Chairman John Bennett is just four days away from delivering the ‘fuller, personal update’ he promised for his struggling club.
With only nine days potentially until the fixture that could ignite the ongoing chaos at Rangers, the situation appears dire.
Philippe Clement, clarifying yet again a couple of weeks ago that his experience at Ibrox is far from what he anticipated, asserted his commitment to the significant long-term rebuild ahead. But was he truly in a position to say otherwise?
If the manager has any foresight, he should already be having his agents scout for possible exit strategies—because he’s caught in a tumultuous environment that could destroy his career in a flash.
It’s evident that Rangers must continue supporting Clement; he represents their best chance. His coaching achievements back in Belgium underscore his capability, and he recognizes that the entire club needs a thorough overhaul.
The pressing issue now is whether he’s prepared to remain with them as tensions escalate, a scenario that appears all but inevitable.
Clement’s hopes of being competitive this season look to be going up in flames already
Rangers chairman John Bennett has not always fronted up but fans are now due an update
Clement and new assistant boss Andries Ulderink take in the action in Berlin yesterday
Fans are already expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of organization and coherent playing style demonstrated during pre-season, coupled with the abrupt end to the title challenge last season.
Regardless of Bennett’s comments when he eventually speaks this week, the notion that the support will endlessly tolerate another major reconstruction is unrealistic.
With only three trophies accrued in 13 years against significant investment, their fans have shown remarkable patience.
Rangers must secure results, irrespective of off-field turmoil. Their season opener against Hearts at Tynecastle this Saturday presents a considerable challenge. Moreover, the first leg of the third round of Champions League qualifiers against Dynamo Kyiv, likely to be played away, looms large on the horizon next Tuesday.
Qualification for the revamped league stage of Europe’s premier competition is crucial. Celtic, benefiting from substantial financial advantages, are poised to rake in £40 million from their participation. If Rangers fail to secure similar revenue—and currently seem to have no other lucrative pathways—their rivals are set to widen the gap.
Defeating Dynamo, or potential opponents like Partizan Belgrade, could provoke serious repercussions. But even if they succeed, they will still have to navigate past teams like Red Bull Salzburg, Lille, or Fenerbahce in the subsequent play-off later in August, presenting further challenges.
Connor Barron takes on Union Berlin yesterday but the new arrival will need help in midfield
The prospect of failing to qualify for the Champions League seems all but certain at this point. The squad is clearly unprepared, even as everyone at the club has been aware of these qualifying dates for months. A potential fallout is looming.
The trend of attributing failures to former CEO James Bisgrove, who is now in Saudi Arabia, is increasingly untenable. Moreover, appealing to supporters—still oblivious about the timeline for construction at Ibrox—to accept another failure won’t be well-received. Business operations this summer have been sluggish; most of Rangers’ new signings appear unlikely to deliver immediate impact. Clinton Nsiala and Hamza Igamane are seen as long-term projects, while Jefte and Liam Kelly provide backup. Oscar Cortes remains unproven, Connor Barron doesn’t command a starting position, and Vaclav Cerny, though he seems capable, enters competitive play without any pre-season match experience.
There’s no doubt that John Lundstram, Connor Goldson, Borna Barisic, Sam Lammers, Ryan Jack, and Kemar Roofe needed to depart. The exits of James Tavernier, Todd Cantwell, Ianis Hagi, Jose Cifuentes, Cyriel Dessers, and others are justifiable as well.
However, to replace all these players adequately, including Abdallah Sima—back at Brighton— is essential as we approach the new season, and currently, the club has not done this sufficiently.
Regarding the search for a new CEO with experience lacking under Bisgrove, it remains unclear what progress has been made. Bennett must ultimately address this situation. He bears responsibility for the club’s prolonged instability, having been a board member for nearly ten years.
Clement insisted afterwards that captain James Tavernier has not requested to leave the club
His tenure allowed Michael Beale to spend £21 million on unsuccessful signings without proper oversight from a sporting director. He placed his trust in Bisgrove and now presides over a Rangers that, remarkably, finds itself starting a season by renting Hampden Park—while also tending to its grass—due to Ibrox being inoperable.
And this just scratches the surface. Since Clement took over for Beale last October, he has consistently addressed the inadequacies of a club unfit for its purpose.
The discovery of an unused, expensive cryochamber was merely the beginning of unraveling the disarray within the medical and sports science departments, with the team’s persisting injury troubles described as ‘the greatest puzzle I’ve ever encountered’.
Clement labeled the common occurrence of experienced players departing without a fee as a ‘crazy situation’ that needs rectification. He noted that fostering a culture of ‘top professionalism’ within the club is vital.
This was compounded by Kieran Dowell sustaining an injury on a ‘poor pitch’ during a mid-season training break in La Manga, suggesting subpar organization.
When he took charge, he recognized that Rangers weren’t the wealthiest club globally.
Clement departs Berlin after the 4-4 draw, but will his next exit be a shock one from Ibrox?
Thus, it was all the more alarming to hear him confess two weeks ago, when revealing that he must sell players before making purchases, that ‘I had different expectations when I joined in October, I must admit’.
Clement has made his own miscalculations—relying on Dessers and Fabio Silva, for instance—and appeared stressed when labeling his team ‘moral winners’ after a last-gasp draw with Celtic at Ibrox.
Nevertheless, he seems to be in an untenable position. One where he has been constantly attempting to elucidate the complexities to anyone willing to listen since his arrival.
He must have anticipated a tipping point would arrive—whether it’s against Dynamo Kyiv, Fenerbahce, or domestic competition—if performance levels didn’t improve. Yet, improvements have not transpired.
Ongoing construction work at Ibrox has forced Rangers to decant to Hampden for fixtures
Furthermore, despite his warnings, he won’t be shielded from criticism when it inevitably arrives. At that moment, he might realize he cannot endure much more, if he hasn’t already.
Clement appears to be an individual sold a false promise. And there cannot be a genuine expectation of limitless loyalty from him if events continue on their current trajectory.
Everyone has their limits. The long-suffering Rangers supporters are nearing theirs, and surely their manager is as well.
Bennett’s upcoming address had better be substantial.
Collum is speaking sense… but we’ve heard it all before
Willie Collum struck the right chord in addressing the media regarding the changes he will need to implement as the new head of refereeing at the SFA.
Implementing referee mic-ups to communicate decisions at the pitchside monitor is a positive move. Monthly public discussions around right and wrong decisions, aimed at educating broadcasters and those within football who struggle with the regulations, should be the least we expect.
It’s essential to reinstate Scottish officials, both male and female, to major international tournaments, especially following a notably barren spell.
Willie Collum reheated a lot of old promises when speaking in his new role this week
‘We don’t sufficiently address the mental wellbeing of referees,’ he remarked. ‘Understanding why referees make errors is crucial.’
While this is commendable, the reality is that many of Collum’s proposed ideas have been discussed before, with little to no outcome.
During the customary pre-season briefings, top official John Beaton mentioned that referees were eager to explain their decisions and enhance transparency. Last June, SFA CEO Ian Maxwell spoke about a willingness for referees to wear microphones, and the Professional Game Board suggested appointing a voice coach so officials could be adequately prepared. Yet, we are still awaiting any of these initiatives to come to fruition.
Most fans recognize the necessity of supporting referees. However, referees themselves aren’t demonstrating enough initiative. Or, at least, the national association isn’t supporting them adequately.
Collum must face scrutiny for his actions rather than words. He’s been part of a system for years that is insular and reforms at a glacial pace. So, it’s understandable why many question whether he can truly be the dynamic change agent needed.
We need more than just a media conference that reiterates old concepts that have lingered for far too long without tangible results.
Breakout season would be just reward for Robby
Receiving chants from home fans before the first half of your debut is a terrific way to start at a new club. The advancement of goalkeeper Robby McCrorie at Kilmarnock is certainly a storyline worth monitoring as this season progresses.
Robby McCrorie impressed for Killie against Cercle Brugge and could be set for a big season
McCrorie performed admirably in Killie’s 1-1 draw with Cercle Brugge in the Europa League qualifiers. Despite a misstep in not clearing a corner, he made a crucial save against Abdoul Ouattara.
At Rangers, McCrorie made only seven appearances, achieving five clean sheets; it was tough to dethrone Allan McGregor and later Jack Butland.
Nonetheless, Scotland’s manager Steve Clarke is a supporter, and unless he resigns following the disastrous Euros, he will undoubtedly consider recalling McCrorie for the national squad in the Nations League.
Despite his age, McCrorie is demonstrating significant potential. He has the opportunity to secure a regular spot at his club, which might pave his way to becoming Scotland’s No. 1 soon.
A world of possibilities lies ahead for him. It will be intriguing to see if he can prove his reliability and seize this opportunity.
