Big ramifications for everyone- Hateley warns van Bronckhorst over one more slip

Mark Hateley believes that Giovanni van Bronckhorst could be one more domestic stumble from getting sacked at Ibrox.

Six defeats in seven weeks have piled on the pressure with fans angered by a humiliating Champions League campaign resulting in a goal difference of 1-19.

Almost as concerning has been the attitude of the players with many supporters concerned that they have chucked it.

After being booed off the park in their last two home matches van Bronckhorst’s squad return to Ibrox tomorrow knowing the reaction that dropping points against Aberdeen would bring.

Hateley was in Napoli for the latest Champions League defeat, writing for BBC Scotland he feels that another set-back tomorrow would be one too many for the current boss:

It says a lot about how things are at Rangers right now that a routine Scottish Premiership contest is currently more important to the club than a Champions League group game.

Aberdeen. Ibrox. Saturday. How that goes could have far more influence on the future of Giovanni van Bronckhorst than losing to Napoli on Wednesday.

All managers will say every fixture has the same importance but the Dutchman’s team selection in Italy spoke to where his priorities lie. Aberdeen, quite simply, is a higher-pressure game right now.

Another stumble, after the drab draw with Livingston and turgid League Cup win over Dundee, could have big ramifications for everyone and everything at the club… players, management, and the board with the agm coming up.

After years on the pay-roll as a club ambassador Hateley has become critical of the decision makers who axed his Ibrox salary.