Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - November 1, 2022. Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
Glasgow Rangers could be set to sack manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the coming days, according to reports over the last 48 hours.
The Lowdown: Calls for the sack
The Premiership giants have lost ground in the title race in recent weeks, falling nine points off the pace, and there has recently been calls from some fans for the 47-year-old to be dismissed following a dismal run of form for the Light Blues.
The Dutchman insisted during his post-match interview on Saturday following the 1-1 draw at St Mirren that he didn’t feel under any pressure despite a noticeable dip in form, although the Ibrox hierarchy appear to have a different view.
The Latest: Rangers set for big decision
According to Football Insider on Monday, Rangers are ‘increasingly likely’ to relieve Van Bronckhorst of his duties in the coming days after the board held ‘crisis talks’ regarding his future.
The Ibrox directors have been ‘locked in discussions’ over what to do, and it’s believed that the 47-year-old’s job is ‘hanging by a thread’.
It’s stated that plans are being ‘put in place’ for a new manager to be in the dugout for the first game back after the World Cup break, with QPR’s Michael Beale identified as the number one target.
The Verdict: Time to go
Van Bronckhorst made an initial impact upon his arrival last year and got the club back into the Champions League group stage, but with pressure from many supporters impossible to ignore, now seems the right time to let him go.
That is all the more case given the mid-season break for the World Cup, as a quickfire change could give his successor a few weeks on the training ground to get his feet under the table.
The Rotterdam native has only won two out of his last seven games in all competitions, and after crashing out of Europe in unenviable record-setting fashion, Rangers’ season is already at risk of petering out to anti-climax.
The Gers are still on course to secure Europa League qualification for 2023/24, but a change at the helm could well be needed if the club want a stronger chance of success next season.
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