Patrick Stewart has insisted Rangers’ decision to stick by Philippe Clement is not driven by cash.
The beleaguered Belgian is yet again fighting to save his job after last weekend’s Scottish Cup shocker at home to Queen’s Park. The disastrous fifth round exit at the hands of the Spiders – widely regarded as the worst in the club’s 153-year history – has sparked outrage amongst supporters. But while the punters are demanding change, it’s been radio silence from the men at the top of the Marble Staircase.
In the four days since Clements side tumbled out, there’s been not a peep out of any of the club’s senior figures. That’s allowed rumour to sweep through the support, with claims that Gers’ financial woes are the only thing keeping the manager in his job now running rife. One report this week claimed Gers would have to fork out £1.2million to sack the former Brugge and Monaco gaffer, who still has three-and-a-half years left on the new deal he was bizarrely handed at the start of the season.
But it’s now been revealed that new CEO Stewart has again repeated his insistence that money would not play a part in decisions taken on Clement’s future. He made a similar claim last month while issuing a vote of confidence in the 50-year-old following fan protests.
And he stressed the same point as he sat down with Gers’ Fan Advisory Board. Minutes from the meeting – which took place before last Sunday’s humiliating Queen’s capitulation – show Stewart being taken to task over the “dismay” fans were being put through by Clement’s stuttering side.
He was asked “why the club were seemingly accepting of this” and to explain why Clement was still in post with his team sitting 13 points behind leaders Celtic when previous bosses Gio van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale had been axed when their teams were trailing by only single-digit figures.
In response, Stewart “reiterated that the decision to retain Philippe Clement as manager was not a financially driven decision, rather it was recognition there was so much else to fix in the football department”. The former Manchester United director was appointed in December to take over the day-to-day running of the club.
And Stewart has also confirmed his is the man leading the recently-announced review of the club’s football department – with help from New York and London-based consultancy group Sportsology. The minutes add: “Patrick Stewart started by clarifying that the review was being led by him but with external support – from Sportsology who are leading experts in this field – and is focused on the footballing side of the club.
“While the club’s football operations are being prioritised, Patrick and the leadership team are also reviewing other areas of the club’s operations. In terms of the football review, it is all encompassing with the objective of ensuring that the department is befitting of an elite club. Key outputs from the review will be shared with fans in due course.”
But it was made clear Gers need to start by making better decisions with how they spend their cash. Stewart acknowledged that whilst Rangers have “high revenues relative to other Scottish football clubs, the reality is that we have not spent it wisely in recent years”.
The Ibrox chief also said the club held its hands up to the fact that a “leadership vacuum” had taken a toll on staff – something he was hoping to solve by the end of the season. Following huge £17million losses last year, Gers continue to rely on the support of directors and investors to keep the lights on at Ibrox.
But Stewart told the fan group that new chairman Fraser Thornton “is currently engaging with our existing shareholders”, adding “there could be appetite for future investment, but only if it was the right investor(s) for the long-term interests of the club”.