Rangers reason Philippe Clement has ‘not been sacked is obvious’
Rangers are keeping Philippe Clement in post purely to avoid compensation at this point.
The Belgian has overseen a dreadful run of away form which has seen his side fail to win on the road since 8 December, and January sees the club in an awkward financial position in their attempts to strengthen the squad.
Patrick Stewart angered sections of the Ibrox support when he publicly backed Clement last week, in a bid almost certainly to bide himself some time with the mounting pressure to part with the manager.
Former Gers striker Ross McCormack believes (14 January) the club may have to pay off the boss with a £7.5million compensation package if they were to sack him, which is utterly unsustainable.
Rangers board unlikely to sack Clement this season
From this viewpoint, it looks as if Rangers will have to make do with Clement until the summer, with the hierarchy desperate to do anything to avoid paying off the 50-year-old.
Some thought that Clement had bought himself until the end of the campaign with the Old Firm hammering of Celtic on 2 January, but results following the derby victory had been woeful up until recently, and sack talk is never far away in this role.
An anticipated win over St Johnstone was followed up with much the same against Aberdeen, who have tailed off as expected with Gers a certainty for second in the Scottish Premiership.
That wasn’t good enough for Michael Beale; it wasn’t good enough for Giovanni van Bronckhorst. Steven Gerrard had to win league title number 55 to become worshipped at Ibrox.
While it is also unsustainable to keep chopping and changing too often, the standout reason is the financial blow involved. That is why Rangers are unlikely to act in the coming months.
In other Rangers news, an exciting “double deal” is mooted as arrivals get nearer at Ibrox.
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