It’s easy to underestimate the success of Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Domestically, true, the league could have gone ‘better’, but his win rate is still better this season in the SPL than Gerrard’s – 14 wins of 20 (70%) compared with 8 of 12 (66%) shows that in every department this new boss has been superior to his predecessor this season.
But the big success has been in the cups.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst is yet to lose a cup tie as Rangers manager, and it’s given us a final and a semi final.
This is a remarkable improvement over Gerrard.
Gerrard couldn’t buy a win in the cup, any cup, and even while Europe was impressive, his achievements there paled into comparison with Gio’s.
It’s been very easy for a lot of fans to consider Gio not a success because he probably won’t deliver the league, but in every single department GVB has improved this club.
That’s factual, statistically-based and proven.
Some claim there was a 4-point lead turned into a 6-point deficit, and they’re right.
The reason is Celtic’s win rate under Stavros since Gio took over has been absurd in the league – just 4 dropped points since the Dutchman arrived has led to an overall 80% win rate for the season, and Gio, as a new manager without a pre-season and having to deal with Europe as well, has been unable to match that.
So yes, Gio has been a big success, a much bigger one than many want to give him credit for.
Celtic’s only achievement is a likelihood of winning the league. Everything else they’ve been a shambles.
Rangers, fighting on 3 fronts most of the season, just couldn’t quite match Celtic this calendar year in the league (up to this point). We dumped them in the cup don’t forget.
Let no one claim the manager has failed in any way.
He hasn’t.
He’s been quite frankly brilliant.