Glasgow Rangers face a crucial weekend as the Ibrox side travel to Hampden Park for the League Cup semi-final against Motherwell.
For Philippe Clement, it could well be win or bust for the Belgian, especially following the midweek defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Clement led the Light Blues to the League Cup last season – their first win in the competition for 12 years – as it looked to be the catalyst for a Premiership title challenge.
If the Belgian suffers defeat to the Steelmen this weekend, will his position be untenable? A large section of the Ibrox faithful believe he should already be sacked…
Philippe Clement’s future at Rangers isn’t promising
At the turn of the year, Rangers had already won the first trophy of the season, secured the top spot in their Europa League group, and were chasing Celtic down in the league.
While the wheels fell off towards the end of the campaign, there was plenty of credit in the bank. This was boosted further by selling Sam Lammers and Connor Goldson while releasing a few players upon the expiration of their contracts to free up the wage bill.
Date
Competition
Opponent
03/11/2024
League Cup
Motherwell
07/11/2024
Europa League
Olympiacos
10/11/2024
Premiership
Hearts
23/11/2024
Premiership
Dundee United
28/11/2024
Europa League
Nice
Via Transfermarkt
With just six wins in the top flight, trailing Celtic and Aberdeen by nine points, it is clear the club won’t be winning the title. The style of football has been dreadful, with several players underperforming massively.
If Clement is sacked, who can the board get to replace him?
Kjetil Knutsen would be a worthy replacement for Clement
Sooner or later, the rumour mill will start to circle regarding who will take the reins at Ibrox. Before Michael Beale was approached, Knutsen was linked with the managerial role in 2022, but nothing materialised.
The same name appeared yet again last year without success. Might it be third time lucky this time if the board decides to go down that route?
The Dane has enjoyed plenty of success at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, leading them to three league titles since 2018, with a fourth potentially on its way.
He has managed to club 296 times, winning 178 games in the process while averaging 2.02 points per game. An impressive spell, no doubt, but it is his attack-minded approach to games that could please the supporters.
Knutsen tends to use a 4-3-3 formation, which is different from what Clement is utilising. His style was once dubbed as “fantastic to watch” by journalist Connor McGilligan, while Bodo/Glimt captain Ulrik Saltnes had previously hailed the style of football as “kamikaze” which could certainly see the team score more goals.
Change is needed, and fast, if the Light Blues are to salvage anything from the 2024/25 campaign. Knutsen has worked wonders in Norway, and he could be a popular choice to take over at Ibrox when Clement departs.
It would be an interesting gamble, no doubt about that, but it could pay dividends, given his proven track record of winning league titles and his exciting style of play.
Major update on Clement's immediate Rangers future from sources in Belgium
The Gers boss is under a huge amount of pressure.
ByHenry Jackson