from close range from an Adam pass.
Eight minutes later quick thinking by Adam almost produced a second when, his corner having been directed back out to him, the youngster's volley from wide right was held at the second attempt by Smith.
Adam again came close in twenty minutes when he headed over from a Buffel cross, then eight minutes later the Belgian saw his twenty-yard shot from a Dado Prso cross held by Smith.
Buffel was running the home defence ragged – totally unable to cope with his movement. A solo run from the halfway line in 33 minutes ended when he clipped his effort just too high.
Seven minutes later Sionko shot over from a Prso cross – and the half incredibly ended with Rangers, despite their almost infinite superiority, leading by just the one goal.
The Ibrox men restarted just as they had left off – the outstanding Adam striking the crossbar from a Buffel pass in 49 minutes.
Two minutes later unbelievably the scores were level when Phil O'Donnell netted at the second attempt from a McCormack cross after Letizi had produced an instinctive one-handed save in what was effectively the home side's first effort on goal.
This was grand larceny, but a semblance of justice was restored in 65 minutes when Prso bulleted home a header from an Adam cross.
Four minutes later the Croatian alnost made it 3-1 when his shot from an Adam free-kick came back off the junction of post and crossbar.
Nacho Novo replaced Sionko and in the dying seconds Makhtar N'Diaye replaced Buffel as Rangers played out time – but the final margin of victory was absolutely absurd.
Afterwards Le Guen summarised:
“I was very happy with the game. We played well and created so many chances. A win today was the most important factor. Our play was encouraging - there was a good balance today.”
MOTHERWELL Smith; Quinn, Craigan, Donnelly, Paterson; McGarry (Clarkson 77), O'Donnell, Kerr, Foran (Fitzpatrick 77); Hamilton, McCormack (McDonald 61)
UNUSED SUBS Meldrum, McBride, Connelly, Soutar
RANGERS Letizi; Hutton, Svensson, Rodriguez, Smith; Sionko (Novo 79), Hemdani, Clement, Adam; Buffel (N'Diaye 90), Prso
UNUSED SUBS McGregor; Rae, Pierre-Fanfan, Namouchi, Ashikodi
REFEREE John Underhill