Rangers manager Philippe Clement is reportedly 'one match from the sack' and will lose his job if the Gers suffer defeat to Motherwell in the Scottish League Cup semi-finals on Sunday.
Clement's future at Ibrox is under the spotlight following a disappointing 2-1 defeat away against high-flying Aberdeen on Wednesday night, leaving the Gers nine points behind both the Dons and rivals Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership table after only 10 matches.
Rangers' midweek loss represents their third in the league this season and their second in three games having also lost 1-0 at Kilmarnock on October 20.
Former Rangers striker Kris Boyd, who won two league titles with the Glaswegian giants, vented his frustration on Sky Sports after the defeat to Aberdeen and has called for the Gers to part ways with Clement immediately.
"There is no way this can continue at Rangers and somebody needs to get a grip of it," said Boyd. "He now needs to go - if there is progression, you can cut him some slack, but eight of their 11 (against Aberdeen) were already at the football club before he arrived, that is not progression.
"There's problems at Rangers that need to get fixed. Take nothing away from Aberdeen, by the way, they deserve their victory and are, by far, a better team than Rangers.
"Better manager than Rangers, better recruitment than Rangers, better team than Rangers right now. Rangers need to get sorted out. It is just excuses. The results are all that matters. They have lost three of their opening 10 and drawn one, it is not good enough."
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Boyd: 'Rangers have downgraded in every position, Clement must go'
Boyd believes that Rangers are going backwards under Clement, adding: "There are loads there that are absolutely miles off it. From top to bottom right now, Rangers are leaderless. I don't care what anybody says, they are leaderless.
"[Clement has] realised 'there's nobody above me to question me'. Nils Koppen (director of football recruitment) can't be totally immune to criticism here because this is on him as well, the two of them. The recruitment has been diabolical once again.
"Aberdeen have recruited a team with £2m and don't forget they have sold their best player. They have built this team with £2m and they are miles ahead of this Rangers team in terms of a structure, even a work ethic to go and play.
"People tell me Rangers are cost-cutting, they have spent over £10m and they have downgraded in every single position. I don't care what anybody says, they have downgraded in every position, and they get what's coming to them.
"In terms of the budget, blame cutbacks all you want. There is still money being spent. [Mohamed] Diomande cost over £4m. Jefte £1m. [Oscar] Cortes they need to buy who we've hardly seen. [Hamza] Igamane £1.7m. [Robin] Propper £1.5m. [Nedim] Bajrami £3.4m. The list goes on. There is no way this can continue at Rangers and somebody needs to get a grip on it."
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Clement is fighting for his Rangers job
Clement's predecessors Michael Beale and Giovanni van Bronckhorst both lost their jobs at Rangers after similar poor starts to a season. Indeed, Beale was sacked in October 2023 after losing three of his opening nine games, while Van Bronckhorst was let go a year earlier after dropping nine points behind Celtic.
According to Football Insider, Rangers' hierarchy have been surprised by the club's poor start to the campaign under Clement, who was given a new four-year contract in the summer that runs until June 2028.
The report adds that there would be 'no way back' for the 50-year-old if his side lose their Scottish League Cup semi-final against Motherwell at Hampden Park on Sunday.
Clement was is defiant mood when discussing his position at Rangers at a pre-match press conference on Friday, telling reporters: "With the right conclusions, with the right attitude, with the right mentality, with the right spirit, things can change really fast.
"We're working really hard on that with all the group on the pitch about what to do, off the pitch what to do and to know what this club is about and that every loss is a drama. It's a really bad thing.
"That's what you need to live with and what you need to embrace, and because of that you have also the good moments. We're going to continue working hard with all squads to have that in their minds and then to break these moments of games that we were not good enough."
It remains unclear as to who would have the final say on Clement's future should the Gers lose to Motherwell as Rangers currently have no chief executive or director of football, while John Gilligan is acting as interim chairman following the exit of John Bennett for health reasons in September.
Oliver Thomas
