Philippe Clement sack: ‘Inexplicable update emerges amid Rangers takeover news’
Philippe Clement’s situation on the hot seat at Rangers looks to have become clearer amid news of talks to buy the club, Keith Jackson has said.
On Wednesday (19 February), it emerged that an American consortium is in advanced talks to complete a takeover of Rangers.
That group is backed the 49ers Enterprise, who are the investment arm of the NFL side the San Francisco 49ers.
The enterprise already hold a controlling stake in the Championship side Leeds United, where one of their key investors, Paraag Marathe is chairman at Elland Road.
Now, it seems as though those talks over a takeover at Ibrox may have helped Clement to remain at Rangers longer than many may have expected.
Philippe Clement future an ‘afterthought’ at Rangers
It has been another underwhelming season for Clement at Ibrox, with the Gers once again well behind Celtic in the race for the Scottish title.
| Scottish Premiership position | Club | Played | Points |
| 1st | Celtic | 26 | 69 |
| 2nd | Rangers | 26 | 56 |
They also lost to their Auld Firm rivals in the final of the Scottish League Cup, although the biggest humiliation came with the recent Scottish Cup defeat to Championship side Queen’s Park at Ibrox.
Many Rangers fans fumed that Clement did not leave in the wake of that defeat, amid everything else that has gone on, in what Jackson termed an “inexplicable” situation.
However, he has now implied that the ongoing talks over a takeover of the club may have contributed to CEO Patrick Stewart not sacking the Belgian in spite of those setbacks.
Speaking on The Daily Record Hotline Live on X about what the potential takeover might mean for Clement’s future at Ibrox, the reporter said: “In the big picture, I think Philippe Clement, with all due respect is a bit of an afterthought here.
“If what we’re talking here and the potential here for regime change and a takeover and a swap and transfer of boardroom power, then Philippe Clement’s pretty low down the to do list.
“This is fundamental change. Patrick Stewart did an interview today… during the interview Patrick Stewart was talking about Clement and saying ‘well what’s the point in fixing the roof when it’s the foundations that are eroding here…
“I get that, I would have come back, as I said previously, that’s fine but the supporters are the ones that are bankrolling the whole thing, results are the priority and the results are not good enough, the Queen’s Park Scottish Cup defeat was an absolute calamity.
“But maybe, and this is where I’ll give Patrick Stewart his due, maybe this explains what was previously inexplicable. Maybe when we’re sitting in here going ‘how did Philippe Clement survive that, where has Patrick Stewart gone?’
“Well if Patrick Stewart knew that this was bubbling under and that there was potential for fundamental change then I would agree that what happens with Philippe Clement can be pushed onto the backburner.
“This is far bigger, these are the big fish to fry and Philippe Clement in relative terms, is a bit of a tiddler.”
Rangers takeover to put Philippe Clement under pressure
Football Insider Verdict
It makes sense that these takeover talks may have helped Clement stay in a job over the past few months.
The 49ers enterprise are involved in some major financial deals, and so would have plenty of funds to invest into Rangers if they were to complete a takeover.
As a result, Stewart may not want to change the club in anyway that more jeapordise a takeover, or have much time to focus on decisions around the future of Clement.
If the takeover is done though, given the backing they would likely give the club, the 49ers would expect a return on that investment.
With that in mind, if Clement failed to improve results at Rangers under those potential new owners, it would undoubtedly raise even more questions about how long he can remain at Ibrox.