'Means Nothing' - Hugh Keevins issues Rangers sack claim after Clement contract surprise

Rangers could still sack Philippe Clement if Celtic win another league title despite the manager signing a new contract at Ibrox, says Hugh Keevins.

The Belgian expressed his love for the club on 2 August after a surprise new deal was announced out of the blue ahead of the new season [Sky Sports].

But Daily Record journalist Keevins told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard later the same day that “means nothing” if there is a continued lack of success at Ibrox, because there is “no patience” and “no forgiveness” in Glasgow, pointing to another recent boss who was sent packing anyway.

Keevins said: “I honestly think that appealing for time is a waste of time, because I’m sure that Giovanni van Bronckhorst loved the club, got them to a European final, they still sacked him the following season.

“Glasgow doesn’t afford you time… when the reality hits that they have lost the league people are unhappy. There are people who were unhappy with Philippe Clement last season because he was close to the league and then we know what happened at Dingwall and Dundee.

“Philippe Clement lost the backing of a lot of supporters around about that time, unfairly because the man [is] today 10 months into the job, but in this city there’s no patience, there’s no forgiveness, and if Celtic go four in a row there’ll be much unhappiness.

“Philippe Clement may have an affection for the club but that on its own means nothing.”

Philippe Clement not safe at Rangers if Celtic win title

It is true that Clement won’t last long if there are no signs of improvement in his second season but the contract is likely an attempt to ward of doubts over his future.

The manager has had to slog through a summer transfer window where he has been forced to sell before he could buy, after admitting he did not expect that to be the case when he came in [Daily Record, 13 July].

He has also been forced to take his side on the road to Hampden Park for home matches thanks to a building work mess that was outside his control.

So there has been some, not unreasonable, speculation that he might decide the situation is not worth the headache and move on.

Outwardly it is a welcome show of unity for his new deal to be signed and his public words to affirm his commitment, but there may well be an element of appeasement from the board as well.

They reportedly realise the damage that has been done by sacking Van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale in successive seasons [The Herald, 27 July] and will not dispense with Clement’s services even if the campaign gets off to a poor start.

But they would have had to make some overtures to him to prevent him walking of his own accord, and clearly they have done just that.

In other Rangers news, the Light Blues have been locked in talks internally about signing a star striker option.

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