Philippe Clement sack: ‘Rangers players and manager don’t trust each other’
Rangers players and managers no longer trust each other after a shock defeat to Queen’s Park, according to Kris Boyd.
The ‘Gers suffered a shock defeat in the FA Cup fifth round at the hand of Championship side, Queen’s Park.
The 1-0 defeat now means that unless Rangers can pull off a miracle in the Europa League, the Glaswegian side will finish the season empty handed.
They are 13 points behind Old Firm rivals, Celtic, having also lost the league cup final to their historic rivals.
Philippe Clement is now under huge threat of losing his Ibrox job, sources have told Football Insider, and Rangers fans have insisted that Clement’s sacking is “inevitable”.
Any goodwill from the positive result against Man United in the Europa League on 23 January has effectively been un-done following the loss to Queen’s Park.
Ex-Gers striker Boyd, thinks that Clement’s decision earlier in the season to leave out players like James Tavernier, Ianis Hagi and Nicolas Raskin, before making them key parts now, has had dire consequences for the team’s cohesion.
Boyd then went on to say on Sky Sports Scotland: (2.46) “I think there is a lack of trust from the players to the manager, and vice versa. Philippe Clement has stumbled across a few things this season, and he went with it.
“When results like this happen, you are under major pressure. Philippe Clement has already had a lot of criticism, and rightly so in my opinion, because: 13 points behind Celtic, out of the Scottish Cup to Queen’s Park, at home, lost the league cup final to Celtic.
“Yes, Rangers have qualified for the last 16 of the Europa League, but domestically, at least when I was growing up, was the be all and end all, and I don’t think that will ever change.
“I think it’s three trophies out of the last 43 available in Scotland, it’s not good enough.”
Steven Gerrard reunion with Rangers possible
Football Insider Verdict
Following his departure from Al-Ettifaq in January, Steven Gerrard has been linked with a return to Rangers, somewhat unsurprisingly.
The former Liverpool legend enjoyed the most successful stint of his managerial career at Ibrox, and following a dismal season, ‘Gers fans would welcome him back with open arms.
The Englishman has become the favourite to replace Clement, and at this point it would be a shock if the Belgian is still in charge come the end of the season.
Rangers would likely be a sensible choice for Gerrard, given his struggles at Aston Villa and in Saudi Arabia, his reputation as a manager needs rehabilitating.
Gerrard was the last manager to win the Scottish Premiership for Rangers, and a return to his former side would allow him to work with a talented side that needs some trimming around the edges.
Whilst the squad is a distance away from having the talent that is available to Celtic, Tavernier, Hagi, Raskin and Vaclav Cerny represent a talented core, and Gerrard’s name value could be a major draw when it comes to recruitment in the summer.
Philippe Clement living on borrowed time at Rangers
Talks of Clement’s sacking have dominated any conversation surrounding Rangers this season, and it seems like it is a matter of when, not if, that the Belgian leaves Ibrox.
There was even talk in the January transfer window of Rangers selling Cyriel Dessers to pay for Clement to be sacked.
However, whilst it is unlikely to happen like that, it seems now that Rangers fans are willing to see their club do anything to get rid of the Belgian.