Sources close to Ibrox have told Ibrox Noise that manager Philippe Clement has a strong chance of losing his job if Rangers do not beat Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday.
We are told that discussions have taken place with the current board and management, and Clement is well aware results and performances drastically need to improve, because 9 points behind Aberdeen before November even begins would be regarded as absolutely unacceptable to the hierarchy, even if some supporters still demand the man be ‘given time’.
Whether a parting of ways would be a resignation, mutual consent or sacking we’re not sure, but Rangers’ levels this season have been so dreadfully poor, and indeed have been well below the needed standard since around March this year that Rangers’ board are close to ending this relationship one way or the other.
The key issue of course is cost – many fans have been at pains to argue Rangers can’t afford the payoff, the trap that former Chairman John Bennett caused the club to end up in with his offer of a new contract.
This would make sacking difficult.
It is why mutual consent is seen as the likely outcome, in much the same way Michael Beale was let go – he wanted to leave, but didn’t want to resign and lose out on the big fat pay off, so the club and he agreed on the compromise of mutual consent and he got a reduced sum.
Clement’s Rangers spell is on the shoogliest of shoogly pegs, even if some Rangers fans accuse Ibrox Noise of being ‘tims’ for making that argument, many nevertheless agree that his time is up.
But would a win on Wednesday save his job?
Yes, for the time being it would.
A win at Pittodrie would make a small difference – Rangers’ fight this season is barely even with the Dons for second place, it’s with Dundee Utd at the moment for third, but Rangers taking Aberdeen’s scalp on their own patch would be seen as a big win for Clement.
If he can get that, he will probably live to fight another day. A draw is a toss up, but a loss is a definite stage closer to Rangers and he parting company.
Time will tell.