The decision to sack Philippe Clement has come to light at Rangers, revealing significant issues at Ibrox.

According to Jonny McFarlane, Rangers will not be sacking Philippe Clement this year, even if the club has a bad start to the season. In his column for The Herald on 27 July, the journalist mentioned that there is an acceptance that the previous managerial changes, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Michael Beale, have caused major issues at Ibrox. Clement is highly regarded by the Gers hierarchy, so the only way he is likely to leave the club is if he chooses to do so. It is believed that the manager needs more than just this summer’s transfer window to rebuild the team in his own image. The constant cycle of hiring and firing since Steven Gerrard left for Aston Villa has left the club in a state of instability, so committing to the current boss seems like the right move. However, if the season starts poorly and Rangers are out of Europe and far behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership early on, there will undoubtedly be calls for Clement’s departure. With only a week left before the season starts, and with not even half of the necessary transfer business completed, it wouldn’t be surprising if the campaign doesn’t go according to plan right away. The team’s lackluster preseason and the inability to play at Ibrox for at least the opening weeks all point to potential difficulties for Clement. Rangers chairman John Bennett is not expected to relieve the manager of his duties.