John Hartson reckons Rangers will be faced with TWO scenarios over Philippe Clement – if results don’t improve fast.
The Light Blues missed a huge chance to cut the gap on the top two at the weekend after Celtic and Aberdeen dropped points to each other in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Parkhead. That meant that ahead of their clash at Kilmarnock, the Ibrox men knew a victory at Rugby Park would cut the gap down to three points. However, Marley Watkins bundled home a late winner with the gap now at SIX.
Rangers face a big week with a Europa League outing on Thursday night before Premiership clashes with St Mirren then on the road at Pittodrie. Should both win at the weekend, then Aberdeen have the chance of making that gap nine points over James Tavernier and Co. Celtic hero Hartson – on pundit duty – admits the recruitment in Govan has not been good enough and reckons the Ibrox side may well need to consider some big questions in the coming weeks, if things don’t go to plan.
He told Go Radio: “The way I see it is the board really felt [Philippe] Clement could turn the screw and challenge Celtic. They did very well last season and were in command for a long time in the season, slipped up towards the end and Celtic came like a train and won the title.
“This season has not gone as well. The recruitment has not been good. You could question whether players are good enough and capable of playing for a Rangers team that have to win games. And for me, I think Rangers, maybe not yet, see how the next couple of games go, but they have two decisions to make.
“They can either sack the manager and bring somebody else in that can save their season if they see it that way potentially. Or they can stick with Philippe Clement and then accept that they are not going to win the title.
“They are the choices for me that they are going to have to make sooner rather than later because the fans are getting disgruntled and are very annoyed at the way Rangers are playing. They had a wonderful opportunity at the weekend and never turned up.”
Former Rangers man Graham Dorrans added: “You don’t know if a new manager comes in and gets that bounce. Clement got it when he came in for Michael Beale. It was probably a similar situation he inherited. Rangers were behind in the league and he came in and got that bounce out the squad, got himself ahead in the league and sort of fell away after that and Celtic won the league.
“Although he has signed the four-year contract. He will know himself he is not going to get the four years to get everything right. He will have a little leeway at the minute to try get things right but that won’t last forever. If he doesn’t start picking up results decisions will be made and jobs will be paid for if they don’t get them.”