GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - DECEMBER 21: (L-R) Former Rangers Board Member George Letham, Rangers Chief Executive Officer Patrick Stewart and Chairman Fraser Thornton during a William Hill Premiership match between Rangers and Dundee at Ibrox Stadium, on December 21, 2024, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Alan Harvey/SNS Group via Getty Images)
As media appearances go it was all build up and no bite as Paddy Stewart met up with selected media messengers at Ibrox yesterday.
Fan media was heavily represented as they compromised themselves further relaying the message from the Chairman that Phil Clement isn’t about to be sacked.
A trip to Dundee United on January 26 might be worth noting, three days after facing Manchester United at Old Trafford the attitude of Clement’s exciting young side will be compared to that of their hosts.
Statements from the Union Bears and Rangers Supporters Association made it clear that the current manager has reached the point of no return but the recently installed CEO is afraid of making that decision.
Taking a leaf from politicians, Stewart has ordered a root and branch review of the football department which starts on Monday.
If the former Manchester United low-achiever doesn’t know the extent of the disaster that he has walked into by now he is in for some sleepless nights as he draws a salary from the Tribute Act founded by Charles Green.
Having bottled out of making the most sensible decision that he’ll ever be asked to make the omens aren’t looking good for Stewart.
Firing a friendly warning at the new CEO, in the Daily Mail Gary Keown writes:
One thing’s for sure. It’s only going to get more and more toxic at Ibrox and it is no more than the upper echelons deserve. This is the culmination of years of mismanagement. The almost inevitable end point.
No one is listening any longer to Clement’s endless excuses and occasional gibberish to explain away a run of results that is utterly unacceptable. His race has been run for a long time and the eyes are now as much on the boardroom as the dugout.
Insisting the Belgian is not being kept in position because there’s no money to pay him off, Stewart stated yesterday: ‘If we rush and react every time there’s some poor results, we’re in danger of being back in the same place in a year’s time or 18 months’ time or however long.’
Rush and react? Some poor results? This has been more than 10 months of inadequacy under Clement since a home loss to Motherwell instigated a full-on collapse. Supporters are within their rights to be demanding his removal and surely will do so again today.
Stewart had better be careful too. In the eyes of many, his State of the Nation address has only ended up making him look like a mouthpiece for the directors who have landed Rangers in this awful state.
And if that view gathers greater support, they’ll soon be chanting for his head on a stake as well.
Stewart told yesterday’s meeting with messengers that one or possibly two new signings will be made in January, whether Clement agrees to the deals set up by Nils Koppen remains to be seen.
Shifting deadwood like Tom Lawrence, Kieran Dowell, Danilo, Cyriel Dessers, and Rabbi Matondo from the wage bill will be the priority over the next 19 days.
With every club and agent aware of the distressed nature of finances at Ibrox there won’t be any bumper fees or windfalls arrival with pay outs likely to shift the serial losers collected by Clement’s two predecessors.
Picture by Getty Images
The Morrocan Messi will ride to the rescue in the finance department when he is sold to Man City at the end of the month for £70 million
Excellent observation Joker but he’s easily worth 100 million when compared to his predecessor Fat boy Morelos ..
“This is the culmination of years of mismanagement.”
…caused by the unrealistic demands on the klub by those who claim to love it but refuse to invest more than the price of a ticket or jersey whilst hounding directors who have spent more money than most hun fans will earn in a lifetime just to try and give the illusion that “Ut’ pyoor iz ra sayme Raninjurrrz!!!” lest the hordes form a lynch mob. You reap what you sow, scummy hordes of hunnery, and we will laugh at you for decades to come. Get used to seeing title after title head to the East End you dumb moronic fools! This is now your reality, know your place.
Yay, well done Seppington – I think you’re the first I’ve seen on here who knows his hordes from his hoards! I love grammar & spelling – it’s the difference between knowing your shit and knowing you’re shit!
It’s football blog to comment on,not an English test ya FUD.
Cheers, Scud. I blame the schools……
“This is the culmination of years of mismanagement.”
…caused by the unrealistic demands on the klub by those who claim to love it but refuse to invest more than the price of a ticket or jersey whilst hounding directors who have spent more money than most hun fans will earn in a lifetime just to try and give the illusion that “Ut’ pyoor iz ra sayme Raninjurrrz!!!” lest the hordes form a lynch mob. You reap what you sow, scummy hordes of hunnery, and we will laugh at you for decades to come. Get used to seeing title after title head to the East End you dumb moronic fools! This is now your reality, know your place.
Who gives a fck. Keep the fud.
The Perfect Storm over ibrox continues to develop!
The sevco season is over: with that squad they’re probably unlikely to lift the SC
to thwart another green Treble.
Maybe the most important decisions to be taken at ibrox are around:
what is best for maintaining (or improving) Season Ticket sales?
The new CEO is snookered from every angle.
Popcorn on standby… 🙂