Rangers ‘baffle’ after what Patrick Stewart said about Philippe Clement
Patrick Stewart was expected to bring a sea of change at Rangers, but his recent statements have baffled one former Gers star.
The former Manchester United chief arrived at the Light Blues in December, and fans expected stability to return after months of uncertainty in the hierarchy.
Stewart has been underwhelming at Ibrox, as he failed to make a swift decision regarding the managerial change at the Bears.
Barry Ferguson has finally replaced Philippe Clement, but the Belgian manager’s dismissal could have undoubtedly come sooner if not for reluctance in the boardroom.
Clement deserved Rangers sack
Gordon Dalziel has slammed Stewart for his statements before Clement’s sacking.
The ex-Gers ace has been left baffled by the Light Blues as the chief executive officer was reluctant to fire the Belgian manager due to their Europa League prospects.
| Competition | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses |
| Scottish Premiership | 27 | 17 | 5 | 5 |
| Europa League | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Scottish Cup | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Scottish League Cup | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
Dalziel believes the former Monaco boss deserved to be dismissed and feels Ferguson has been hired to get the fans back onside.
Speaking on Open Goal (27 February), the Scotsman said: “They baffle me, Rangers. Stewart comes out with statements about how we can’t interrupt the Europa League.
“Clement had to go. The reason Ferguson got the job is simple: that board needed somebody to pull the supporters back.”
Stewart needs to convince Ibrox faithful after poor start
The 49ers Enterprises are eyeing investment at Ibrox, and the American consortium’s potential arrival could lead to massive decisions in the boardroom.
As things stand, the Gers don’t have much to play for after being eliminated from the Scottish Cup and trailing Celtic by 13 points in the league.
The Europa League is the Light Blues’ only opportunity to lift silverware this season, but that doesn’t look realistic.
While it’s understandable that the Bears stuck by Clement due to their performances in the European competition, the 50-year-old head coach wasn’t the right man for the job.
The appointment of an interim boss makes sense as the Glaswegian outfit will have more options to assess next summer.
Stewart may find himself out of Ibrox if the 49ers decide to bring their own team once the takeover is complete.
This season looks to be a write-off, but fans will expect the Gers to compete with Celtic in the coming months, both on and off the pitch.
The Ibrox faithful have already expressed their discontent with the management, and it won’t take long for them to take aim at the CEO.