Keith Jackson: Rodgers likely delighted Rangers haven't moved for 'Obvious' Clement replacement

Brendan Rodgers is likely delighted that Rangers still haven’t made the move to appoint Derek McInnes as manager, says Keith Jackson.

The Daily Record journalist wrote for the paper’s website on 11 November that the Kilmarnock boss is the “obvious” option for the Light Blues given his record against Celtic over the years.

Philippe Clement is under significant pressure at Ibrox after falling nine points behind Rodgers, and Jimmy Thelin’s Aberdeen, to the point where the likes of Jackson consider it just a matter of time before he is sacked.

And in the wake of Kilmarnock putting up a decent fight in their 2-0 loss to the Hoops at Rugby Park on 10 November it is the Killie boss who Rodgers is thought glad to not be facing across Glasgow in Govan.

Jackson wrote: “McInnes showcased once again how capable he is of rolling around in the managerial mud with the Celtic boss.

“Rodgers has said it itself – and many times – over the years. He respects McInnes for a very good reason and is probably quietly delighted that Rangers have, thus far, failed to make an appointment which seems so obvious to almost everyone else.

“If the metric for judging what makes a capable, worthy Ibrox boss is the ability to be competitive against the neighbours, then McInnes is the ultimate no brainer when the axe finally falls on Philippe Clement and removes the Belgian from his mounting misery.

“Since the turn of the century, no other manager in this land or any other has chalked up more wins against the Parkhead club than any non Rangers boss.”

Kilmarnock boss the ‘obvious’ choice for Rangers to battle Celtic?

Whatever argument Clement can make to justify his record in charge at Ibrox, the record he has in Old Firm derbies remains a major red flag.

Five meetings and zero victories to this point, including a Scottish Cup final defeat and a 3-0 thrashing at Parkhead on 1 September which he tried to deflect on the basis of beating Ross County the previous week, would bring scrutiny on the Belgian even if he wasn’t coming up short elsewhere.

Even Michael Beale managed to win the dead rubber derby at the end of his first campaign, and Giovanni van Bronckhorst knocked Ange Postecoglou’s side out of the cup at Hampden Park after extra time, and neither have been afforded the leeway that Clement is currently enjoying.

If the club do reach a point where they decide the slipping standards can’t continue then there would be plenty among the Gers fanbase who would be glad to see McInnes the next man in.

Ibrox News pundit Derek Ferguson believes a sixth failure to triumph in the derby when the pair meet in the League Cup final on 15 December could spell the end.

But whether there is any danger of them pulling the plug, or whether McInnes would be interested in walking into the current mess, is another matter.

Jackson seems to consider it a foregone conclusion on both counts sooner or later, but the Ibrox hierarchy, or what is currently left of it, have already pushed through behind Clement where they didn’t for either of his predecessors this term.

BBC Scotland’s Tom English reported on 1 November that a senior club figure had indicated in the wake of the loss to Celtic, and the failure to qualify for the Champions League group stage, earlier this season that they were ready to concede the next two titles to Parkhead whatever the reaction from the fans in order to see the current process through.

So it may be that there is no chance of a managerial change on the horizon, but if there is McInnes might equally feel that Rangers in their current state are a no-win situation for any manager after three sackings in as many seasons.

In other Rangers news, Gers and Celtic supporters have been slammed for a “tiresome waste of time” that is expected to arise from them.

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