Rangers chiefs won’t bow to fan anger and bullet Philippe Clement despite mounting supporter rage, according to sources close to the beleaguered Belgian.
The under-fire Ibrox boss is set to face the media at a lunchtime press conference ahead of Sunday’s massive Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Motherwell at Hampden. Defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Wednesday has left the Light Blues trailing both the Dons and Scottish Premiership champions and fierce rivals Celtic by nine points in the league table.
But Record Sport has been told by sources in Belgium close to the Clement camp that they believe they still have the backing of the Rangers board. They told us: “Pressure from outside – media and fans – is very high but, within the club, they are staying calm.”
Some of Clement’s recent predecessors have paid the price for similar – or, in some cases not even as bad – as the kind of run he is on just now. But the shambolic off-field state of affairs which has seen them operate without a chief executive since James Bisgrove left for the Saudi Pro League FIVE months ago, an interim chairman in John Gilligan and dire financial results which saw the club post a £17.2million loss is a major factor in the club stance with the Belgian.
The source added: “I don’t see any other Rangers coach surviving this but given the situation in the club… the question is: who will/can make the decision to sack him?”