Rangers sack manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst after only one year in charge
Rangers have sacked Giovanni van Bronckhorst after just one year in charge of the famous Scottish club.
The decision was made after a lacklustre start to the campaign in the Scottish Premiership, where they are already struggling to keep pace with Celtic at the top. The Hoops are already nine points clear of their Glasgow rivals after losing just once all year in the league.
Rangers, on the other hand, might have won 10 out of their 15 matches in the Scottish Premiership but form has declined in recent weeks. A defeat to St Johnstone and draws against St Mirren and Livingston have allowed Celtic to take the lead – who also demolished them 4-0 in the last Old Firm derby.
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But the real humiliation came in the Champions League, where after losing six times and suffering a goal difference of -20, they became the worst team to have ever played in the competition.
That included Liverpool running riot at Ibrox – winning 7-1 – to hand Rangers their biggest ever defeat at Ibrox with Mohamed Salah scoring the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history. It saw the Gers stoop lower than Dinamo Zagreb in 2011/12, whose campaign ended in six losses and a goal difference of -19.
A statement announcing Van Bronckhorst’s departure read: “Rangers Football Club confirms today it has parted company with manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
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(Image: Getty Images)
“The board would like to put on record sincere thanks to Gio for all his efforts since his appointment as manager.
“Arriving at the club just over a year ago, Gio led the club to a fifth European final and won the Scottish Cup last May. He also led the team to the club’s first Champions League qualification in 12 years.
“Unfortunately, results and performances over recent months haven’t met expectations and the decision was made today by the board to terminate the contract of the manager. The search for the new manager is now underway.”
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