Rangers: Martin Keown gobsmacked at Giovanni van Bronckhorst managerial career
Giovanni van Bronckhorst has already managed to secure some very proud accomplishments as Rangers manager despite Martin Keown’s surprise.
The duo were teammates at Arsenal when the current Light Blues boss left Ibrox during his playing days and the Gunners’ icon did not see him as manager material at the time.
But the Dutchman has proven him wrong and Keown is now delighted to see his former pal succeeding in the very demanding world of football management.
“I never saw him as being a manager,” Keown said on Football Focus. “I don’t know how you really look for that amongst the players.
“He came to Arsenal from Rangers and he was really the player; he went on to sign for Barcelona where he was incredible.
“But what he’s done in management in taking all of these little bits of people he’s worked with, single-minded in his view taking over from Steven Gerrard and then getting them to the final of the Europa League last year.
“He’s taking Rangers now to a really high level and I’m really pleased.”
Next level
Things have gone well for van Bronckhorst so far even though he could not sustain a Premiership assault alongside Rangers’ ventures in Europe last season but he has to find another gear now.
Ange Postecoglu is pushing Celtic on much quicker than his counterpart at Ibrox and there is a risk that Rangers could end up being left behind by the Hoops.
There have been hiccups this season that should not have happened and the timid performances in the Champions League have been a massive disappointment for many Gers fans.
Luckily for van Bronckhorst, the games will now come thick and fast until the World Cup in November so there are plenty of opportunities to get things right and the campaign back on track.
Celtic’s own mishaps have meant that they are still within reach at the top of the table but there can’t be any more slip-ups until the end of the season.
In other Rangers news, one Ibrox ace is being targeted for a January loan move which would see him return to his homeland.