Philippe Clement ‘pig sick’ as Rangers sack claim made on BBC
Philippe Clement is said to be “pig sick” as a new sack verdict was shared on BBC after Rangers lost to Queen’s Park.
The Gers were embarrassed by Queen’s Park at Ibrox as Seb Drozd’s 69th-minute strike was enough to see the Scottish Championship outfit progress to the next round of the cup at Clement’s expense.
Cyriel Dessers gifted the hosts a lifeline in the dying embers of the contest after he won a penalty but goalkeeper Calum Ferrie was on hand to save James Tavernier’s contentious last-gasp penalty.
With the last remaining hope of domestic success this term wiped away by Callum Davidson, the clock is running out for Clement at Ibrox.
Philippe Clement under intense pressure at Rangers
The reaction in the aftermath of the shock defeat has been damning for Rangers, and it is impossible to envision Clement remaining at the helm at Ibrox.
It is always a case of one step forwards and two steps backwards for the Belgian, who will undoubtedly be fighting for his life in Glasgow, but to the hope of the supporters, to no avail.
The Gers are 13 points adrift of Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, and having lost to their Glaswegian rivals in the Scottish League Cup final on 15 December, there is nothing left to play for in Scotland this season.
However, ex-Rangers player Richard Foster said when speaking on BBC Sportscene (9 February, 22m 11s) that the loss against Queen’s Park will not be the final nail in the coffin for Clement.
“I think for now he keeps his job, but serious questions have to be asked because Rangers today have probably regressed, and I think Clement spoke about that, they have regressed towards where they were at the start of the season,” he said.
Billy Dodds added: “He was pig sick though, he was absolutely sick at the end, you could hear it. It’s not going to do him any favours.”
Rangers must make the right decision on Philippe Clement
How many times must Rangers and Clement do this dance?
The slim chance of Europa League success may be an argument in the Belgian’s favour. Still, in all due respect, the Light Blues cannot expect to compete against top-level European opposition when failing to bypass a second-tier side at Ibrox.
It is time for Patrick Stewart to make the first big decision of his Gers tenure since he was appointed as CEO on 16 December.
He has already felt the wrath of the Gers faithful after protests aimed at the board member were staged at Ibrox following his public backing of Clement.
The supporters have openly voiced their desire for the Belgian to be dismissed as soon as possible – the longer he remains in charge in Glasgow, the longer the club will stay in a state of limbo.
With six days until Rangers return to SPFL action against Hearts (16 February), there is no better time to make the necessary change than before the congested fixture schedule makes any potential decision impossible to exact.
The relationship between Clement and the supporters is damaged beyond repair. The only chance of a revival would be to win the Europa League, but given the state of the current squad, Celtic is more likely to win the Champions League.
History suggests Clement will survive another disastrous setback at Ibrox, but leaving him at the helm could result in irreversible damage for Rangers.